Well, no, he wasn’t always open
Malik Nabers averaged a league-leading 13.0 targets per game before missing Weeks 5 and 6 with a concussion. He returned Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles, and got just eight targets, catching four passes for 41 yards.
The rookie wide receiver apparently wasn’t thrilled about it.
“Watch the target tape. That was it. I was open,” Nabers said after the game.
Malik Nabers was asked if the Eagles’ defense did anything differently in the first half that he hadn’t seen on film:
“Watch the target tape. That was it. I was open.” pic.twitter.com/QEVtCBzNBE
— Giants Videos (@SNYGiants) October 21, 2024
Quarterback Daniel Jones completed 14 of 21 passes for just 99 yards and was sacked seven times by the Eagles before being pulled midway through the fourth quarter.
Nabers’ words will, of course, be interpreted as a shot at the beleauguered quarterback.
Was Nabers always open? Not on this play, where Jones was clearly looking at him and the receiver was blasted to the turf by cornerback Quinyon Mitchell:
Watch Quinyon Mitchell on Malik Nabers… pic.twitter.com/zONhCWs6cW
— Jake Rabadi (@JakeRabadiNFL) October 20, 2024
Not on this play, where he was bracketed and Jones gave him a chance, anyway:
Quinyon Mitchell vs. Malik Nabers. pic.twitter.com/dpvFNQcBGS
— Victor Williams (@ThePhillyPod) October 20, 2024
You can argue that he “might” be open on a couple of these plays. Watch Jones’ eyes, though. Nabers is not the primary target on every passing play. Also, he probably is not open on all of these.
Do the Giants need to get him the ball more than four times a game? Absolutely. Is it always Jones’s fault when he doesn’t get the ball? No.
Is Nabers right to be frustrated? Sure. But, he’s not right to throw his quarterback under the bus.
Stuff like that, plus Tae Banks not giving effort on a scramble by Jalen Hurts, can begin to tear at the fabric of a locker room.
