Malik Nabers has to be part of the Giants’ plan against Arizona, and not just in the “maybe later” sense.
New York opened the season by getting him six catches for 69 yards. Since then, the usage has dipped hard: six receptions for 27 yards over the next two games combined. That kind of quiet stretch might survive in a low-scoring win, but it cannot become the template for a receiver who is supposed to drive the passing game.
The matchup gives the Giants a clear place to push. Through three games, Cardinals opponents have put up 503 receiving yards and six touchdowns against Arizona’s wide receivers. That does not guarantee Nabers will explode on Sunday, but it absolutely points the Giants toward where the weak spot is.
At 12 catches for 96 yards on the season, Nabers has already shown he can be the top option. The issue is that the last two games have not given him enough easy work, and the passing game has not produced enough simple completions to make up for it.
The Giants cannot afford to sit on him until the fourth quarter and then start hunting deep shots. The smarter approach is to get him the ball in space first, then let the bigger plays come once Arizona has to adjust. A receiver with this kind of ability should be built into the game plan before the offense gets into panic mode.
That responsibility falls on both the quarterback and the play design. Nabers cannot do damage if the ball never finds him, and New York has enough flexibility to move him around, use motion, and give the Cardinals different pictures on how it wants to get him involved.
The Giants do not need to throw it 40 times to make this work. They just need a passing threat that forces Arizona to respect more than the run and the short game. Based on what the Cardinals have shown so far, this is the week to test that defense.
If Nabers gets those chances and the Giants still come up short, then the issue is bigger than usage. But if they go through another game without really making him a focal point, that would be much harder to explain.
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Odell Beckham Jr. Just Reopened An Ugly Giants Decision
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Giants coach John Harbaugh said the decision came down to Beckham not fitting into the teams plans and the need to move on, but Beckhams reaction only sharpened the discomfort around it. He made clear on social media that he was disappointed by the midseason release and by how his second stint with the Giants unfolded, leaving another awkward chapter attached to a relationship that has never really been simple. [Read more 🡒]