The Giants got the version of Malik Nabers they’ve been waiting on Sunday, and it showed up in the kind of plays that change how a game feels. He finished with six catches for 112 yards and scored his first touchdown of the season in New York’s 36-24 win over Arizona.
That touchdown came after Arvell Reese’s third-quarter interception set the Giants up at the Cardinals’ 26. Jameis Winston took advantage, hitting Nabers on a 25-yard score that turned a turnover into points and a lead. Earlier, Nabers had already delivered one of the game’s biggest chain-moving plays, pulling in a 39-yard third-down catch while winning a jump ball to keep a drive alive.
The raw catch total matters less than what came with it. A six-catch day can be routine.
Six catches for 112 yards, with two downfield shots that flipped field position and sustained possessions, is a different story. When Nabers is winning down the field, the whole offense looks sharper because defenses can’t just sit on everything else New York wants to do.
Winston did not lean on Nabers alone. Isaiah Likely caught seven passes for 66 yards, and Theo Johnson scored on his only target. That balance matters for the Giants, who are at their best when their top receiver draws the defense’s attention without becoming the only place the ball can go.
There’s reason to be cautious about calling the offense solved after one afternoon. New York’s 36 points included six from Deonte Banks’ interception return, so this wasn’t just a clean offensive breakout. Still, the encouraging part is easy to spot: Nabers produced yards and finished a scoring chance, and those are two things the Giants can’t keep leaving out of the passing game.
The other quiet development is Isaiah Likely giving the Giants some early reliability. If defenses start shading toward Nabers again, that second option should find openings. If they don’t, New York has shown it can keep attacking deep.
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Jalin Hyatt, though, still does not appear close to being that guy. Even with Berrios out and Odell Beckham Jr. gone, the Giants remain reluctant to promote Hyatt to the active roster, a sign that his limited production since entering the league is still weighing on his standing. For a team that could use more juice on offense, the message has been frustratingly consistent. [Read more 🡒]