New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers has 12 catches in three games as he comes back from last season’s torn ACL. He admitted this week that he is still learning to trust his surgically-repaired knee.
“It looks better each and every day. Little things that I see when I’m watching myself play that I’m like, okay, I’m going to emphasize that in practice the next day. So just overall, just trusting my knee,” Nabers said. “I think that’s the last thing everybody’s been talking to me about is you
got to be able to trust your knee and just go out there, do exactly what I feel like I can do and do it like just do it. If you never do it, you never know if you really can do it if you don’t push yourself to do it. So, I think just trusting it and just do it.”
Nabers is averaging 4.0 receptions, 8.0 yards per catch, and 32.0 yards per games. Those numbers are well off the 7.3 catches, 11.0 yards per catch, and 803 receiving yards per game he averaged as a rookie in 2024.
Nabers knows there are plays where he has left yards on the table.
“Just like the slant I ran this past week, just overall, just that’s one of those catches that I made before that I’m able to take 25, 30 yards, maybe even more. But I left a lot,” he said. “No, it wasn’t really, just it wasn’t really just thinking on that route. I caught it, seen a hole and then broke out running. But probably could have got way more. I think before I would have got injured, what I would have got maybe more? I probably think for sure.”
Skattebo pleads for fan support
Cam Skattebo noticed the empty seats last Sunday against the Tennessee Titans. Miserable weather conditions had a lot to do with that, but the second-year running back is hoping for a rowdy crowd Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals.
“Obviously it’s hard, but – because a lot of people come to the games to see certain players. And if that’s why they didn’t come that game and that’s why they weren’t rowdy, then I understand,” Skattebo said. “But there’s still – we have 14 more games to play at minimum. We have to continue to bring our fan base in, have people coming in and giving their efforts and spirit to us. You know, that’s – teams are built off of what’s surrounding them. And if they have a good fan base – I was at Arizona State, for instance, and the fan base when I first got there was not very good. We ended up building an amazing fan base, sold out every game my senior year, and look (at) what team we turned into.
“So, when you get that camaraderie from the people around you in your city, the people walking down the street when you’re going to the grocery store, you feel better about yourself when people are talking to you about how good the Giants are. That makes you feel better. And when you come in the building, your football team is better because everyone feels that way. And I think if we continue to have the city of New York, the state of New Jersey, continue to build on what we have, I think we’re going to be just fine.”
Yes, we’re talking about the long-snapper
Punter Jordan Stout was outstanding last Sunday against the Titans. Rookie placekicker Dominic Zvada went 4 of 4 on field goals, accounting for all of the Giants’ points.
Special teams coordinator Chris Horton this week gave rookie long-snapper Ben Mann props for his role in helping those things happen.
“Ben had a heck of a day. I mean, just fired up for him, him running down the field, making a tackle, just being in the right place,” Horton said. “And if you know anything about just those three guys, that’s why I said specialists, those three guys, they go hand in hand because everything starts with that snap. That ball is wet. He’s got to put a good ball back there. He’s got to give a great ball to Jordan. And then Jordan’s got to get that ball down in order for us to make kicks.
“So, I mean, everything that we talk about with our specialists, when I’m talking specialists, I’m talking all three guys, just playing at a high level. And that’s what we want to see. I thought those guys did a heck of a job.”
