Malik Nabers required stitches after an unpenalized hit early in the New York Giants' 19-11 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.
On a third-and-5 play in the first quarter, quarterback J.J. McCarthy found Nabers on a corner route. The wide receiver secured the ball for a 22-yard gain before being brought down by multiple Eagles defenders in a high collision that left blood visible on his face.
Close-up replays showed a cut under Nabers' right eye.
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Trainers addressed the wound on the sideline, and Nabers returned to the game during the same possession. No penalty was called on the play, which very clearly appeared to be a helmet-to-helmet contact.
After the game, Nabers said he was
unsure exactly when the cut occurred.
"I'm not really sure. Caught the ball on the corner route and I just felt like I was bleeding, so I just looked and I was bleeding and then they just stitched me up," he told reporters.
Nabers finished with five receptions for 43 yards on eight targets. It marked the end of a four-game streak with at least 111 receiving yards as the Giants secured their first win in Philadelphia since 2013. The third-year receiver, who has managed knee issues while returning from a torn ACL suffered last season, showed no lingering effects from the facial cut and remained available throughout the contest.
The play highlighted both Nabers' toughness in holding onto a contested catch and the physical nature of the NFC East rivalry, even as the Giants limited Philadelphia's offense in a low-scoring affair.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Giants' Malik Nabers needed stitches after unpenalized helmet-to-helmet hit
