Giants rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers many passes caught in joint training with the Lions this week, but was unable to do the same in the pre-season game between the teams on Thursday evening.
The first-round pick was playing his first game since entering the NFL, and it didn’t take long for him to show the skills that made him such a good choice. Nabers was able to break free on his first play, but quarterback Drew Lock kept the ball and ran. The same thing happened again on the team’s third offensive possession, and Nabers’ night was over shortly afterward.
After the game, head coach Brian Daboll said Lock was “trying to make a smart decision” based on what he saw on the defense’s first play, and Nabers said a lot of things had to come together for the ball to get to him.
“It was a good feeling to be back on the football field and play a real game,” said Nabers about Paul Schwartz of the New York Post. “We had a plan. I wasn’t sure if I would play. I did a very good job to become openbut everything has to go in my favor to get the ball. It was pretty slippery out there. I think I could have done a better job of creating distance and giving the quarterback better opportunities to throw the ball to better spots. That’s all I can do – keep doing what I’m doing.”
If Nabers continues to get space, the ball will get to him and the Giants are betting that something good will happen.
