Editor’s note: This is the third installment of a season-long series on a breakout star from the past week of NFL action. The Week 3 winner: New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers.
On a historic day for Malik Nabers, Giants coach Brian Daboll wanted to discuss a play where the rookie didn’t register a stat.
With New York backed up in its own territory early in the fourth quarter, the No. 6 overall pick prevented a potentially disastrous interception, batting away a wobbly pass from the hands of two Cleveland Browns defenders.
Quarterback Daniel Jones wasn’t even targeting the first-round receiver — he was looking for rookie tight end Theo Johnson down the left sideline — but the Browns’ Shelby Harris got a hand on his throwing arm as the QB launched the pass, redirecting the ball in Nabers’ direction.
The heads-up play was the “biggest” one the former LSU star made in New York’s 21-15 victory over Cleveland, according to Daboll.
“For him to have the awareness to knock the ball down, that play to me says more about Malik than some of the other things,” Daboll said Sunday. “Everybody can see the touchdowns and stuff. But the unselfish play, the smart play that he made was a huge play in the game. Huge.“
“Huge” can also describe what Nabers is becoming.
He had eight receptions for 78 yards and two touchdowns in the Giants’ first win of the season, becoming the youngest wide receiver in NFL history to have two receiving touchdowns in a game (21 years and 56 days old), according to FOX Sports research.
Nabers had two ridiculous catches on the same touchdown drive Sunday. He first snatched a ball over Browns cornerback Martin Emerson Jr.’s head down the sideline for 28 yards to get the Giants in the red zone. A few plays later, he showed his impressive leaping ability and body control in keeping both feet inbounds to secure Jones’ high pass in the corner of the end zone.
Malik Nabers makes spectacular catch to give Giants 14-7 lead over Browns
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Source link : https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/how-rookie-wr-malik-nabers-has-already-taken-over-giants-offense
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Publish date : 2024-09-24 19:37:10
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