Following the quietest game of his NFL career, Malik Nabers was frustrated.
But the biggest source of the wide receiver’s frustration wasn’t his two-catch, 13-yard performance in Sunday night’s 22-9 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, but rather that wins continue to elude his Giants.
“How frustrating do you think [it is]? We’re 0-3,” Nabers said in front of his locker at MetLife Stadium. “Can’t win a game. Frustrating. So you ask me how frustrated I am. Frustrated. Can’t win.”
Nabers did not record his first catch until the 14:35 mark of the fourth quarter, when he hauled in a four-yard reception with the Giants trailing 16-9. He finished with seven targets.
The Chiefs used split safeties on 78.9% of dropbacks — the highest rate by a team this year, according to Next Gen Stats — to take away Russell Wilson’s deep game and dare the Giants to beat them with the run.
“Just how the game went tonight,” Nabers, 22, said. “Can’t do nothing about it.”
Nabers never finished with fewer than four catches or 41 yards as a rookie last year or in the first two games of this season.
He was fresh off one of the best games of his career, erupting for nine receptions for 167 yards and two touchdowns in the Giants’ 40-37 overtime loss to the Dallas Cowboys in Week 2.
After Sunday’s defeat, head coach Brian Daboll acknowledged there’s “no question” the Giants need to do a better job of getting Nabers involved.
“They were playing a lot of split safety coverage,” Daboll said. “They played it last week. Could be just a little bit different. I would say a collection of all that. We’ve certainly got to do a better job with it.”
Nabers, the No. 6 overall pick in the 2024 draft, finished his rookie season with 109 receptions for 1,204 yards and seven touchdowns, but the Giants struggled for a stretch to get him the ball early in games last year, too.
In Sunday’s second quarter, Wilson threw an interception to cornerback Jaylen Watson when targeting Nabers in the back of the end zone.
In the fourth quarter, another shot from Wilson into the end zone led to a collision with safety Bryan Cook that left Nabers shaken up. Nabers went into the blue medical tent with an apparent shoulder issue before returning to the game soon after.
“Obviously, we always want to try to find ways to get him the football,” said Wilson, who finished 18-of-32 for 160 yards and two interceptions.
“I tried to take a shot to him. They made a good play. Guy made a great catch on it,” Wilson said. “So I think that there’s moments in the game that we’re trying to find him, whatever it may be. He’s a tremendous football player. We obviously love what he’s capable of and what we’re trying to do.”
Entering Monday, Nabers still ranked fourth in the NFL with 251 receiving yards, while his 16th catches were tied for 14th.
But after going 3-14 last year, the Giants are now 3-17 in Nabers’ career.
“Bummed,” Nabers said. “Anybody would feel beat up after going 0-3.”
