Frustration set in after the New York Giants lost their sixth straight game to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at MetLife Stadium on Sunday.
players were very critical of the efforteach other and the game plan. They also seemed to question the overall direction of the franchise.
This year's first-round pick, wide receiver Malik Nabers, was “pissed” that he wasn't targeted in the first half of the game.
“First, second quarter, I can’t get the ball,” Nabers said after the game. “At the end, start setting goals. I mean, there's nothing I can do. Start getting the ball when it's 30-0. What should I do?”
Nabers is right. He was brought in to make a difference and set the tone on offense. He can't do that if he doesn't have the ball. After all, he can't blame himself.
Nabers was asked why he doesn't get the ball earlier in games.
“Talk to Dabes about it,” Nabers said. “They come up to me and ask me what pieces I want to play, and that's it. I don't know.”
On Monday, Brian Daboll said he had spoken to Nabers about his candid comments.
“Leek and I spoke last night,” he told reporters. “We spoke this morning. He is a very competitive person. Again, you want to get the ball in your hands and I have to do a better job of getting the ball in your hands early on. He's a smart, young guy who's very competitive. When you lose like that, it's frustrating. But we had good communication as always.”
That didn't answer the question of why Nabers was ignored in the first half while the Giants were overrun 23-0 by the Bucs.
Nabers was questionable for the game due to a groin injury and perhaps the team didn't want to overuse him. Additionally, this was quarterback Tommy DeVito's first game action in almost a year and with Nabers as a teammate.
Nabers looked good in the second half, catching six of nine targets for 64 yards. By this point, the horses were already out of the stable, and the low-scoring Giants were left with an insurmountable 30-point deficit.
Nabers wasn't used to such losses and futility in his life, coming from SEC powerhouse LSU.
“I hate losing more than I hate winning,” Nabers said.
Considering he only has one win in his Giant career (Week 5 in Seattle), he's no expert. The Giants have lost their last six games and there is no guarantee when their next win will come.
