Malik Nabers had a strong return to the field in the New York Giants’ season-opening victory over the Dallas Cowboys, but the star wide receiver knows he could have done even more. After making his comeback from a serious knee injury, Nabers looked capable of making an immediate impact, finishing with six receptions for 69 yards.
However, when Nabers went back and reviewed his performance, he saw several opportunities that he believes he left on the field. The Giants receiver admitted that he needs to get back into a more natural football mentality, particularly when it comes to identifying the defense and immediately attacking upfield.
That self-criticism is notable considering Nabers had not played an NFL game since suffering his injury last season. Rather than being satisfied simply with getting through his first game back, the young receiver believes there was significantly more production available to him against Dallas.
What does Malik Nabers regret from Giants vs. Cowboys?
Nabers explained that one of the biggest things he wants to improve is his ability to immediately get north after making a catch. He believes he sometimes focused too much on what was happening around him instead of simply identifying the defense, trusting his instincts and attacking the available space.
“Yeah, just got to get back into more of the football mentality of getting north. Just taking a picture of the defense, know where everybody’s at. I left some yards out there. I left some plays out there. I feel like I could’ve scored on probably two of them if I just run straight, get more yards. So, I kind of think that was just the most frustrating thing about it. It was just like I left a lot out there that I could’ve got.”
Nabers’ comments suggest that the biggest issue was not a lack of confidence in his knee, but simply getting back into the rhythm of playing real NFL football. After spending months recovering and preparing for his return, there were naturally going to be moments when his instincts were not completely back to normal.
The most frustrating part for Nabers is that he believes two of those missed opportunities could have resulted in touchdowns. That means his 69 receiving yards against Dallas may not fully represent how much impact he felt he could have had in the game.
For the Giants, that could be an encouraging development. Nabers was already productive in his first game back, and if he can eliminate some of the hesitation and rust he identified against Dallas, his production could increase as the season progresses.
The Giants will now face the Los Angeles Rams on Monday night, giving Nabers another opportunity to build on his return. After acknowledging that he left plenty of plays on the field against Dallas, the receiver will be looking to turn those regrets into bigger plays in Week 2.
