The New York Giants have not had it easy so far this season. Despite losing stars in quarterback Jaxson Dart and pass rusher Brian Burns for the season, they were still 2-1 on the season. With head coach John Harbaugh leading the way, he had no plans on giving up on the season in an effort to get a better draft pick. He wanted to continue to win games and bring them back to the playoffs. To be successful, they needed quarterback Jameis Winston to step up and play a strong game.
In Week 4, Giants fans dealt with the "Jameis Winston Experience" where they were enthralled by every on-time, under-thrown, or overthrown pass, and every touchdown and interception. As chaotic as the game was, the Giants managed to win 36-24. The victory was clinched on a pick-six from cornerback Deonte Banks in the closing seconds of the game.
Winston finished the game throwing for 250 yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions while completing 18-of-29 pass attempts. Imagine what his numbers would have looked like, and what the final score could have ended up being, if wide receiver Malik Nabers hadn't had his best game of the season.
Malik Nabers finally breaks through in first huge game in return from torn ACL
Entering the season, there was uncertainty about whether or not Nabers would be cleared for their season-opener against the Dallas Cowboys. The week after, Nabers left due to a shoulder injury, but the Giants were basically outmatched by the Los Angeles Rams for anyone on the Giants offense to make a difference. Then, in Week 3, Nabers and the Giants offense couldn't do much in rainy MetLife Stadium.
In Week 4, Nabers showed why he was expected to be one of the most impactful wide receivers in the 2024 NFL Draft. And he showed up when the Giants needed him most — in a must-win game against an Arizona Cardinals team that was far from pushovers.
Nabers caught six-of-seven targets from Winston for 112 yards and a touchdown. His longest catch arrived on New York's first drive, where he hauled in a huge 39-yard pass from Winston. Nabers hauled in the pass, and briefly exited the game after appearing to be hurt.
Nabers' biggest play of the game was his 25-yard touchdown reception to help put the Giants up 19-14. This was Nabers' first touchdown of the season. This also arrived two plays after rookie linebacker Arvell Reese intercepted a Jacoby Brissett pass that was deflected by defensive tackle Shelby Harris.
This is the kind of game from Nabers that Giants fans have been hoping to see for over a year.
Jameis Winston needs a game Malik Nabers to help him keep J.J. McCarthy on the bench
Aain, Week 4 was the full on "Jameis Winston Experience." There were his highlights, such as his 39-yard pass to Nabers on the opening drive and his 25 yard touchdown pass to Nabers in the second quarter. Yet, there were some bad moments.
The two interceptions Winston threw were pretty brutal. The first arrived after putting the team up 19-14, where a pass he intended for rookie wide receiver Malachi Fields landed right in the hands of Cardinals cornerback Denzel Burke. Then, on the opening drive of the second half, Winston had a pass intended for tight end Isaiah Likely intercepted by safety Budda Baker. The second interception was more miscommunication on Winston's and Likely's parts on where the tight end was supposed to run his route.
Luckily for Winston, those interceptions didn't completely sink the Giants. However, he should know that he can't afford to have any more costly mistakes from here-on-out. That's because the Giants brought in a contingency plan in J.J. McCarthy.
While McCarthy is still viewed as a developmental project at quarterback, he does possess similar playing traits as Dart, and is more of a fit for the RPO-focused offense that Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Matt Nagy. If Winston does make some costly mistakes and prevents them from winning a game, it might be a matter of time until McCarthy gets the nod to start. Of course, that hinges on the third-year quarterback getting full knowledge of the offense and playbook.
If Winston gets the same production from Nabers and can still get wide open, that should help him not only win some games, but also prevent him from getting benched.
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