It's awful that his is how the day has ended for Malik Nabers and the NY Giants. Big Blue was in a perfect position to take down the Commanders on the road in Washington. This was a game they had absolutely no business losing.
Late in the fourth quarter, though, with the game on the line, the G-Men were facing 4th-and-4 and head coach Brian Daboll didn't hesitate in going for it. The call was easy for Daboll, as Graham Gano injured his hamstring on the opening kickoff.
Daniel Jones, who had a strong day, was able to escape trouble and he fired a perfect ball for Malik Nabers to come down with. Somehow, someway, Nabers dropped the ball and Washington got the ball back. The Commanders would then go on to kick a game-winning field goal. This isn't Nabers' fault, but at the same time, countless headlines will be written about the drop to take away from his incredible showing in the 21-18 loss:
This one stings... Good play by DJ and Nabers just can't hold onto it.
— Alex Wilson (@AlexWilsonESM) September 15, 2024
Not having a kicker makes things tough. pic.twitter.com/hJ52zYVEBa
NY Giants WR Malik Nabers posted a nightmare drop that cost his team late
Nabers was absolutely unreal in this showdown, leading everyone with his 10 receptions for 127 yards and a touchdown. He looked elite for 99 percent of the game. This drop, though, opened things up for Washington to take advantage.
They did just that, with Shane Bowen's defense having no answers for Jayden Daniels and Co. Austin Seibert kicking the game-winning field goal as time expired felt like a gut punch. The reality for this Giants team is that they're now 0-2, with a nightmare schedule on the way.
This loss alone isn't on Nabers because of his drop - let's make that perfectly clear. Anyone trying to pin blame on the youngster is out of line. He's a force and he'll learn from this mistake. At the same time, we can only be left wondering what could have been had he made the routine catch.