In his first game back after tearing his ACL and meniscus last year, Malik Nabers played for the Giants against the Cowboys, making six catches for 69 yards on nine targets while logging half of the offensive snaps. Despite being initially unsure if he would play due to lingering soreness, Nabers felt disappointed in leaving several potential scoring opportunities on the field. The article focuses on Nabers’s return and his reflections post-game, highlighting his rustiness and missed opportunities amidst a team facing multiple injuries at cornerback and other positions.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-18,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
In his first game since tearing his ACL and meniscus on Sept. 28, 2025, Malik Nabers made a comeback with six catches for 69 yards on nine targets while playing in 36 out of 69 possible offensive snaps against the Cowboys. Despite going through warmups two hours before kickoff unsure if he would play, coach Matt Nagy had prepared an alternate play-call sheet just in case Nabers couldn't participate. Nabers expressed that he felt "a little sore" but it was manageable after the game and is now off the injury report for Week 2 against the Rams. However, he acknowledged feeling rusty and struggling with basic movements like slipping while trying to cut around a defender during the game.
Written for “Malik Nabers Injury Return” on 2026-09-18,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Matt Nagy kept the alternate play-call sheet — the break-glass one to be used if receiver Malik Nabers didn’t play Week 1 against the Cowboys — stuffed deep in his bag.
asserted
Nabers → keep → bag
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asserted
Access → access → subscribers
tRY IT NOW“I never wanted to look at it because I just did not want to see that one,” the offensive coordinator said.
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coordinator → try → one
“He’s worth two guys when he’s out there.”
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he → ’ → ?
In his first game since tearing his ACL and meniscus on Sept. 28, 2025, Nabers had six catches for 69 yards on nine targets while logging 36 of a potential 69 offensive snaps.
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Nabers → tear → snaps
Not bad considering he went out for warmups two hours before kickoff unsure if he would play.
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he → consider → kickoff
How did he feel afterwards?
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he → feel → ?
“A little sore,” Nabers said, “but manageable.”
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Nabers → say → ?
Nabers is off the injury report to start Week 2 against the Rams.
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Nabers → start → Rams
“I’m rusty,” Nabers said.
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Nabers → ’m → ?
Nabers was disappointed that he was tripped up trying to cut around Caleb Downs at the end of his 16-yard catch on a third-quarter touchdown drive.
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he → disappoint → drive
He was tackled at the 4-yard line later in the same drive.
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He → tackle → drive
“Just got to get back into more of the football mentality of getting north,” Nabers said.
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Nabers → got → mentality
“Just taking a picture of the defense, know where everybody’s at.
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everybody → take → where
I left some yards out there, I left some plays out there.
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I → leave → plays
I feel like I could’ve scored on probably two of them if I just run straight, get more yards.
uncertain
I → feel → yards
So, I kind of think the most frustrating thing about it was just like I left a lot out there that I could’ve got.”
uncertain
I → think → that
The Giants are almost backed into a corner.
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Giants → back → corner
Backup Paulson Adebo (knee) did not practice, and rookie backup Colton Hood should be on high alert.
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Hood → practice → alert
“The way I look at it, we got four starters,” defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson said.
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Wilson → look → starters
“I believe in all the guys that line up and play.
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that → believe → guys
When they get an opportunity to play, I expect the same results no matter who it is.
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it → get → results
To me, they’re nameless faces.
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they → ’re → me
They have a jersey number.
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They → have → number
They are on the New York Giants, and we expect them to play at a high clip.
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them → expect → clip
To address the shortage, the Giants signed CB Nikko Reed (five career games) from the Chargers practice squad, The Post confirmed.
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Post → address → squad
It is not known if Reed will travel cross-country to practice Friday and then head back to Los Angeles with the Giants on Saturday.
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Reed → know → Saturday
The Giants also signed CB Jaden Robinson to their practice squad and released OT Ryan Schernecke.
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Giants → sign → Schernecke
The rest of the injury report included DL Chauncey Golston (neck), RG Sisi Mauigoa (shoulder), ILB Micah McFadden (neck) and LT Andrew Thomas (ankle) listed as limited.
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rest → include → Golston
Thomas’ injury designation switched from a knee in Week 1.
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designation → switch → Week
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