Malik Nabers caught 12 passes for 165 yards in the New York Giants’ 34-27 loss to the New Orleans Saints, and when it was over he spent his time praising the quarterback who had barely practiced with him.
J.J. McCarthy replaced Jameis Winston with about 11 minutes left and the Giants trailing 34-10 at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, October 18. He threw for 243 yards on 11 completions and pulled New York within seven before his last-minute pass on fourth-and-1 went incomplete.
“I think he did a great job of giving his guys opportunities down the field,” Nabers said, adding that McCarthy delivered the football well despite limited work with the starters during the week, and that the team owed him credit for it.
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— New York Giants (@Giants) October 19, 2026
A third straight big day
The 165 yards gave Nabers a third consecutive 100-yard game. He had six catches for 112 yards and his first touchdown of the season against the Arizona Cardinals, then 11 catches for 121 yards and a score on 20 targets in the overtime tie with the Washington Commanders.
His longest play on Sunday was the one that kept the comeback alive: a 46-yard catch from McCarthy that led to a 41-yard Dominic Zvada kick, making it 34-27 with 2:04 remaining. Much of his yardage came after New York fell behind, but he was the one constant in an offense that turned the ball over four times.
The production matters because of where he started the year. Nabers missed most of 2025 after tearing an ACL in Week 4, the Giants’ win over the Los Angeles Chargers. The league has now listed him among its fan-vote nominees for the week’s top passing-game performers.
The rest of the offense showed how much the Giants leaned on him. Isaiah Likely added six catches for 99 yards and a touchdown, while the running backs combined for only 34 rushing yards.
The quarterback question
Nabers’ words land in the middle of a decision for head coach John Harbaugh, who did not name a starter for next week after McCarthy’s rally. Winston threw two interceptions before he was pulled; McCarthy threw one, but moved the ball far more quickly. Whoever starts, the Giants have shown that their offense runs through their No. 1 receiver.
His season numbers are on his WhyNFL player page, his catches are collected in the highlight reel, and every score is in the Saints vs. Giants Game Center.
What comes next
The Giants, now 3-2-1, face the Houston Texans on Sunday, October 25, their last game before the bye.
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