Giants’ Malik Nabers no longer fuels matchup with Trevon Diggs

Malik Nabers thought for a day he had a chance to win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Week honors after his two touchdown catches helped the Giants beat the Browns.

Then he watched his former LSU teammate Jayden Daniels set the NFL record for passing accuracy among rookies, completing 21 of 23 passes for 254 yards and two touchdowns (and running for 39 yards and another touchdown) in the Commanders’ win on Monday night.

What was he thinking about then?

Giants receiver Malik Nabers AP

“Rookie of the Week is behind us,” Nabers joked. “After he saw me play, he said, ‘Yeah, I have to be stupid on Monday.’ I said, ‘I’m rooting for you, just don’t overdo it.’ And that’s exactly what he did.”

If Daniels raised the bar, Nabers will try to raise it again Thursday in a highly anticipated matchup with Cowboys quarterback Trevon Diggs.

Nabers responded to a question from Bleacher Report during the offseason by saying that Diggs is the defender he would most like to face.

Trevon Diggs of the Dallas Cowboys Getty photos

Diggs apparently took that as disrespect, tweeting that “the Giants have been winning the title for a few years now.” The Cowboys have won 13 of their last 14 games.

Nabers wasn’t about to give Diggs — an Alabama graduate — any more arguments before the game.

“That’s right,” Nabers said. “I really don’t want to talk about it. It’s game time now.”

Giants conducted walk-through but estimated CB Dru Phillips and Adoree’ Jackson would not practice. Both have calf injuries.

Head coach Brian Daboll’s “hope” is that CB Nick McCloud, who has missed the last two games, could return from a knee injury, which would give the Giants the opportunity to slot Cor’Dale Flott. McCloud was listed as limited on the injury report.

DT Dexter Lawrence (foot), LB Micah McFadden (back) and Darius Slayton (thumb) completed the injury report as limited.

Practice squad TE Lawrence Cager is going on injured reserve, Daboll revealed. Joel Wilson, one of four tight ends who worked out for the team on Monday, is reportedly signing to the practice squad.

FB Jakob Johnson has been fired again.

K Greg Joseph will keep his spot after missing his only field goal attempt in his Giants debut, Daboll said a day after leaving the door open for a replacement. The Giants owe Joseph three weeks of guaranteed salary.