The New York Giants’ 34-27 overtime loss to the Detroit Lions sealed their fate this season. The injuries and coaching shake-ups in the team have taken a toll, and it was evident as they sit at the bottom of the NFC East with 2 wins in 12 games. But it seems like even this terrible year has a silver lining for the Giants. They have reportedly found a replacement for the injured wide receiver Malik Nabers. 

The 24-year-old receiver Wan’Dale Robinson, who has played all 12 games for the Giants this season, will likely be stepping into this role. With Nabers out for the whole 2025 season, Robinson has adjusted himself in the team, and how? Quarterbacks such as Jaxson Dart, Russell Wilson, and Jameis Winston have leaned on him while throwing the ball. 

In the last game, he contributed nine catches, 156 yards, and a touchdown. He showed similar prowess in Week 2 against the Dallas Cowboys, posting 142 yards and a touchdown on eight receptions. The Giants picked him in the second round in 2022, but this season stands out when considering his stats against the number of games played. So far, he’s accumulated 794 receiving yards, 66 catches, three touchdowns, and 102 targets. 

Meanwhile, the team has a history of getting into chaotic games and may try to wrap this season on a better note. Robinson will likely gain strong support once Dart recovers and returns to the field. The quarterback suffered a concussion in Week 10 and stayed out the following week. He showed up for practice ahead of the Week 12 game, but doctors still held him out.

Speaking of which, Malik Nabers suffered a similar fate after he tore his ACL on September 28. The player underwent surgery after a month, but he still won’t play this year. Now, the receiver is closely watching and even shared his honest take on interim coach Mike Kafka’s play-calling.

Malik Nabers blasts Kafka’s late-game decisions

Malik Nabers reacted strongly to the Giants’ Week 12 loss to the Lions. Watching the game from home, he took a dig at Kafka’s strategy without mentioning his name. He shared a blunt message on X that he later deleted, but fans had noticed his frustration.

“Sometimes I think they b makin us lose on purpose! Cause it’s no way, bro you throw the ball instead of runnin it to make em burn 2 timeouts??” he wrote. “Then you dnt kick the field goal.??? Then they have to go down and score!!! Football common sense!!!! Am I missing something?”

Nabers’ anger stemmed from a key play late in the fourth quarter. The Giants were leading 27-24 and had the ball at the Lions’ 4-yard line with around three minutes left. After a successful run forced the Lions to burn a timeout, the coach called a pass on second down. Then, another run on third down lost four yards, leading the Lions to use another timeout. 

Next, Kafka called another pass instead of kicking a field goal on fourth-and-goal from the six. The opponents got the ball back and tied the game with a long field goal. In overtime, the Giants gave up a 69-yard touchdown run and recorded a loss. At 2-10, the season has collapsed for the franchise. But fans will still likely show up or tune in to witness Robinson’s game if he continues to deliver.