What is the deal now with Nicks?

what it is, we don't know. Desire? Injury?

Despite all the offense's problems, Cruz still looks like Cruz. Randle still looks like Randle (he's actually improved from his freshman year).

Nicks doesn't look like Nicks. He's dropped passes, and just doesn't seem to have the same physical presense he once had. At times he looks lazy.

He has more motivation to play well than at any other time of his career. He plays well this season, many teams would open their checkbooks for him.

I wonder if he has something bad going on personally, and it is hitting him emotionally/mentally.

I agree....it's like his focus isn't there.

Didn't work out with Eli in the offseason. Missed mini camp when expected to be t here. Looked subpar in the preseason.

Perhaps Cruz getting a contract, and him being left out really has effected him mentally.

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Plenty of time for him to right the ship, if there is nothing going on of a personal nature

In comment 11346130 Randy in CT said:

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He has more motivation to play well than at any other time of his career. He plays well this season, many teams would open their checkbooks for him. I wonder if he has something bad going on personally, and it is hitting him emotionally/mentally.

Randy, its why I think he allowed his injuries and his situation get into his head. I don't blame him to an extent. You know you are one blown knee out of the NFL and with his history I'm sure it factored into his no show training camp.

Then you start slow and things don't go smoothly. He's still young as was mentioned. Not every player no matter how talented is mentally tough all the time.

I have noticed is that the Jints continue to throw those short smoke screens to Nicks and without success.

In past seasons Nicks could almost always be counted on to make the first defender miss the tackle and make some decent yardage.

Nowadays the first defender almost always takes Nicks down immediately

Something is missing from the Nicks arsenal

I am rooting for him to overcome whatever it is

but I've always seen Nicks as being mentally tougher than that--to just let a slow start get to him.

I just don't know...

In comment 11346149 JonC said:

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Yup. Definitely not a new poster.

1000 bucks to whoever figures out who I used to be, lol. I'm sure it was someone you loved and respected. You guys are a hoot

is my guess ...

Barilko was my guess, too. I just thought maybe it was too obvious using the first name again. Probably is.

Sup, Bill!

But it's sad to see the guy who came up so freaking big in the 2011 championship run go through a prolonged rough patch.

nothing much, arc. How they hangin'?

?

whether it's physically or emotionally. Who knows.? It is disturbing that he would just take himself out of a game though.

Truth is, the NFL is a performance based business. There is no heart or loyalty if you aren't doing the job, you're out.

Nicks has been a great Giant, and I am rooting for him.

If, by next years draft, he is not re-signed, and the Giants have the opportunity to draft Marquise Lee or Mike Evans would you do it.

They're hangin. Hangin in there. Ya know.

Adirondacks? Haven't been there for about 25 years since my kids were at camp. I really am in Utah, lol. The only mountains around are the Wasatch. I can see Ben Lomand peak from my window. Got some snow up there now.

Nicks is still not 100% physically, but he is not there mentally either. was at the game Sunday and many times you would see Nicks standing to the far end all by himself. All the other receivers were sitting together throughout the game and talking. Also when offense ran out on to the field he was walking more times than running and was the last one in the huddle many times.

Something is not right there

I think Nicks is playing scared
he has been injured in past and is worried in his contract year , he is going to get hurt

he decided to play it safe -- he would rather get thru season injury free and still get decent contract than try to play for the huge payday

also although Nicks is #1 Giants receiver
Cruz is really the #1 Giants receiver now
Cruz has big contract
star power endorsements
and is go to guy for Manning

Nicks has mentally checked out of Giants

He gets absolutey no seperation from mediocre CB's. He used to be a monster. Teams have stopped double teaming him. That broken foot might have ruined what could have been our best WR ever bc the pace he is playing at is not like a #1 WR should. Think about the playoff run during our last SuperBowl win and he was a monster.

I compared him and Demaryius Thomas from Denver I thought they were both going to be great. Sam body frames and speed. emaryius is taking off to stardom while Nicks is fading. Dating back to last year up until now Ie been very disappointed with the no seperation aspect of it. He sometimes looks uninterested during games.

With Randle and Eli getting better by the week Id prepare to let Nicks walk and have Cruz and Randle and either a) sign a solid # 2 FA WR or b) draft a Mike Evans(Texas A&M)/Sammy Watkins(Clemson)/Kelvin Benjamin(Florida St) o come in and play. Benjamin and Evans ae ig body WR's who wil be available when we pick. Watkins is more of a speedier game changer type and average size WR who could play with Cruz/Randle and excel.Eli likes big WR's , big targets , and I think Mike Evans or Benjamin would be a great pick. That is if we sign a Brandon Albertype at OL in FA and obviously bring back Beason.

Id rather sign a still somewhat young FA OL who could start and succeed for at least 4-5 more years like Albert by using Nicks' money if we let him walk and draft one those WR's.

With Seattle and SD still to play along with Wash(Twice) and the Eagle with Foles and Dallas I can see us picking somewhere like 12th-15th where one of those WR will be. Or take a OL who can come in and start and sign a FA WR. Knock on wood but if Wilson's career is over because of his spine and the potential for paralyzing himself, we might hve to go RB in RD 1 or be out looking for one who can start along with Brown(injury prone). I love Stephen Hill and Carls Hyde. I think both will be NFL strting backs one day. People are sleeping on Hyde. I also hink Andre Williams from Boton College is worthy o being a 1st or early 2nd RD pick.

Anyway, lets roll over Dallas and make things interesting

Sorry for the poor grammar its this shitty old keyboard im using just not typing out the letter I hit. Apoligize

because he has heard the media, followed by the fans, finger him as one of the major scapegoats of this bad season from almost game 1. Maybe he was actually hurt when so many were calling for him to be traded at the deadline for a third round draft pick, and the Giants admitting that they had listened to offers.

He is only about ten percent behind his stats for his best year, 2011.

Comparison: 2011, 2013
Receptions - 76 vs. projected 74; Yards - 1192 vs. projected 993, Targeted - 9 per game vs. current 8 per game, Average - 15.7 vs. current 14.7.

A couple of big games would put him right there with the numbers of his best year.

And why should we go to any trouble to keep him? 2011 playoffs - 28 catches, 444 yards, 4 TD.

You're not in a hurry to get rid of your young, battle-tested playmakers, unless they want to leave.

I am just waiting for the "Maybe Nicks is being bullied and harassed?" comment.

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1) it justifies a Cruz vs. nicks argument- which for now is correct, but how does that help the giants at all?
2) it gives a scape goat for a bad start ... but again... how does this help
3) it gives people an excuse for Eli.... but again how does this help?

none of it helps but he actually hasnt been THAT bad. he has NOT been near a #1 WR. he has not been NEAR expectations... but its the least of our worries. He has performed at his pay level actually...

his targets/receptions over the last 2 weeks are almost 100%... i would say to move forward we need more nicks not less nicks... the offense isnt really lighting anything up... it just hasnt turned it over and has a running game somewhat for balance.

as much as I've seen you do, you've become exactly what you rail against when it comes to Nicks.

i dont take offense.
though my bias for nicks is simply he actually hasnt been horrible and responsible for losses. he just has underperformed at a 2.5$mio price tag... that aint killing the team... its hurting it... not killing it.
And people use the same crap they used on cruz last year (alligator arms and drops with a tiny sample size).

i am also able to discuss it rationally... hence the ... i dont take offense.

my points stick... and lets not act like nick's performance is far off historicals.

and the firs Eagles game, Nicks has not done anything to help the teams chances of winning. He has dropped TD passes, he has failed to make plays. The excuses for him are sicknening.

Now he is playing up to his pay level? Holy shit. This guy is suppose to be premier number 1 WR. He isnt even a good #2 now. And there are many 3rd WRs in the league outperforming him.

Why should Eli throw him the ball unless he is wide open. He has quit on routes on more than one occasion this year. He is not winning 1-1 battles. ANd he has dropped TDs. I sure as hell wouldnt force him the ball if I were Eli.

In comment 11346597 hitdog42 said:

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i dont take offense. though my bias for nicks is simply he actually hasnt been horrible and responsible for losses. he just has underperformed at a 2.5$mio price tag... that aint killing the team... its hurting it... not killing it. And people use the same crap they used on cruz last year (alligator arms and drops with a tiny sample size). i am also able to discuss it rationally... hence the ... i dont take offense. my points stick... and lets not act like nick's performance is far off historicals.

Your point is valid. He is not killing the team and his numbers are not that far off historicals. However, we all saw what he did in the last playoff run. He was a true #1, over the middle, fighting for balls, long passes, breaking tackles, finding the endzone....a monster. We saw it again in the Tampa game last year when he has regained his health only to get hurt again....a monster.

Maybe most of us are looking for that guy...the monster Not the guy sulking on the sideline who is 10% off a 3 year historical average and can't find the endzone.

Maybe he peaked and this is all there is. If that is the case, we can afford him.

In comment 11346597 hitdog42 said:

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i dont take offense. though my bias for nicks is simply he actually hasnt been horrible and responsible for losses. he just has underperformed at a 2.5$mio price tag... that aint killing the team... its hurting it... not killing it. And people use the same crap they used on cruz last year (alligator arms and drops with a tiny sample size). i am also able to discuss it rationally... hence the ... i dont take offense. my points stick... and lets not act like nick's performance is far off historicals.

Your point is valid. He is not killing the team and his numbers are not that far off historicals. However, we all saw what he did in the last playoff run. He was a true #1, over the middle, fighting for balls, long passes, breaking tackles, finding the endzone....a monster. We saw it again in the Tampa game last year when he has regained his health only to get hurt again....a monster.

Maybe most of us are looking for that guy...the monster Not the guy sulking on the sideline who is 10% off a 3 year historical average and can't find the endzone.

Maybe he peaked and this is all there is. If that is the case, we can afford him.

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Contract year.....so what if the offense is having problems in the OL....if Eli is off this season...if his stats were down, but he was showing effort, which he does not seem to be, than there would not be this conversation....

He was hurt the previous season, and probably played when he shouldn't have....does that factor in?

Cruz gets his contract....did the Giants ever approach him for a deal, and if they didn't, is that weighing on his mind?

Did he approach this season with the wrong attitude? That he was not going to take chances, and try to stay injury free, to look better as far as negotiating a contract?

I thought he and Cruz did participate with Eli in the off season.....but then at OTA's he just never showed up, and did not give a reason....he showed up for preseason practice, but did not participate, and was on the sidelines....

So is it an injury? Is it lack of a contract offer? Is he not giving 100% to avoid injury? Is it frustration?

Nobody knows but Nicks.....

A win in one of those 6 losses, would have put us in good position....Having the "old" Nicks playing this year, could have made a big difference....

When the season is over, maybe, just maybe, we will get some answers to these questions....

stop. Nicks didn't help the team win these last 4 games at all? Cmon dude...you're reaching.

Nicks hasn't had a very good season. We know that. But to sit here and disparage his play as awful and compare this guy to a non entity is just ridiculous. And if you are saying that Nicks hasn't had one positive moment in any of the Giants wins is akin to saying the guy has been awful. I've seen awful WRs here...Nicks aint awful.

There's middle ground.

point out how many TD passes Nicks dropped this year. I can think of one MAYBE two and one of them would have taken a great effort to pull in.

I don't know what it is but some of you seem to like killing certain players and you literally go out of your way to do so.

So....how many TD passes that were clearly in his hands did Nicks drop? Don't tell me 5...that's nonsense. More like 2 and even that might be a stretch.

Oh and lest we forget, The entire Offense has sucked moose cock this season. Eli included. The OL was a nightmare early on and Eli has only now started to resemble his normal self. Nicks may or may not be himself but make no bones about it, there are other factors at work here contributing to his off season. And again....70 catches 1000 yards and probably a few TDS when all is said n done...not great but not awful

is his performance having been in the system for a while, no excuses on the execution front, unless he has lost a step or degraded athleticism.

Orr analyzes a few plays against GB and make a case that Nicks was open for some big plays but Eli was not looking his way as often.

Obviously many variables go into where Eli goes with the ball (coverages, pressure, time, etc) but maybe there is something to the idea that Eli feels more comfortable looking for Cruz and Randle.

http://www.nj.com/giants/index.ssf/2013/11/giants_vs_packers_rewind_breaking_down_a_fourth_straight_win.html

In comment 11347180 djm said:

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stop. Nicks didn't help the team win these last 4 games at all? Cmon dude...you're reaching. Nicks hasn't had a very good season. We know that. But to sit here and disparage his play as awful and compare this guy to a non entity is just ridiculous. And if you are saying that Nicks hasn't had one positive moment in any of the Giants wins is akin to saying the guy has been awful. I've seen awful WRs here...Nicks aint awful. There's middle ground.

45 yards per game in the last 4? Hardly impressive. Again, the only substantial catch he made last game was on a broken coverage. He has dropped TD passes in the Philly, Chicago, and Minnesota games. He has taken himself out of the game inside the 20 yard line. He has quit on routes on more than one occasion.

I am sorry. He has been awful.

certain posters watch the game closer then others... and if nicks doesnt get it he isnt open. he cant get open. he stinks. his 9 targets and 8 catches the last 2 game... are because he simply is never open. he is TERRIBLE.

boom.

In comment 11348058 hitdog42 said:

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certain posters watch the game closer then others... and if nicks doesnt get it he isnt open. he cant get open. he stinks. his 9 targets and 8 catches the last 2 game... are because he simply is never open. he is TERRIBLE.

So in two plays with pictures, and one long catch what have we proven...

Nicks get open during broken coverages. Fuck, forget about a top 10 WR, he is a top 5! Rivaling Megatron!

Here's those big receptions the last two games:

Green Bay:
4 yards
35 yards (broken coverage)
9 yards
1 yard

Oakland:
13 yards
5 yards
25 yards
6 yards

I mean those are some big time numbers for a #1. I wonder after the 35 yard gain if he needed a whole series off for a break.

nobody did. the only thing mentioned was he looks more in sync with his patterns and his hands the last several games. that is a good thing. his low #s of late, are also a result of very few looks. he is getting open more then he is seeing the ball... and he has always been a throw me open guy as well due to his strength and hands... earlier in the season it was more from poor play his low #s. you are unable to differentiate those... as in 2013 you have gotten so emotionally attached to this topic, you just write angry statements that are said as fact instead of opinion, and then find every thread about eli or nicks to just troll with more of the same.

I'm done.
Time is a terrible thing to waste.

In comment 11348109 hitdog42 said:

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nobody did. the only thing mentioned was he looks more in sync with his patterns and his hands the last several games. that is a good thing. his low #s of late, are also a result of very few looks. he is getting open more then he is seeing the ball... and he has always been a throw me open guy as well due to his strength and hands... earlier in the season it was more from poor play his low #s. you are unable to differentiate those... as in 2013 you have gotten so emotionally attached to this topic, you just write angry statements that are said as fact instead of opinion, and then find every thread about eli or nicks to just troll with more of the same.

Fact:
Nicks has quit on routes this year.

Fact:
Nicks asked to be taken out of the game inside the 20 yard line where we have had trouble to score.

Fact:
He has trouble getting separation in man to man coverage. (Long catch against Oakland was against zone, his long catch against GB was on a broken coverage. And the two plays highlighted were against zone.)

You can defend his play by saying he has caught 8 of the last 9 balls thrown to him. But when you realize 6 of those 8 catches have been short catcher - you will realize his play is worse than imaginable.

But the 1 game where Nicks actually contributes, I cant wait for you to post some nonsense about how great he is. He isnt even a starting caliber WR on this team. Randle is better than him right now. Well at least Randle wants in when it matters most.

Whew, that was a lot of words I just wrote. I may need a Nicks-type breather after that effort.

...need look no farther than the Giants.com storefront.
Hakeem Nicks youth jersey: $24 - ( New Window )

Quote:

But when you realize 6 of those 8 catches have been short catcher - you will realize his play is worse than imaginable.

Worse than imaginable. Really. Exaggerate much?

Fact:

You're overly critical of a guy not having a great year but one who is still contributing and could still in fact finish strong. Fact.

that still uses the old quote feature? I hate the new one...