ESPN has now put up an article now suggesting that "something" is going on with Nicks, but the players and coaches aren't talking.
Is Nicks putting up an attitude that he and Eli haven't connected for a touchdown? Is he feeling the pressure of not having a productive year and how it will affect his free agency offers? Is he pissed that he is not getting enough looks? Is he still injured someway?
I used to love this guy, my kids all have Nicks jerseys, and he was a monster before breaking his foot. Right now, I don't even know what to think about this guy.
Hopefully everything's alright and it's nothing.. Nicks has been one of my favorite players for some time now. What's going on this year isn't him at all.
After the play, teammates Brandon Jacobs and Andre Brown consoled Nicks on the sidelines.
Nah, I just came out, said Nicks, when asked if he left the game because his knee was bothering him. It was just one of those situations where I let `Murph go ahead and take that.
Asked if he was upset, Nicks said, Nah, nah, nah. That was something that was just football. Nothing serious to even talk about.
Were teammates, Jacobs said. I expect him to give me a pep talk if I need to have a pep talk. Thats what we (he and Brown) did. Were here to inspire one another. And thats it.
I love him like a brother. I want to see him do the best he possibly can. Regardless of what the issue was, Im here to give him confidence and inspire him.
Eli Manning on @WFAN660 says of four-game winning streak: "It's been a fun run and hopefully we can keep it going.''
Eli Manning said of Hakeem Nicks "He's gonna have a game coming up here where he's gonna have three touchdowns.''
To me, it looks like he's lacking explosion. I don't know exactly what is going on with him, but the separation does not appear to be there.
When that's the case, the first thing I think is his body isn't right.
To top that off, maybe the lack of production is contributing to his frustration. Randle looks more fluid than Nicks, and no surprise he's the one scoring TD's.
Plus, if Eli gets the ball out ahead of him on that seam route yesterday, he scores, explosiveness or not.
I just hope whatever's going on, he'll get back on track somehow. We really need him if we're going to make this run.
Totally agree, we need his talent.
I hope it is not anything worse in his life, but it really seems as if this is all about Nicks and not scoring TDs. I think he sees Cruz and Randle getting scores and, at times, better passes from Eli than he is seeing and he is sulking about it.
This is like a catch-22 because if this truly about Nicks pouting than he just needs a kick in the ass (and maybe a few tds) and we are good to go, but I do also hope its not anything more serious.
Nicks has a right to be upset, he lost alot $$ this past season and he doesn't have a TD yet.
Thats like being in sales and going a whole month without having 1 single closing.
Thank you.
I have to believe that he's either hurt or something off the field is going on. It just doesn't add up if he's completely healthy and barely producing like this. He's never been that way.
I don't buy it. He may not have the "wheels" anymore because of previous injuries but I don't think he is currently injured.
Look, I have no freaking clue what's wrong with him this year.. but neither does anyone else here. What I do know was that this was a dynamite WR before he got hurt last season. He was a HUGE part of this team winning the Super Bowl in 2012 and he was one of the better WR's in football for a good stretch. I find it hard to believe that he suddenly can't play anymore.
Point is we needed him to step up wit an off Eli, a bad OLine, and a revolving door of RBs.
Cruz has stepped up, Randle has stepped up.
Nicks has faded.
in the past when nicks is singled up, eli's eyes would shine and would loft a pass in his area. that time, eli didn't give nicks the chance. nicks was frustrated. he wants the ball, he wants the big plays. hes not a diva, hes not going to go crazy. but he feels those emotions deep down. he views himself as a great player and wants to prove it. he hears the whispers, feels the pressure. so in that moment, he kinda snapped.
the soft spoken, positive minded guy that he is, he probably got over it. he said he was 'frustrated with himself' in the post game quotes, for not taking advantage of that opportunity (as oppose to the alternative, which is being frustrated with eli not giving him a chance on that one). it is what it is. im not too worried since nicks isn't a diva. but hes damn sure frustrated
He's had a rough year and a half or so. Things could change and nicks is still on pace for 70 and 1000.
Nice theory. But it has nothing to do with Nicks' performance.
Look, I have no freaking clue what's wrong with him this year.. but neither does anyone else here. What I do know was that this was a dynamite WR before he got hurt last season. He was a HUGE part of this team winning the Super Bowl in 2012 and he was one of the better WR's in football for a good stretch. I find it hard to believe that he suddenly can't play anymore.
Arc - Believe it. He is getting a ton of single coverage, and not exactly from Dion Sanders, and he suddenly can't play well anymore.
He knows the Giants won't offer him #1 money, and neither will anyone else. Everyone will see what we see, a WR whose performance is declining because of injury. Nicks worked so hard to set himself up for a big FA payday, but it's all been derailed by injuries. And he knows it. I think he's having a hard time realizing that even though he's only in his mid twenties, his prime playing years may already be over.
It's sad. He's a warrior and a class act. Whatever happens, I wish him nothing but the best.
If nicks was playing like he did in 2011 would it really matter with Eli getting brutalized through the first 5-6 weeks?
Nicks doesn't look as fast or clean in and out of his breaks and the offense's dysfunction has impacted his stats more than his pending contract. Nicks has had some nice catches lately. He will probably make more plays now that the O is looking better.
We don't know who is hiding an injury, or who can't stand his teammates or the coaches or even the New Jersey weather. We don't know who thinks his coaches or teammates are down on him for some reason the player knows is bullshit but the coaches or teammates think is real.
We don't know who is trying to stop drinking, or has a wife who won't stop drinking, or has a sick kid, or is clinically depressed. We don't know who got bad financial advice and just realized he's broke. We don't know whose brother is in legal trouble, or whose sister just got pregnant at 13. We don't know whose parent or grandparent has terminal cancer.
We don't know who is miserable or distracted for any of the thousand reasons that human beings can be miserable or distracted, reasons that may or may not have anything to do with football or the Giants or even the player himself.
Occasionally a reporter uncovers one of these stories and writes about it, and sometimes players go public with this stuff, but as a rule:
We. Do. Not. Know. ANYTHING.
IF you are correct than Nicks needs a someone to tell him there are 6 games left in the regular season, the offense is far more stable than earlier in the year and the Giants are going to be in a few shoot-out games before it is all said and done that you can really help with/benefit from. Man up!
I hope he snaps out of it. I really do, whatever is wrong. I don't think his contract demands getting more affordable is going to make it any easier for the Giants to sign him, in fact it may make it harder. Unless Nicks is a guy who can really set ego aside, he is not going to sign with us for less money than Cruz got and I don't see how the Giants could even pay that with his current production.
He's had a rough year and a half or so. Things could change and nicks is still on pace for 70 and 1000.
Like I said, he has been terrible. He had 2 really big games to skew his YPG. Our OL has been horrible, but Nicks has clearly been the worst skill player on our team this year. He has really let Eli down this year. As a big tiem receiver, some times you need to make plays. He hasnt made them for us when we needed him.
He didn't want to workout with Eli all offseason. That set him back. He took it easy for fear of getting hurt in the preseason and camp. He didn't start on the same page with Eli. Then he jammed his finger. He had a big game in the opener (all three WRs did). But the offense - as we know - has been off.
The injuries he had last year should not be factors now. So I don't agree that he's beat up.