Giants’ Malik Nabers on why he wanted to get involved early

The Giants’ first pass on Thursday may have already been thrown, targeting Malik Nabers.

You can bet the Cowboys’ defensive backs are waiting to jump a route.

two days later Nabers complained about not having enough opportunities He was forced to make plays at the beginning of games, and one day after head coach/play caller Brian Daboll took responsibility for that, the rookie explained why he needed to get off to a fast start.

“If you start a game late, it’s like your body isn’t ready,” Nabers said. “You come to the game prepared, right? If you leave one quarter, two quarters, your body will start to become deficient.

“It’s like you don’t even want to play anymore. I’m not saying I feel that way. I’m just saying it’s your body. You don’t intervene early, then you don’t feel the ball, you don’t get hit. When football is played offensively, when you get hit you say, ‘Alright, I’m ready to go.’ ”

Nabers has two first-half catches in the last three games combined. He wasn’t targeted until the first play of the third quarter in Sunday’s loss to the Buccaneers, leading him to “talk” and say “if I start taking the ball at 30-0 I can’t do anything.” I briefed Dabes on this game plan.

“I’m entering the third quarter and I’m not as energetic as I used to be. That’s all I said,” Nabers explained. “I need to get the ball early so I can change the play early instead of making changes later in the game.”

The Giants ran just 15 offensive plays in the first half.

Nabers used Coachspeak in an unusual way pointing to “lack of technique” and “lack of communication” for the crime’s failures.

“When I looked at it, we tried to give the ball to me a couple of times in the first half,” Nabers said.

None of this should surprise the Giants, who questioned Nabers before the draft about scouting assessments that he reacted “hardly” to not starting games. Nabers was honest and Daboll pushed for the draft pick.

“It’s just the competitor in me. That’s how I got hooked. This is who I am,” Nabers said. “I don’t like to lose. If I feel like I have an opportunity to help the team win, I’ll express that.”

OLB Azeez Ojulari (toe) is injured and will miss at least the next four games.

The Giants gambled by not trading Ojulari for a late-round pick on Nov. 5, despite his long injury history (16 career games missed) and pending free agency.

He had five sacks in a five-game span when his playing time increased due to Kayvon Thibodeaux being sidelined, but this will be his third straight season.

TE Greg Dulcich claimed waivers from the Broncos and was added to the 53-man roster; here he joins rookie Theo Johnson, Daniel Bellinger and Chris Manhertz. Dulcich had 33 catches for 411 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie in 2022 but had fallen out of favor.

LT Jermaine Eluemunor (quad) and DL Armon Watts (shoulder) did not participate in Tuesday’s inspection.

QB Tommy DeVito (right forearm) and RT Evan Neal (hip) were added to the injury report on limited basis.

CB Deonte Banks (ribs), DT DJ Davidson (shoulder), Johnson (back), LB Micah McFadden (thumb/heel) and S Tyler Nubin (back) were limited.

DT Dexter Lawrence (knee) has been upgraded to full participation.