The New York Giants fell to 5-3-1 after losing 24-21 to the Washington Commanders at MetLife Stadium on Thursday Night Football. New York finished with more passing yards, rushing yards, total yards and yards per play, and did not lose the turnover battle, but still came up short against its division rival.
The Commanders took the lead on a 32-yard touchdown catch by Stefon Diggs. With less than a minute left, the Giants had an opportunity to tie the game or go ahead. Rookie Malachi Fields opened the drive with a 21-yard reception, but two incompletions followed. On the final play, quarterback J.J. McCarthy threw a deep pass intended for Malik Nabers. Commanders cornerback Rasul Douglas intercepted it before Nabers could make the catch.
## Malik Nabers questions the Giants’ approach
The final pass drew criticism from some observers, who argued that Nabers could have made a stronger attempt to catch the ball. Others noted that McCarthy was hit as he threw, which sent the pass off target and made it a difficult catch.
Nabers described what he saw on the play: “I mean, seeing the ball go up at the time, didn’t really see him or where he was, so I’m not really aware of that. My head is looking up at the ball, even though he was driving on the ball. So, just seeing how high the ball was and just waiting for it to come down and made a jump to catch the ball and then got hit and then he made a play.”
He also questioned the decision to go for a deep pass rather than seek a shorter completion. Nabers said the Giants needed to make smarter choices after seeing the Commanders show zero coverage, adding that they should have tried to get the ball out quickly instead of attempting a “home run ball.”
## McCarthy explains his decision
McCarthy offered a different explanation for the throw. “At the end of the day the thought process was, give it to one of my guys and have him go make a play,” he said.
The loss came with the quarterback and receiver still building experience together. The final attempt was a risk that did not work, but the play also highlighted the challenges of timing and decision-making in a close game. As Nabers and McCarthy continue to develop their connection, the Giants will look to turn those lessons into better execution in future late-game situations.
