Malik Nabers says he has no regrets about the way he conducted himself in the aftermath of the New York Giants’ defeat to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Giants slumped to 2-9 on the season after a 30-7 beatdown in the first game after quarterback Daniel Jones was released by the team. The decision to elevate backup Tommy DeVito and demote Jones from starter to effectively fourth-string prompted his request to be released and sparked discord in the locker room.

Sunday’s defeat at MetLife Stadium only made matters worse, with star rookie wide receiver Nabers taking aim at head coach Brian Daboll and the play-calling. No. 6 overall pick Nabers has been outstanding in his debut year, racking up 671 receiving yards and three touchdowns in nine games.

But the 21-year-old was on the fringes of Sunday’s game until it was already over as a contest, with the Bucs leading 23-0 at the half. Nabers finished with six catches for 64 yards and vented his disappointment when speaking to reporters in the locker room.

“I’m tired of going out there and losing,” Nabers said. “It’s just that. First, second quarter, I don’t get the ball. Start getting targets at the end. I mean, I can’t do anything. Start getting the ball when it’s 30-0. What do you want me to do?

“Talk to [Daboll] about that [the lack of targets]. They come up to me and ask me what plays I want and that was that. I don’t know.”

Frustrations are running high for Nabers and his teammates amid a miserable season

Frustrations are running high for Nabers and his teammates amid a miserable season ( 

Image:

Getty Images)

With the benefit of a couple of days to cool off, Nabers admits he wishes he had spoken differently, but the former LSU standout stands by the crux of his outburst.

“If I had an opportunity to go back and change the words that I said, I would,” he said on Tuesday. “But I still stand on what I said. I said it. I don’t have no regrets with what I said. But, after looking at the film, we just lacked technique.”

On Sunday, Nabers explained why he feels it is so important for him to get early targets. “It’s just a start. If you start later on in a game, it’s like your body’s not ready. Your body hasn’t been… You come into the game prepared, right? If you take one quarter off, two quarters off, your body just starts lacking.

“It’s like you don’t even want to play no more. I’m not saying that’s how I feel. I’m just saying that’s your body. You’re not getting involved early then you’re not getting the feel of the ball, you’re not getting hit. After football plays as an offense, after you get hit, you’re like, ‘All right, I’m ready to go.’ So, that’s how I feel.

“I haven’t been feeling that way in the first or second quarter. So, I get in the third quarter and I’m not as energetic as I was before. That’s all I was saying. I need to get the ball early so I can make a change on the game early on instead of just later on in the game. That’s all it really was.”

The Giants return to action on Thanksgiving, traveling to AT&T Stadium to take on NFC East rivals the Dallas Cowboys (4-7).