Stock up, down after New York Giants’ 21-18 loss to Commanders

Yes, rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers had a late-game drop on fourth down that essentially sealed the victory for Washington. Young players in just their second game are going to make mistakes. It stings because of the moment but had it not been for Nabers, it’s unlikely the Giants would have been in the position to win anyway. On Sunday, he proved himself to be the team’s true alpha receiver — a legitimate game-changing receiver — since Odell Beckham Jr.

It feels like a broken record with Brian Daboll at this point. If you want a greater understanding of why his stock is dropping, read this article. And this one. And this one.

Sunday’s offensive line performance was arguably the best in over a decade. Not a single player stood out and that’s the best compliment an offensive lineman can ever possibly receive. The pass protection was leaps and bounds better than it has been, and the run blocking was superb. The Giants were able to gash the Commanders inside, which is their defensive strength. Devin Singletary had holes so large you could drive a truck through them.

“Bend but don’t break” sounds good in theory but when your opponents hold the ball for over 37 minutes, average 5.9 yards per rush, and score on every single non-kneel-down drive, it’s nearly impossible to win. The initial reaction by many will be to praise defensive coordinator Shane Bowen for holding Washington out of the endzone, but that was largely due to their own self-inflicted wounds. Bowen’s defense, as it presents itself currently, is non-sustainable.

Rookie cornerback Dru Phillips announced his presence to the NFL on Sunday. While many of his defensive teammates fell flat, he did anything but. He flashed as an open-field tackler, as a run defender, and as a blanket in coverage. Like Nabers, Phillips seems savvy and talented beyond his years.

Nose tackle Dexter Lawrence was facing double- and triple-teams on nearly every single defensive snap. That should have provided those around him an opportunity to win one-on-one matchups but that’s not what happened. Elijah Chatman, Rakeem Nunez-Roches, and Jordon Riley all struggled. Considering the position was viewed as a concern by many this past offseason, the failure to provide adequate depth falls on the shoulders of general manager Joe Schoen.