NEXT MAN UP

After a sensational start to his NFL career, wide receiver Malik Nabers suffered a concussion late in the game against the Cowboys last week and is currently in the concussion protocol. Coach Brian Daboll announced Friday that the rookie receiver will not travel to Seattle and will miss this week's game.

"We won't travel him," Daboll said about the rookie receiver. "Keep him home. He'll be inside today. He is making progress, but we're going to do everything we can do to get him as healthy and right as we can."

Daboll added, "We're always going to do what's right. You take those concussions very seriously. He's made progress, but not to the point where he can go out there and play. But his safety, his well-being is first and foremost."

With Nabers out, the Giants will turn to the next man up. Daboll told the media that the entire wide receiver room is preparing to step up whenever their numbers are called.

"These other guys have taken reps," the head coach said Friday. "Namely, (Jalin) Hyatt has done a nice job this week. Ihmir (Smith-Marsette) has been in there taking some reps, as has Bryce Ford (-Wheaton). So those guys are preparing. They've been preparing all week. And when their number's called, we expect them to go out there and know what to do and do it at a high level."

In addition to Nabers, the Giants could be without starting running back Devin Singletary on Sunday, as the veteran has been dealing with a groin injury and is listed as doubtful on the final injury report. Whether or not Singletary is able to suit up, the Giants believe everyone on the roster will be ready to produce if called upon.

"That's why we have the other guys on the roster," Daboll said. "Obviously, Malik is a talented player. Motor's done a lot for us, but that's the NFL. Every team deals with injuries, and you prepare the other guys that are backups to them to go out there and perform at a high level. So, we have a lot of confidence in the guys that are behind them, and that's just an opportunity for them to go out there and to play at a high level."

ALL-TIME SERIES

The Giants (1-3) travel to Lumen Field for their Week 5 contest against the Seattle Seahawks (3-1) on Sunday, Oct. 6. Kickoff is set for 4:25 p.m. ET on CBS.

Sunday's game marks the 22nd regular season meeting and third in as many years between the Giants and Seahawks. On Oct. 2, 2023, the Seahawks defeated the Giants, 24-3, on Monday Night Football in MetLife Stadium.

The Giants' most recent victory against the Seahawks came on the road in 2020, 17-12. RB Wanye Gallman rushed for 135 yards on 16 carries, while RB Alfred Morris scored twice (one rushing and one receiving).

INJURY REPORT

Giants

Out: WR Malik Nabers (Concussion)

Doubtful: RB Devin Singletary (Groin)

Questionable: CB Dru Phillips (Calf), CB Adoree' Jackson (Calf), ILB Matt Adams** (Quad)

Seahawks

Out: DT Byron Murphy II (Hamstring), NT Cameron Young** (Knee)

Questionable: LB Boye Mafe (Knee), S Julian Love (Thigh)

*Designated for return to practice*

DJ VS. SEATTLE PASS D

In last week's loss to the Cowboys, quarterback Daniel Jones completed 72.5 percent of his passes for 281 yards. While he did register an interception, it came on a Hail Mary pass at the end of the game. The sixth-year quarterback's performance came one week after he completed 70.6 percent of his passes for 236 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions against the Browns. It marked the second consecutive game in which he threw for multiple touchdowns and no interceptions, the first time he did this in back-to-back games in his NFL career.

"I thought for the most part I played with good rhythm and made good decisions, where to go with the ball," Jones said about his performance against the Cowboys. "I thought guys did a good job getting open. I thought we did a really good job protecting against a good pass rush. I think it was just some missed opportunities that you'd like to have back. But overall, I felt like execution was good, for the most part. We just go to convert those opportunities."

Heading into Week 5, the Seahawks have generated the ninth-highest pressure rate in the NFL at 37.3 percent, according to Next Gen Stats. Jones has been pressured on 35.0 percent of his dropbacks this season, and while he has completed 50 percent of his passes when being pressured, he's thrown for 213 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.

The Seahawks' pass defense has gotten off to a strong start, but at least some of that has to do with who they have played thus far. In the first three weeks, they faced Denver (Bo Nix's NFL debut), New England (Jacoby Brissett) and Miami (Skylar Thompson and Tim Boyle). In those three matchups, the Seahawks gave up an average of 132.3 passing yards per game. In Monday's loss to the Lions, the Seahawks allowed Jared Goff to complete all 18 of his pass attempts for 292 yards and two touchdowns, while wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown added a seven-yard touchdown pass to Goff, as well.

"I thought the Seahawks defense played pretty well," Jones said about Seattle's performance on Monday. "I think Goff really made some plays out of nothing and did a good job finding guys. They did a good job on a couple of explosives catch and runs and breaking tackles. So, when you're watching on TV, you can't see everything that's going on. It's always interesting to look at it the next day and watch it on film and then you can see some more of the game. But yeah, the Lions played well. I thought the Seahawks have a good defense."

WAN'DALE STEPPING UP

Wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson has played a big role in the Giants' passing attack this year. The third-year wideout ranks second on the team with 26 receptions for 194 yards and one touchdown, and has six or more receptions in three out of four games. Not only that, but he has also topped 50 total yards from scrimmage in three out of four games, while scoring a touchdown in the one game he did not. Robinson is coming off the highest-volume game of his NFL career as he caught a career-high 11 passes against the Cowboys, which he took for 71 yards.

With Nabers out for this week's game, Robinson could be in for yet another high-volume day, and rightfully so. The 5-foot-8 receiver has proven to be one of the most elusive wideouts in the league this season. Heading into Week 5, Robinson leads all wide receivers across the NFL with nine missed tackles forced, one more than Cincinnati's Ja'Marr Chase and Kansas City's Rashee Rice, according to PFF. It should be noted that Robinson has been listed on the injury report as a limited participant on Wednesday and Thursday due to a heel injury.

Robinson has lined up in the slot on 80 percent of his snaps this season. In their Monday Night Football loss last week, the Seahawks gave up six receptions for 45 yards and a touchdown to Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, although he lined up in the slot on just 54.5 percent of his snaps. On the season, Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon has lined up in the slot more than any other player on the team and has allowed 13 receptions for 121 yards on 18 targets for a 90.3 passer rating when targeted. 100 of those 121 yards allowed have come after the catch, according to PFF.

PRESSURING GENO

The Giants' pass rush has gotten mixed results over the first four games of the season. In Weeks 1 and 4, the defense recorded just one sack in each contest while totaling 20 pressures across the two games. However, in the Week 2 matchup against the Commanders, the unit sacked quarterback Jayden Daniels five times while registering 17 total pressures, according to Pro Football Focus. The numbers were even better in the Week 3 win over the Browns when the unit totaled eight sacks and a whopping 36 total pressures of Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson.

"I'd say there's some good things," Daboll said about the pass rush. "We have quite a bit more sacks at this time of the year than we did last year, but there's still a lot of room for improvement. Those four guys are starting to gel in terms of pass rush games and communication, and that's a work in progress. There's been some good and there's been some, obviously, things we can keep on working."

Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith is off to another strong start. Smith leads the NFL in pass attempts (159), completions (115), and passing yards (1,182), while his 72.3 completion percentage ranks second. However, it hasn't been all good for the veteran signal-caller, as he has thrown just four touchdown passes to go with four interceptions. Smith is coming off his busiest game of the season as the threw the ball 56 times against the Lions, completing 38 of those attempts for 395 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

"He's playing at a high level," Daboll said about the Seahawks quarterback. "He's a veteran now. He's done a really good job when you study the tape. Last year and this year, here to start out, obviously, he threw for a bunch of yards in a back and forth game there for a while. He's got command. I know it's a new offense with (Seattle Seahawks Offensive Coordinator) Ryan (Grubb) there. It looks like he has command of what he's doing. He has, I would say, very, very good skill players around and he gives those guys chances."

Giants cornerbacks Dru Phillips (calf) and Adoree' Jackson (calf), who both missed last week's game against the Cowboys, returned to practice Thursday as limited participants. It remains to be seen if they will be able to get back on the field for Sunday's game in Seattle, but Daboll said Friday that both corners are "trending in the right direction."

KAYVON HEATING UP

Kayvon Thibodeaux has started to heat up over the last few games. After picking up his first half-sack of the season against the Browns in Week 3, the third-year outside linebacker got his first full sack of the season against the Cowboys the following week. According to Pro Football Focus, Thibodeaux has multiple pressures in each of the last three games with 10 total during that span, including five against Dallas. Heading into this week's game, he ranks second on the team with 11 total pressures on the season, while his six quarterback hits, with at least one in every game, match Dexter Lawrence for the team-lead.

"We've been productive for the most part trying to affect the quarterback," defensive coordinator Shane Bowen said Thursday when asked about the team's front four. "We've had some sacks from some other places. I think that's a product of those four as well. Being able to understand how guys are blocking us, just continuing to find ways to create one-on-one for those guys, give them some opportunities. Teams are doing a good job getting the ball out, too.

"I mean it takes all 11 to affect the quarterback. It's not just the front four, so we've got to understand that as a defense as well, with just what we're asking these guys to do coverage-wise, what we're playing, to be able to buy a little bit more time potentially for those guys to get home. But I'm pleased with where they're at. Again, I don't think the production ultimately shows the effectiveness of them up to this point. I'm sure they'd all love to have multiple sacks. Hopefully they come, but at the same time, I think they're doing a good job for us."

Geno Smith has faced a 33.1 percent pressure rate this season, which comes in at the 14^th-highest in the NFL and has led to 11 sacks on the year. When facing pressure, Smith has completed 52.2 percent of his passes for 297 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions for a 61.6 passer rating. This is compared to a 100.8 passer rating when not pressured. Seahawks left tackle Charles Cross has surrendered 13 total pressures this season, according to PFF, while right tackle Stone Forsythe has given up 20 pressures.

NUBIN 'A LEADER ON THE FIELD'

Tyler Nubin has registered 21 total tackles on the season, which is tied with Jason Pinnock for the fourth-most on the team. In last week's game against the Cowboys, the 23-year-old rookie was tied with McFadden for the team-lead in tackles with eight, while he also forced the first fumble of his NFL career.

Perhaps the most impressive part of Nubin's game has been his reliability. The rookie safety has been on the field for every defensive snap thus far, joining linebacker Bobby Okereke as the only two players to do so. Additionally, Nubin has missed just one tackle this season, according to PFF, and has allowed only four receptions for 38 yards on 150 coverage snaps. Nubin's strong start led to him being named to Dane Brugler's early All-Rookie Team.

"He's been good for us," Bowen said about the rookie safety. "I think the communication shows up, all the things that we kind of expected out of him, being a leader on the field, taking control, communicating with guys, helping the guy next to him. Again, I would go back to just some of the situational awareness in the league. These young guys, they're kind of learning by fire right now with some of that stuff, but I've been pleased with how he's played, showing up, tackling.

"He's played physical for us. Really just continue to learn from mistakes with all those guys, and when you play with young guys, it's going to happen at times. So just continuing to build, make new mistakes, learn from it, keep growing, keep understanding what the game is at this level."

Nubin should play a big role in the run defense, as his 15 run tackles on the season are tied for the second-most on the team. But the former Minnesota Golden Gopher will also match up against Seattle's tight ends in coverage. Seahawks tight end Noah Fant is fifth on the team with 11 receptions for 111 yards, while rookie tight end AJ Barner just caught his first NFL touchdown in Monday's loss to the Lions.

SLOWING DOWN SEATTLE'S OFFENSE

Smith has a talented group of playmakers around him in the Seahawks offense, starting with running back Kenneth Walker III. The third-year back returned on Monday after missing the previous two meetings and picked up right where he left off. Walker ran the ball just 12 times against the Lions but gained 80 yards (6.7 avg.) and scored a career-high three touchdowns while adding four receptions for an additional 36 yards, an impressive feat against Detroit's elite run defense. Walker carried the ball 20 times for 103 yards (5.2 avg.) and a touchdown in the season opening win over the Broncos before an abdomen injury sidelined him for the next two weeks. Backup running back Zach Charbonnet has rushed for 156 yards and three touchdowns this season in addition to catching 15 passes for another 115 yards and a touchdown.

"He was obviously excellent at Michigan State," Daboll said about Walker, who he called one of the better backs in the NFL. "He is tough. He's elusive. He breaks tackles. Charbonnet is a good player too."

When it comes to the passing game, the Seahawks have a deep wide receiver corps. The group is led by two-time Pro Bowler DK Metcalf, who has reeled in 24 passes for a team-high 366 yards and two touchdowns. Metcalf has had previous success against the Giants, totaling 14 receptions for 169 yards and two touchdowns across three career games. The 6-foot-4, 235-pound wideout has topped 100 yards in each of his last three games, which has led to him ranking third in the league in receiving yards.

"It's hard," the head coach said about preparing for a receiver like Metcalf. "You can't simulate the strength, the size, and the speed. But you do the best job you can out here. He's a talented, talented guy who has all those qualities: big, fast, strong, explosive, competitive, plays the right style. He's a good player."

Second-year receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba leads the Seahawks with 25 receptions, which he has taken for 226 yards. His 25 receptions has him tied with Houston's Stefon Diggs for sixth in the NFL, as he has had eight or more receptions in two of four games this season. The long-time veteran Tyler Lockett ranks third on the team with 18 receptions for 199 yards.

"They have good playmakers really at all three positions," Daboll said about Seattle's offensive weapons. "But those receivers, again, Jaxon was a good player coming out of Ohio State, very instinctive. Really liked him in the evaluation process. He's got very good feel in the slot. Lockett, I worked him out a long, long time ago at Kansas State. What a great career he's had and it doesn't look like he's slowed down too much. And then DK, he's DK. Big, fast, explosive, strong, tough, plays the right way. Then you add the element of those two backs. I just can't say enough good things about Walker. He's a very impressive player to watch on tape."

STATS AHEAD OF WEEK 5

*The Seahawks allowed 42 points in Week 4 after allowing 43 combined points in Weeks 1-3.

*The Giants have allowed just one rush touchdown in 2024, tied with the Vikings and Steelers for the fewest in the league.

*Entering Week 5, the Giants are the only team to have multiple players (Nabers and Wan'Dale Robinson) with 35+ targets in 2024. They are also two of five players in the NFL with more than 25 catches.

*The Giants are 2-8 under Daboll when they have 90 or fewer rush yards in the game. Seattle's defense has allowed 116.3 rush yards per game.

*Daniel Jones completed 29 of 40 attempts (72.5 percent) for 281 yards in Week 4 & aims for his 3rd in a row with a 70+ completion percentage. Jones has 2+ TD passes & 100+ passer rating in each of his first two road starts this season.