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Eli Manning blames lack of practice for rapport with Hakeem Nicks
There’s no question about it; Hakeem Nicks is having his worst season as a pro.
The fourth-year wide receiver is on pace to record career-lows in receiving yards and touchdowns.
Nicks underwent off-season surgery after fracturing a bone in his foot. In Week 2, he developed a knee injury that kept him out of the lineup for three games, but lingered throughout the entirety of the season.
As a result of multiple injuries, practice time has been hard to come by for Nicks. He and running back Ahmad Bradshaw have been on limited practice regimens this season, which Eli Manning suggests has disrupted the duo’s chemistry.
“I love Hakeem and the way he competes. He’s doing everything he can to be out there. He’s obviously dealing with a frustrating issue that’s limiting him a little bit,” Manning said. “He’s out there trying to do his best, so we just have to keep working, try to get on the same page. He missed most of training camp, all of the off-season, so you don’t get that rep time. We don’t get practice reps … The timing is off on a few things, and it can make it hard to be as effective as you need to be.”
Nicks has had quite a rocky 2012. His best game occurred in Week 2, the same game he aggravated his knee, when he caught a season-best 10 passes for 199 yards and a touchdown.
Nicks returned in Week 6 against San Francisco, which began a streak of five games in which the receiver failed to find the end zone. New York went 3-2 during that span.
Since the bye week, Nicks has caught 17 passes for 227 yards and two touchdowns. In Baltimore, however, he was held catchless.
He and Victor Cruz combined for just two receptions on the day.
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2012-12-25 08:17:35
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