NFL

Coughlin calls out Nicks: ‘He’s got to get better’

There really has never been any trace of criticism within the Giants family toward Hakeem Nicks. Not from teammates, coaches, the front office or ownership. Sure, there’s been some frustration about nagging injuries, but even when Nicks stayed away from the team this past off-season, no one questioned his motives and everyone welcomed his return.

That is why coach Tom Coughlin’s comments on Wednesday, for the first time, reveal no small measure of concern Nicks is not performing up to his usual standards, is not the big-play receiver the Giants expect him to be, is not the big-handed, ball-snatching terror opponents have feared.

Asked what he sees when he watches Nicks in action, Coughlin admitted he hasn’t seen enough.

“What do you see?’’ Coughlin asked. “Just like we do with everyone else: Improvement, improvement, improvement. He’s got to improve. He’s got to get better. He’s got to get to a point where the reliability factor is there as strongly as it always has been. Has it been there up to this point? No, but we’re saying let’s work. We count on this guy.’’

The “reliability factor,’’ like the force in Luke Skywalker, was always strong in Hakeem Nicks. This season, though, he has not been the dependable target Eli Manning has come to count on in Nicks’ four-plus seasons with the Giants. In Monday night’s 23-7 victory over the Vikings, Manning threw in Nicks’ direction 10 times. Nicks caught only two passes for 28 yards. He dropped three passes.

“Quite frankly, he’s always gobbled those balls up,’’ Coughlin said. “Explanation? I wouldn’t offer an excuse, and I’m sure he wouldn’t, either.’’

Told his head coach doesn’t think he is as reliable as he once was, Nicks was characteristically nonplussed.

“I’m going to always be there, I’m going to always feel like I can,’’ Nicks said. “Every game doesn’t always go your way. You just got to keep punching, keep fighting and eventually in the end you’ll come out on top.’’

As for the increase in dropped passes — he has six this season, according to Pro Football Focus, Nicks said, “As a receiver that happens, you don’t want it to happen but you ain’t perfect. You want to catch every one, I know I do. Sometimes you have games where some just a little bit out of your reach, some just can’t pull it in. I understand that, I don’t get down on myself about it, be a pro about it and just bounce back.’’

After an injury-slowed 2012 season and entering the final year of his rookie contract, Nicks stayed away from the offseason workouts to make sure his body was healed, looking for a big season. It hasn’t materialized. In seven games, Nicks has only 27 receptions for 470 yards and is still looking for his first touchdown. He has heard speculation the Giants will — or should — trade him.

Victor Cruz got paid, getting a six-year deal worth nearly $46 million. Is Coughlin concerned Nicks perhaps has some big-picture thoughts running through his mind, which is a polite way of asking if Nicks is not going 100 percent because he doesn’t want to get hurt?

“I’m not,’’ Coughlin said. “Anybody who thinks that way, fundamentally, you better take care of your business on the field. You better get your job done to the fullest of your ability.’’

Nicks insisted he is being evaluated differently because he is in the final year of his contract.

“I don’t feel like my game is too much different from what it’s been in the past,’’ Nicks said. “People are just putting more significance on it just due to what kind of year it is for me, they’re putting a little more emphasis on that. Because of what lies ahead for me and all the outside talk that’s going on right now. That’s out of my head. I understand how this thing goes.’’

Manning said he has not sensed off-field concerns playing with Nicks’ concentration.

“I know last week I missed him on a go route, but then he had a couple of drops on some slants and stuff. He knows that, but he came back and made some plays for us,’’ Manning said. “Again, I’m not worried about him. He’ll be ready this week and he’ll make the catches, he’ll make all the plays and look forward to having a big game.’’

Coughlin looks at Nicks and says this: “Just get him going. Let’s go. Let’s play better.’’