NFL

Giants’ Hakeem almost his old self — in Nicks of time

Giants wide receiver Hakeem Nicks admitted his performance against the 49ers last week — three catches, 44 yards — was hardly the stuff of legend. But the performance served its purpose: It got Nicks out of the infirmary and back on the football field.

“I felt like that was good for me. I thought it was good for the team as well to take some coverage away from other guys and make them play a little more honest,” said Nicks, who had missed the three previous games with right foot and left knee problems — the knee became sore because he was compensating for an issue with the left foot.

So just getting back on the field was big for Nicks, whose worth is better shown through his Week 2 performance against the Buccaneers: 10 receptions, a career-high 199 yards, one touchdown.

So, Nicks’ return was not a typical performance. But even the threat of Nicks is better than no Nicks at all.

“He opens things up for everybody else,” said fellow receiver Victor Cruz. “Teams have to account for him and provide some attention to him, so whenever he’s out there, it’s good for all of us.”

Nicks fully expects to be more like the guy everyone expects tomorrow in MetLife Stadium against division rival Washington, rather than the cautious receiver who performed somewhat gingerly in the game at San Francisco.

“I feel a lot better than [I did] then,” Nicks said. “I was still a little cautious in that game about it. I really just had one practice then got in the game. I had three weeks off.

“I wasn’t really expecting too much out of that game. I just wanted to go out there and get back. This week, I had a full week of practice, so I expect it to be better. Next week will be better. I just want to keep getting better.”

And from all accounts, he is.

“He is getting better. Unfortunately, it’s a lengthy process getting back to where he was, but he is definitely better this week than he was the week before,” said offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride. “You’re encouraged by seeing him do some things that maybe he couldn’t have done last week. So it’s a matter of just continuing that growth and return to where he was before he was injured.”

Again, a getting-better Nicks is more valuable than no Nicks.

“There’s a respect that defenses have for him so there has to be a focus on him to a point where it helps to open up some opportunities for other people,” Gilbride said. “He still gives you some things that are very special.”

A full week of practice has encouraged Nicks and enabled him to get back in sync with quarterback Eli Manning.

And he said the “repetition” of practice has helped his healing foot and knee.

“Just getting my steps back down and getting the timing back down with Eli on certain routes,” Nicks said. “Just getting it done for the team.

“I feel like at this point in the season, nobody feels great,” Nicks added. “The best you feel is before you start training camp. I feel pretty good now. I’m getting all the way back to full, 100 percent. That’s my goal every day, just to be better than I was the day before.”

For tomorrow, it’s just to be better than the week before.