NFL

Hakeem Nicks: First touchdown coming Sunday

Hakeem Nicks’ touchdown drought is twisting him in knots, much the way his route-running used to perplex cornerbacks.

In one breath, the Giants’ former first-round pick and soon-to-be free agent says it doesn’t bother him.

In another, he predicts his unwanted streak of 12 games without a touchdown catch will come to an end Sunday against the Packers, a promise he has made before and wants to make good on to change the narrative.

“I’m going to do everything I’ve got to get in there,” Nicks said after practice Friday. “If I’ve got to break a tackle, whatever. I’m itching for it now, I feel like everybody’s talking about it now, so I’ve got to go ahead and get in there.”

The usually sure-handed Nicks, who last scored Dec. 9, 2012, against the Saints, has let a few passes he has easily engulfed in past years elude him, but he also is second on the Giants in receptions behind Victor Cruz. He is coming off a four-catch, 49-yard performance in last Sunday’s win over the Raiders, catching every ball thrown his way.

For the season, the 25-year-old receiver does have 38 receptions for 570 yards, a 68-catch pace.
His lack of touchdowns, however, is peculiar. Nicks is healthy, just entering the prime of his career after leg injuries sabotaged him a year ago. Nicks did suffer a dislocated middle finger in Week 2 against the Broncos after a fast start over the season’s first two weeks, but he has said that isn’t an issue.

Nicks has made a habit of finding the end zone since breaking into the league, scoring 27 times in his first four seasons. Even his rookie year, Nicks hauled in six touchdown catches out of 47 receptions.

“It’s going to come,” Nicks predicted. “I don’t even know how many touchdowns I’ve got on my resume already; touchdowns come. It’s going to come, I’m not worried about it. I’ve got a good feeling I’m going to get in there Sunday, though.”

Nicks didn’t imagine this kind of season, for the 3-6 Giants or himself. He took a shot at quarterback Eli Manning after he went without a catch in an ugly Week 2 loss to the Panthers, saying, “I can’t throw it to myself.”

Giants coach Tom Coughlin took Nicks to task in late October, saying the receiver hasn’t been nearly as consistent as he was in the past and telling reporters, “he’s got to get better.”

Nicks doesn’t have a contract for next year, and likely will be with a new team, considering the Giants inked Cruz to a five-year, $43-million deal during training camp and second-year pro Reuben Randle has displayed promise, catching 26 passes for 423 yards and five touchdowns.

The touchdown drought has come at a bad time for Nicks, months before he becomes a free agent. The slump certainly won’t help Nicks at the negotiating table, with the Giants or others teams. The idea his contract situation has played a role in his down year was recently dismissed by both Nicks and Coughlin.

The Giants’ running game has picked up steam of late and the team has won its last three games. The return of running back Andre Brown from a fractured fibula last week keyed the win over the Raiders and the Giants hope it will translate into an uptick in the passing game.

“I think we’re just going to start taking advantage of some things,” Nicks said. “We’ve got to start coming down with some stuff to give [Eli] that confidence back and just start being a threat at all costs on the field.”

This would be an apropos week. Nicks has enjoyed some of the biggest games of his career against the Packers — ranked 21st in the NFL against the pass — catching six touchdowns and averaging 18.4 yards per reception in six games.

Nicks certainly hopes the past repeats itself on Sunday. It would make his guarantee stand up and free him of the constant questions of his touchdown drought.