New York Giants rookie wide receiver Jalin Hyatt was a non-factor in their 33-25 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 16, but the young talent is not fretting his cold performance.
Hyatt gave insight into the mindset he maintains on a week-to-week basis whether a high volume of targets come his way or not, per Paul Schwartz of the New York Post:
“I can’t control where the ball goes, the only thing I can focus on is myself and this team, just getting open, whatever one-on-one matchup I have or whoever is on me,’’ Hyatt said. “Just come in every day, keep preparing, keep doing the same routine I have weekly and hopefully things can change.’’
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For Hyatt, having his legs get the only action on the field over the course of the entire game did not sit well, but he had an understanding approach toward taking a backseat to Darius Slayton and Daniel Bellinger, who combined for 133 receiving yards on the day.
Hyatt coming alive for the Giants directly coincided with Tommy DeVito’s emergence. DeVito’s not the typical 300-yard per-game passer. The same can be said for Tyrod Taylor, who returned to the lineup this past Sunday.
Yet, and still, Hyatt found a way to be highly effective. Difficulty has now arisen after his spell of success, which is something rookies of all calibers go through during their first year in the NFL.
However, Hyatt’s mindset is paramount to his maintaining readiness under all circumstances. Giants head coach Brian Daboll has made several lineup decisions in recent weeks, shifting the focus of the offense in the process with the pieces he’s opted to feature in expanded roles.
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Hyatt’s maturity comes as a breath of fresh air, as coach Daboll looks to close out the schedule with as many positive notes to take into the offseason as possible.
The probability of Hyatt seeing more looks is high, with two games remaining. Coach Daboll came out last week, stating he intended to boost Hyatt and Wan’Dale Robinson’s role in the offense, and that does not look like it will change with the Giants out of playoff contention.
What’s more, Hyatt and Taylor have ample time to gel in practice. Taylor could be working with limited options in Week 17 as Saquon Barkley, Darren Waller were all hampered in practice with varying ailments, gifting Hyatt the potential for more targets.