Cam Skattebo and Giants' running game can't keep dropping the ball
Cam Skattebo of the Giants reacts after fumbling the football in overtime against the Washington Commanders at Northwest Stadium on Sunday in Landover, Md. Credit: Getty Images/Patrick Smith
The Giants want to be built on running the ball, but can that foundation work if it’s not solid?
The final numbers from Sunday’s 27-27 tie with the Commanders won’t reflect how poor their rushing attack was. It wasn’t effective or explosive. The longest gain in regulation went for seven yards.
And then there’s the fumbles. Cam Skattebo’s three previous fumbles either were recovered by the Giants or went out of bounds. But with the Giants driving toward a potential winning field goal in overtime, his fumble on Sunday was recovered by the Commanders and started the game's final drive.
“I’m a back that tries to get more yards,” Skattebo said. “I think in that situation, I got to tailor myself down, get what I can and get down because we’re in a good position to win that game.”
All of those are problems for a team that wants to run first. The Giants had only 55 rushing yards in regulation and finished with 103 on 28 carries, but that was aided by four overtime runs by Skattebo (33 yards) and one by Jameis Winston (15 yards).
Skattebo, who rushed for 59 yards, started the game but was taken out for the next three drives. Najee Harris and Tyrone Tracy Jr. couldn’t get much going either and had a combined 15 yards on eight carries.
Sure, the Commanders are in the NFL’s top 10 in rushing defense, but it’s been a problem all season that the Giants’ running game is more jabs than uppercuts. Short gains don’t cut it on first or second down.
After Sunday, the Giants are 15th in rushing yardage. Their 3.7 yards per carry is 23rd and they have only one carry of at least 20 yards, second-fewest in the league and tied with four other teams.
Feeding Skattebo is a fine diet, but he and Harris’ lack of top-end speed and their bulldozing style go only so far. Skattebo said on Friday that the offense hasn’t come into its own with the scheme yet and eventually will see more big plays.
“We definitely need more explosives in the run game,” coach John Harbaugh said last week. “That's definitely something that we'll be chasing and looking for. Every play has got its own story that is told. We look back at it and study it.”
There’s also the fumbling. The running backs have six fumbles this season. Harbaugh had them carry weighted balls at practice to focus on ball security. That didn't work, so expect that to be harped on this week going into Sunday’s game against the Saints at MetLife Stadium.
Something else to note: If Tracy lost carries because of his opening-game fumble, Skattebo must be mindful that that can happen to him, too. One can admire his toughness to fight for yards while also being displeased that he’s losing the ball so often.
All of it is a reminder that the Giants' running game hasn’t been reliable enough or dynamic enough this season. That nearly cost them Sunday.
Evan Barnes covers the Giants for Newsday. He previously covered the Brooklyn Nets, Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.
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