newsweek
In the New York Giants' Week 6 defeat to the New Orleans Saints, running back Cam Skattebo found himself completely sidelined from the running game, registering zero carries for the first time in his professional career. The dramatic shift in usage came after pregame reports indicated that veteran Najee Harris would start over Skattebo and that the team would adopt a running-back-by-committee approach—a strategy that proved to be an understatement.
All four running backs on the active roster saw action, but Skattebo was the odd man out in terms of opportunities. The Giants' 20 rushing attempts were predominantly distributed among the running back group, with 14 carries split between Najee Harris, Devin Singletary, and Tyrone Tracy. Following the game, head coach John Harbaugh was questioned about Skattebo's sudden absence from the ground attack and offered a candid explanation.
Harbaugh clarified that the decision was not a deliberate benching but rather an attempt to find a spark, as no running back had distinguished himself. "All those guys were taking equal reps in the first half," Harbaugh said. "We were trying to see who could make something happen. You get a hot hand and earn it. Nobody is really taking the bull by the horns. Motor (Singletary) really hasn't gotten a chance to take the bull by the horns. So we thought we would get him in the mix too. With the four guys up, see if you can get something going in the running game. That was the idea."
He further explained that the second-half game script, with the Giants trailing by a significant margin, led to a no-huddle approach that favored third-down backs. "It wasn't by design for him not to carry the ball," Harbaugh added. "When he was in there, we just didn't call any runs. You are not thinking about which back is in the game and how many runs they are getting."
Key Analysis
Despite Harbaugh's assurances, Skattebo's complete removal from the running game is striking, especially considering he had recorded double-digit carries in every game this season prior to Week 6. One possible factor is Skattebo's ball-security issues—he fumbled four times in the first five games—which may have influenced the coaching staff's decision to limit his role. Moving forward, it will be intriguing to see how Skattebo is utilized, with his next opportunity to make an impact coming in Week 7 against the Houston Texans.
Originally reported by newsweek.