The New York Giants enter Sunday’s road game against the Houston Texans without a settled answer at running back. Giants running back Cam Skattebo played only six offensive snaps and received no touches in last week’s loss to the New Orleans Saints, a startling reduction after he had handled 81 carries through the first five games. The Giants’ starting running back in the game was Najee Harris, who was released on Tuesday.
Locked On Giants host Patricia Traina called Skattebo’s six-snap outing an unacceptable message. Skattebo said after the game that he was being punished for a costly fumble against the Washington Commanders in Week 5, though coach John Harbaugh said the Giants were searching for a hot hand rather than executing a preplanned benching.
The distinction matters less than the workload. Skattebo’s physical style gives the Giants a downhill option, but ball security and patience behind uneven blocking are part of the evaluation. Traina said the Giants need Skattebo to understand when to finish a run rather than continue fighting for extra yards, a balance that could determine whether his role rebounds immediately.
Giants running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. offers a different skill set, particularly as a receiver and space player, but Traina does not view either back as a clear RB1. New York needs more than a committee label against Houston; it needs a dependable early-down runner who can keep the offense on schedule and prevent the Texans from treating every possession as a passing situation.
That pressure increases with J.J. McCarthy now set to start at quarterback. A credible rushing threat can lighten boxes and give McCarthy cleaner RPO and play-action looks. If the Giants cannot establish that threat, Houston can focus its pass rush on a quarterback making his first start of the season.
Skattebo does not need to win the entire backfield by himself in Houston, but the Giants need a clearer distribution than they showed against New Orleans. A productive, mistake-free response would give the offense a chance to become less predictable before its bye week.
Giants News and Notes
– Giants quarterback J.J. McCarthy will start against Houston, with Jameis Winston backing him up. The decision, announced Wednesday, resolves the quarterback uncertainty discussed during the crossover episode and puts more weight on the offense finding a functional ground game.
– Left tackle Andrew Thomas (groin) and right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor (calf) were limited in practice Thursday. If either or both cannot play, that would complicate the protection plan against Houston pass rushers Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter.
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