Cam Skattebo’s path to a reset couldn’t look more inviting than it does in Week 6.
After the Giants’ Week 5 tie with the Washington Commanders, Skattebo is one of the clearest places to point when looking for blame. His overtime fumble erased a prime chance for New York to land its fourth win of the season, and it only added to a rocky start that has already put him under a microscope. Through five games, he’s averaging 3.6 yards per carry and has coughed the ball up four times.
Those numbers have left his hold on the Giants’ starting running back job looking shaky. On early downs, the production has been especially poor: Skattebo ranks 26th out of 34 qualifying running backs in EPA per rush and 29th in yards per carry.
Now comes a matchup that gives him a real chance to flip the script.
The New Orleans Saints have been one of the league’s softest run defenses this season, sitting second-worst in EPA per rush allowed and last in rushing success rate. They’ve given up a 100-yard rusher in each of their last two games, and even 31-year-old Aaron Jones got over the century mark against them. New Orleans has limited big bursts - just three runs of 20 yards or more allowed all season - but the consistent gains are there, and that’s the kind of grind where Skattebo should fit.
The Saints come in having lost three straight, and their issues against the run have been a major part of that slide. Their offseason move away from Demario Davis has left a mark.
If Skattebo is going to deliver the kind of breakout Giants fans have been waiting for, this is the spot. He should get plenty of early-down touches as offensive coordinator Matt Nagy looks to attack that weakness.
He doesn’t have to hit a home run. That’s not who he is.
But a day with 4.5 or more yards per carry would go a long way toward helping the Giants control the game and, just as important, helping Skattebo win back the trust of the staff and the fan base.
In Other News...
Giants Catch Saints At A Brutal Time With One Clear Opening
The Saints come into this matchup with plenty of pressure hanging over them, and the Giants are walking into it with a pretty clear idea of where the opening should be. Nic Jennings of Canal Street Chronicles points to New Orleans slow starts and a defense that has had trouble getting settled, while also noting a few bright spots on the roster such as Devaughn Vele and Jonas Sanker. From the Giants side, the takeaway is straightforward enough: this is a game where patience on the ground could matter more than trying to force big plays early.
For New York, that means leaning into the run game and making the Saints answer the question they have struggled with most. New Orleans has not looked especially sturdy against the run, and if the Giants can stay committed there, they can make life uncomfortable for a team already dealing with coaching pressure and broader frustration. It is the kind of opponent-specific opening teams sometimes only get once, and the Giants should know it if they want to make this trip count. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Have A Real Chance To Turn This Stretch Into A Run
The Giants are heading into their matchup with the Saints with a few fixes in mind, and the focus starts where their offense has been least reliable. Coaches and players have pointed to accountability and ball security as the priority, while the scheme is getting tweaked in hopes of giving the run game a cleaner path and a better rhythm.
It is also the kind of stretch that can change a season in a hurry. New York has an opening to bank wins before the schedule tightens later, and around the league there is a growing sense that the NFC East picture is still there for the taking if the Giants can clean up the details and handle the games in front of them. [Read more 🡒]
Giants May Need An Unproven Lineman More Than Expected
The Giants defensive depth is being stretched by injuries, which has made every available body matter a little more than usual. In that kind of week, Darius Alexander starts to look less like a development project and more like a possible answer in a very specific role, especially after showing some pass-rushing ability as a rookie while still logging limited work this season.
The challenge is finding a way to get a real look at him without asking too much too soon. The safest path is to experiment carefully, keeping his responsibilities narrow so the Giants can evaluate whether he can help on passing situations without sacrificing run defense or coverage behind him. [Read more 🡒]