The Giants got the kind of work they wanted from Cam Skattebo against Washington. What they didn’t get was the one thing this backfield still seems to be missing: a true second gear.
New York made the clear decision to lean on Skattebo in the 24-21 loss to the Commanders, and Devin Singletary was basically pushed to the margins. After being the workhorse in the win over the Philadelphia Eagles, Singletary had just one carry, ran two routes and played only five low-wattage offensive snaps in Thursday night’s loss.
That left Skattebo to carry the load, and he did plenty with it. The second-year back turned 21 touches - 18 carries and three receptions - into a season-high 122 scrimmage yards, with 78 on the ground and 44 through the air, plus two touchdowns.
He was the center of the offense, and even with some costly mistakes around him, the Giants’ attack moved well enough. But the big-play element never really showed up.
Skattebo kept the chains moving, and the numbers back that up. He finished with six first downs and a 55.6 percent success rate on the ground.
Still, he had only two runs of 10 or more yards, along with one 34-yard catch-and-run on a scramble drill. For all the steady production, the chunk gains were thin.
That isn’t exactly shocking. Skattebo is still less than a year removed from a gruesome ankle injury, and he’s clearly still working his way back. Even so, burst and wiggle have never been the main selling points of his game.
The Giants tried to address the running back situation before the trade deadline, but came away empty-handed. They were clearly looking for help, and the need is obvious: Skattebo needs a complement, if not someone who can replace part of what the backfield is missing.
And it doesn’t sound like the answer is another bruiser. What this group needs is a home-run hitter, someone who can stretch defenses and change the shape of the run game.
Singletary, at 29, was never likely to be that guy, especially after his wildly inefficient spot start in the win over Philadelphia. He became only the third player this decade to gain fewer than 40 yards on 20-plus touches, according to NBC Sports’ Patrick Daugherty. So the question now is simple: who gives Skattebo the yin to his yang?
Tyrone Tracy Jr. might be the best candidate.
Tracy has been sidelined since suffering a hamstring injury in the second quarter of New York’s overtime road upset of the Houston Texans. He can’t return until Week 13, but the Giants have reason to hope his role picks up again when he’s healthy. His usage was trending upward before the injury, and that matters here because the team needs more juice.
Since entering the NFL in 2024, Tracy ranks 29th out of 197 backs in missed tackles forced with 56. As a former wide receiver, he also brings value as a receiver out of the backfield. And with back-to-back seasons of at least 1,000 scrimmage yards entering 2026, he’s already shown enough to make the fit believable.
It has not been a smooth third season for Tracy. He’s been in head coach John Harbaugh’s doghouse since the summer and has had to win back the new regime’s trust. But with so much at stake moving forward, the Giants can’t afford to keep treating this like a discipline-first exercise.
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Giants Loss To Washington Exposed A Hard Truth About This Roster
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Nabers critique stirred up an immediate debate online, with some fans taking issue with what they saw as him questioning J.J. McCarthys choices rather than focusing on his own missed opportunities. The reaction only added another layer to a loss that already felt familiar for New York, where frustration over execution is now spilling into questions about accountability. [Read more 🡒]
Giants May Have A Rookie Answer But One Problem Still Lingers
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Even so, the bigger issue is not just who is on the field but how the Giants are using them. The run game still needs more consistent, trusted calls if it is going to become a reliable part of the offense, and the missed opportunity after fourth-quarter interceptions only sharpened that concern. A promising rookie can help steady things, but the Giants still have to prove they can turn those moments into first downs instead of letting them slip away. [Read more 🡒]