The much-maligned New York Giants running back room showed up in a big way during their Week 7, 27-21 overtime victory over the Houston Texans. Just one week after Cam Skattebo recorded zero carries in a one-score loss to the New Orleans Saints, he returned to the lineup and rushed for a career-high 124 yards and one touchdown on 17 carries. ESPN reported before the game that Skattebo was expected to take over the Giants' backfield after he was seemingly benched in Week 6 following a costly fumble in overtime of the Giants' Week 5 tie with the Washington Commanders.
Skattebo said he was "taught a lesson," and when overtime came this week, he was the hero instead of the disappointment. In the extra period, the second-year back broke loose for a 42-yard gain, which set up a Devin Singletary 30-yard game-winning touchdown. This made the Giants the only team in the past 35 years to register 30-plus yard runs on consecutive plays in overtime, per CBS Sports Research.
The Giants had zero 30-yard rushes on their first 461 offensive plays this season. Sunday marked the first game since 1950 where the Giants saw four different players score rushing touchdowns, as Skattebo, Singletary, Tyrone Tracy Jr. and Jameis Winston all found the end zone. SKATTEBO BREAKS FREE FOR 42 YARDSNYGvsHOU on FOX/FOX OneStream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/CqU4A2DpOE SINGLETARY SEALS IT 🔥📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/NEB091GEyG The Giants really needed this performance.
From John Harbaugh, to Skattebo, to the running back room at large. One week after New York's running backs combined for just 34 rushing yards, they hit 180 yards this week. The running back group was a major talking point after Najee Harris was booted from the team after being critical of Harbaugh's rotation.
"It's hard to get in a rhythm with one or two plays," Harris said, via The Trentonian. "The first couple runs will be like, 'OK, how are they playing it?' And then the next ones will be, 'OK, this is how you attack it.' But if you're getting a play here and then get taken out for a series, there's nothing you could do. That's why I'm saying, 'I don't know.' I've never been through none of this before." Harbaugh told reporters he understood why Harris was frustrated, but maintained that playing time had to be earned.
So did Harris' roster spot, apparently. "I would love for us to be in that kind of a circumstance," Harbaugh said. "A Derrick Henry circumstance or a Saquon Barkley circumstance or whatever it might be.
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