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Giants' Cam Skattebo Situation is Getting Very Uncomfortable
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- Giants' Cam Skattebo Situation is Getting Very Uncomfortable
(Thomas Shea-Imagn Images)
New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo had the best game of his career in Week 7 , carrying the ball 17 times for 124 yards and a touchdown in a thrilling overtime win against the Houston Texans.
The problem? He tweaked his hamstring in the process, and while the Giants were fortunate enough to have a bye the following week, Skattebo's status remains up in the air versus the Philadelphia Eagles this Sunday.
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As of Thursday morning, Skattebo still hadn't practiced this week, and head coach John Harbaugh said that Skattebo would probably be day-to-day up until gametime.
That means Skattebo could ultimately miss the game in Philadelphia, and if he does play, it doesn't look like he will be 100 percent.
New York released Najee Harris after Week 6. It just placed Tyrone Tracy on injured reserve. Devin Singletary is now the team's only healthy veteran running back, and while he did score the game-winning touchdown in Houston, that's a scary thought.
Hamstrings are tricky. Clearly, Skattebo's body needs more rest, and with the Giants having developed a nice little cushion in the NFC East, perhaps it would be best to sit the second-year halfback this weekend.
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But Skattebo is a gamer to the extreme. He's going to push Harbaugh and the coaching staff to allow him to play regardless of whether or not he is a full go (he likely won't be), and they may be inclined to acquiesce to his demands.
Having Skattebo on the field would obviously be ideal, but then you face the problem of the 24-year-old aggravating the injury and making it worse.
Make no mistake: New York desperately needs Skattebo for the second half of the campaign. That's especially if the Giants are unable to get a deal done for a running back by the Nov. 10 trade deadline (and I have my doubts they'll actually land anyone).
Sacrificing one game of Skattebo against a bad Eagles team might be for the greater good moving forward. New York can ill afford to lose the Arizona State product long term.
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Luckily, the Giants' next two weeks feature very winnable games versus Philly and then the Washington Commanders. But that Commanders matchup is a Thursday night game, which further complicates the Skattebo conundrum. Rest will be limited.
Then, the schedule gets very difficult with showdowns against the Jacksonville Jaguars, San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks on tap in three of those next four following Sundays.
It's looking more and more like resting Skattebo this weekend may be the best bet, even if it's a dangerous proposition for a Giants rushing attack that was just finding its legs.
