If anyone needed a breakout game for the New York Giants on Sunday, it was running back Cam Skattebo.
After appearing in only six snaps and getting no carries the week prior due to fumbling issues, Skattebo had a breakout game in New York's thrilling overtime win over the Houston Texans. He rushed for a career-high 124 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries, including a 42-yard run in overtime, which set up the game-winning Devin Singletary score.
It was also the first time in his NFL career that the 24-year-old posted a 100-yard game on the ground, leading to him getting one of the game balls after the thrilling victory.
Skattebo's career-best and bounce-back game, however, also featured a notable moment: a truly horrendous penalty call against Skattebo, who was simply playing football.
Cam Skattebo won't let up his playing style despite his penalty
In the waning minutes of the first quarter against the Texans on Sunday, Skattebo rushed for a hard-nosed nine yards but was flagged for unnecessary roughness. The flag pushed Big Blue back 15 yards and derailed what looked like a promising drive. The call not only angered Skattebo but also John Harbaugh, who, clearly, by reading his lips, had some choice words for the officials.
Despite that call on him, the former fourth-round selection will not let up or apologize for simply playing football:
"The NFL loves to post me when I do stuff like that, but then also wants to take stuff from me. I'm going to run the ball like I want to run the ball. If I'm going to continue to get flags for it or fined for it, guess I'm going to play for free," Skattebo said to reporters after Sunday's game.
It is very rare in today's NFL that running backs get called for unnecessary roughness when they're simply running the ball and trying to plow their way to get extra yards, like Skattebo was trying to do. But that's exactly what happened.
Since entering the NFL last season and even going back all the way to his college days at Arizona State, Skattebo has shown just how aggressive a running back he is by being willing to break tackles and do everything he can to try to gain extra yards.
Even after getting called for unnecessary roughness, potentially getting fined for that play, and calling out the officials, Skattebo is not letting up. This is the exact version of Cam Skattebo the Giants want to see after his fumbling woes cost him playing time.
If the Giants want to clinch their first NFC East title since the 2011-2012 season, they need Skattebo to play like he did against a great Texans defense. And if that means a few egregious calls like the one on Sunday, so be it.
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