For the second week in a row, the New York Giants had another exciting game end in heartbreaking fashion.
After tying with the Washington Commanders last week, the Giants nearly overcame a 24-point, four-quarter deficit but fell to the New Orleans Saints in the final seconds, 34-27. While the biggest takeaway of Sunday's game is J.J. McCarthy nearly leading an improbable comeback, there was another notable takeaway that needed to be addressed.
That, of course, being New York's putrid running game, once again struggled and was one factor in Big Blue's offense not getting into much of a rhythm. That running attack, or lack thereof, is something John Harbaugh made clear needs to improve.
John Harbaugh made his stance on the Giants' dismal running game clear
Speaking with reporters following Sunday's loss to the Saints, Harbaugh was blunt in his criticism of the Giants' rushing attack:
"It was not very good," Harbaugh said.
On the afternoon, the Giants rushed for just 84 yards. What is even more stunning is that their leading rusher was the aforementioned McCarthy for 26 yards (who came into the game in the fourth quarter). 23 of those yards also came on one play during Big Blue's final drive of the game.
Simply put, New York's rushing attack is awful. The Giants have just 545 total rushing yards on the season and rank 24th in the NFL with 3.7 yards per carry. 295 of those rushing yards belong to Cam Skattebo, who notably did not get many reps on Sunday.
They also rank second-to-last in the league with one rushing touchdown, which came in the season opener against the Dallas Cowboys, when Skattebo scored on the Giants' opening drive of the year. That's right, they haven't had a rushing score since.
It does not matter how many running backs the Giants have on their roster; nothing is working, and that is clearly not sustainable. Following their crushing loss to the Saints, the Giants' schedule does not get any easier in the coming weeks.
If the Giants are serious about contending not only for a playoff spot this season, but also for a division title, fixing their disastrous running game must be a top priority.
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