The New York Giants offense will look different than they anticipated for the rest of the season, with Jaxson Dart sidelined and Jameis Winston set to take over under center.
Dart gave the Giants offense arm talent, playmaking ability, and dual-threat running ability, and that versatility made Big Blue’s run game unstoppable, helping them pound the ball on opponents, as they did in Week 1 against the Cowboys.
John Harbaugh’s offenses have always thrived on a dominant run game and a strong backfield, which worked well for him in Baltimore with the Ravens. Now, with Dart out for the season, the G-Men will lean heavily on their running backs.
Giants need Cam Skattebo to step up with Jaxson Dart sidelined
The Giants have four running backs on their active roster: Cam Skattebo, Devin Singletary, Tyrone Tracy Jr., and Najee Harris. Skattebo is the team’s RB1, and although he’s coming off an injury-riddled season last year, he needs to be a viable weapon to help the Giants get down the field.
Skatt was already going to get the ball, but now that Winston is under center, Dart’s rushing yards have to go somewhere, so it wouldn’t be shocking to see the ball in No. 44's hands more going forward.
In Week 1, Skatt looked strong running the ball, rushing for 81 yards on 18 carries, averaging 4.5 yards per carry, and scoring a touchdown, although he did fumble.
The second-year running back couldn't replicate that performance last week against the Rams, rushing for 36 yards on 12 carries, averaging three yards per rush, and fumbling again, which will be interesting to see if he can correct with the forecast calling for rain this Sunday.
Skatt's poor performance last week may have stemmed from the fact that once Dart went down, the offense looked flat, and the entire team played with low energy and confidence. It was clear Jameis wasn't prepared, and his struggles hurt the team's play; he now knows his role with Dart injured.
Luckily, Jameis, Skatt, and the Giants offense will have more time to prepare for Sunday, when the Titans come to town. Expect Harbaugh to run the ball often against the Titans, the 21st-ranked run defense, which has allowed an average of 120.5 rushing yards per game and three rushing touchdowns through the first two games.
Skattebo spoke to the media on Thursday and said he took Dart’s injury hard and was emotional. Still, he said the team has to move on because it’s a long season, and he expressed his full confidence in Winston, saying he has his back and believes Jameis will go out and dominate starting Sunday.
You can imagine Skattebo and the Giants will play with a chip on their shoulder this week, as the news still doesn’t sit well with them, and this game against the Titans will tell Big Blue fans what to expect for the remainder of the regular season.
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