On Sunday, the New York Giants will take on the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium.
Last week, against the New Orleans Saints, running back Cam Skattebo had his role dramatically decreased as he did not register a carry during the loss and was on the field for only six snaps.
After the game, Skattebo said he was being punished following his costly fumble in Week 5 against the Washington Commanders, which prevented New York from kicking a game-winning field goal in overtime.
Now, ahead of New York’s matchup against the Houston Texans in Week 7, Cam Skattebo has sent a clear message.
New York Giants Running Back Cam Skattebo Sends Clear Message
Following Thursday’s practice session, New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo told reporters about his demotion, “Six plays last week kind of killed me.”
Skattebo earned praise from New York Giants offensive coordinator Matt Nagy for how he handled his reduced playing time against the Saints. Following Nagy’s comments, Skattebo said, “It shows the coaches that I understand where I stand and the issues I’ve caused myself. When players understand that and don’t put the blame on anybody else, that’s when coaches understand, ‘OK, this guy’s trying to get it fixed, and he understands why he’s in this position.’ … The best players come back from it, get it fixed and go back and play ball.”
Regarding New York’s upcoming matchup against the Houston Texans, the Giants running back said, “They’re really good. That’s a challenge for us. We want to get the running game going, and we’ve got the No. 3 run defense to go against. So, let’s see what we can do with it and see if we can get this thing going.”
Changes in the New York Giants Running Game
Aside from the fumbling issues, the New York Giants running game has not been what many envisioned heading into the 2026 season. The Giants are currently 19th in the NFL in rushing yards per game despite being in the top 10 in rushing attempts.
A big reason why New York’s running game has struggled is the lack of a dual-threat presence at the quarterback position since Jaxson Dart went down.
Giants Wire’s John Fennelly wrote: “The Giants opened up the season by rushing for 165 yards in their win over Dallas. But then quarterback Jaxson Dart went down for the season with a knee injury, and the running game has stalled. Without Dart, the Giants have been averaging 92.8 yards per game on the ground.
That could be changing. Dart’s presence kept defenses honest. He operates the RPO (run-pass option) as well as any quarterback in the league. The Giants lost that when he went down, and backup Jameis Winston took over.
Now, with J.J. McCarthy, who can run the RPO effectively, at quarterback, the Giants are back in business. Having Skattebo back with a bigger chip on his shoulder should add even more fuel to the flame.”
Skattebo has averaged only 3.6 yards per carry in 2026. He has not had a run go for more than 20 yards this season. He is also tied with Buffalo Bills running back James Cook for the most fumbles in the NFL this season. Hopefully, McCarthy’s presence in the lineup helps clear some running lanes for Skattebo.
Giants RB Cam Skattebo Sends Clear Message Before Texans Game