Cam Skattebo knew the New York Giants planned to run the ball early and often in Week 1, but he loved the way they made things “dirty” during the 28-20 win over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football.
Skattebo powered Big Blue’s run-heavy approach by carrying the ball 18 times for 81 yards and scoring a rushing touchdown at MetLife Stadium. He told reporters a lot of those “were dirty runs, three, four yards, five yards, but we got the job done. They (Giants’ offensive linemen) worked their [Expletive] off all night, and you know, when the game came down to it, what we started in the first drive, ended in the last drive.”
DALvsNYG on NBC/Peacock Stream on @NFLPlus
Giants’ football is supposed to look like this under new head coach John Harbaugh. Skattebo was always going to be a key part of the plan, but there had been concerns about perceived tension with Harbaugh.
The second-year running back addressed those concerns by revealing what’s better about Harbaugh’s coaching. Skattebo also confirmed the Giants will continue to keep the ball on the ground as often as possible moving forward.
Cam Skattebo Makes Rushing Promise Amid Harbaugh Effect
Skattebo’s already setting a high bar for the Giants’ running game this season. He told the press “we came into this game with 200 (rushing yards) minimum as our goal. They didn’t even set that goal, I set that for myself, I set that for our O-line. We’re gonna continue to build off that. We Should have a hundred yards every game. That’s how you win football games. If you a hundred yards on the ground, you should win football games. I mean, that’s not even that much, to be honest. You should have 150, 200 yards on the ground. That’s how you’re gonna win football games, control the clock, score points and run the ball.”
He expects them to get 150-200 rushing yards each game: “That’s how you win…control the clock, score points, and run the ball.”
The Giants made good on Skattebo’s strong words by reaching 165 yards rushing against the Cowboys. He carried the load, but Skattebo was aided by quarterback Jaxson Dart running 11 times for 54 yards.
Dart’s double act with Skattebo powers this relentless Giants’ running game, but the workhorse in the backfield is receiving a bigger boost from Harbaugh.
Skattebo revealed Harbaugh “wants me to be who I am. He wants me to be confident, be me. When I’m me, I’m able to be like *that* on the field. If they try to take me out of who I am, they know that you might not get the full me.”
– Cam Skattebo on John Harbaugh
These words are significant after it appeared Harbaugh and the Giants were growing tired of some of Skattebo’s antics this offseason. Those antics include an overtly physical rushing style Skattebo even brings to the practice field, as well as risky celebrations when he scores.
Both of those things were on display on a night when the Giants’ new-look and brute-force offense pummelled the Cowboys.
‘Dirty’ Giants Offense Bullied Cowboys
Harbaugh is rebuilding the Giants to bully opponents the way his best Baltimore Ravens teams did. Skattebo and the offense got things started the right way by consistently working the Cowboys over in both phases.
Big Blue’s running game left marks on Dallas defenders thanks to an offensive line that owned the trenches all night. Veteran tackles Andrew Thomas and Jermaine Eluemunor dominated, while rookie guard Francis ‘Sisi’ Mauigoa was every inch the mauler he was billed as after being selected 10th overall in the 2026 NFL draft.
Giants’ O-linemen received able support from 300-pound fullback Patrick Ricard, who motioned into several key and painful blocks on the edge. Skattebo was the chief beneficiary, but all the running also created ample play-action passing opportunities Dart rarely wasted.
He found particular joy targeting a roving playmaker already compared to “a young Travis Kelce.” The Giants even made the most of go-to wide receiver Malik Nabers making a late call to suit up and play.
Nabers snagged six of Dart’s passes for 69 yards on a night when the Harbaugh offense just clicked after Skattebo and the running game set the tone.
Giants’ Cam Skattebo Speaks Out About ‘Dirty’ Gameplan vs. Cowboys