On Sunday, the New York Giants improved to 4-2-1 with a 27-21 overtime road victory over the Houston Texans.
The game marked a remarkable turnaround for New York, as the Giants were fresh off a disappointing loss against the New Orleans Saints, where the team trailed by 27 before a fourth-quarter rally made the final score closer.
New York’s game against the Saints also brought uncertainty at the running back position. On that occasion, Cam Skattebo had his role reduced as he played only six snaps, while veteran Najee Harris got the start. Following the game, New York released Harris, and head coach John Harbaugh expressed that the Giants did not have a running back at the level of Derrick Henry or Saquon Barkley that required the team to give them carries.
New York’s struggles at the position led to the team being linked to several high-profile running backs ahead of the trade deadline, including Jonathan Taylor.
Meanwhile, against Houston, New York’s running backs quieted down trade noise as they combined for 180 rushing yards and three touchdowns.
New York Giants Get New Jonathan Taylor Trade Report
Yahoo Sports posted on X: “The Packers, Seahawks, Broncos, and Vikings are among the teams considering a trade for 3x Pro Bowl RB Jonathan Taylor, per @RapSheet and @AdamSchefter”.
While the New York Giants appeared to be a logical trade partner for Taylor, they were not among the teams mentioned in the latest report.
Prior to Week 7, The Athletic’s Jonathan Jones wrote of Taylor’s potential availability: “The Indianapolis Colts are not entertaining discussions of a potential Jonathan Taylor trade. At least not yet.
Indianapolis is 2-4 and two games out of a wild-card spot. After speaking with sources in Indy and around the league, my understanding is that the team needs to see what the landscape is like in a few weeks before deciding on its star running back.”
The Colts fell to 2-5 with a 16-10 loss against the Minnesota Vikings, increasing the chances that Taylor will be available. However, if New York’s running backs keep producing as they did in Week 7, a trade seems unlikely.
Cam Skattebo’s Performance
In particular, New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo shined against Houston. He set a new career-high with 124 rushing yards, which were capped off by a 42-yard run in overtime which put New York in a strong position to win the game.
After the game, Skattebo told reporters of the team’s running backs, “Us three guys, man we came together as a team this week, as our own little team.” Skattebo added, “If we can do that every week, we’re gonna be happy running backs and we’re going to continue to kick ass.”
Head coach John Harbaugh also praised the team’s running backs, saying, “Skatt (running back Cam Skattebo), obviously, with the big runs this past game, it was a huge. Motor (running back Devin Singletary), I mean, it’s just the guys making the plays, really. That’s what it is.”
New York will now head to its bye week atop the NFC East. They will take on the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 9.
Giants Get New Jonathan Taylor Trade Report After Breakout Cam Skattebo Game