Sportsnaut
Sunday was a bitter day for the New York Giants. Not only were they soundly defeated by the Philadelphia Eagles 38-20, but they lost running back Cam Skattebo for the game due to a dislocated right ankle.
You could feel the air coming out of the players once they saw the fourth-round running back on the ground in agony. He was immediately taken to the hospital, as not only is his season over, so is the Giants’ season, as any realistic chance of making the postseason ended with the loss.
It will be interesting to see what will happen for Big Blue for the remainder of the season, but here’s a look at the biggest takeaways from their defeat at the hands of the Eagles.
The entire team was devastated the moment that the rookie running back went down with a dislocated right ankle in the second quarter. Not only had he become one of the best players on the team, but he would have been in discussion for Offensive Rookie of the Year along with Jaxson Dart.
He led the team in rushing with 410 yards on 101 carries with five rushing touchdowns, and he was also second on the team in receptions with 24 for 207 yards and two receiving touchdowns.
It’s not just his production on the field that will be missed, as he scored the team’s first touchdown on an 18-yard reception; it’s the intangibles he brings to his teammates.
He and Dart gave Big Blue a much-needed jolt of energy after their 0-3 start, and Skattebo’s physical style inspired his teammates and earned him respect across the league. He also made the Giants more exciting to watch, and with him and Dart, you felt the team was building something special for the future.
Tyrone Tracy Jr will take over as the lead back, and the organization is confident he can shoulder the load, as he had over 1,000 all-purpose yards in 2024. But the energy that Skattebo brings will be sorely missed in the final nine games of the season.
Coming into the game, there were concerns about how the pass defense would hold up with Paulson Adebo and Jevon Holland out with knee injuries. But it was the run defense that was abysmal on Sunday.
On the second offensive play of the game, Saquon Barkley ran through New York’s front seven on his way to a 65-yard touchdown. It was only a matter of time before the superstar running back broke out of his slump, and he did this against his former team.
Barkley gained 150 yards on 14 carries, and that total would have been higher if he hadn’t exited the game on the last play of the third quarter after inuring his groin on a 28-yard run. His backup, Tank Bigsby was just as productive as him.
Bisby...
