Giants Have a Cam Skattebo Problem With No Real Solution

The New York Giants should have defeated the Washington Commanders on Sunday. All Cam Skattebo needed to do was hold on to the football.

He didn't, and luckily, the Commanders committed one of the most egregious gaffes you will ever see on the final drive of the game in overtime, running out the clock and foregoing the opportunity to kick a game-winning field goal (which would have been a chip shot).

The result was a tie, but it should have been a W for the Giants.

Skattebo has now fumbled four times in five games, which comes after he put the ball on the ground just once in eight contests last season.

It's unfortunate, because Skattebo was actually terrific on New York's last possession of the game Sunday, putting the Giants in position to win the contest in the extra session.

But the turnover it what stands out.

The problem is that New York doesn't really have any definitive answers.

Tyrone Tracy is already in John Harbaugh's doghouse due to ball security issues of his own, and while Najee Harris is generally sure-handed, he fumbled last week (it was his first fumble since 2023), and he isn't exactly the most thrilling option.

The Giants have a deep backfield, but they don't really have a true RB1.

Skattebo could be that, at least on the low end. He definitely showed flashes during his rookie campaign. But if he can't protect the football, it essentially disqualifies him.

Again, though, New York doesn't have a real solution.

I was staunchly against the idea of adding another running back during the offseason because I was confident in the Giants' backfield. But things haven't looked great early.

Of course, there weren't many options for Big Blue. The free-agent class was thin on running back talent, as was the NFL Draft. And New York had too many other needs.

Now, though, halfback is becoming one of the Giants' most glaring areas of concern, which makes you wonder if New York will consider any moves before the NFL trade deadline.

The Giants are currently in first place in the NFC East, sitting at 3-1-1 and holding a 1.5-game lead over the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles.

Given how bad the rest of the division looks, New York absolutely has a chance to win this. Especially if Jameis Winston plays like he did in the fourth quarter in Washington.

But it's going to become a lot more difficult for the Giants to hold their lead if Skattebo — and the rest of the running backs — keep making mistakes.