Cam Skattebo Reclaims Giants Backfield While J.J. McCarthy Gets a Long Leash
Ian Rapoport noted that Skattebo is expected to resume his role as the lead back and that J.J. McCarthy has a 'long leash'.
The are officially handing the backfield keys back to , which is fantastic news for anyone who enjoys watching a guy bounce back from an injury that sounded like a medieval torture method.
According to Ian Rapoport, is expected to resume his role as the lead running back this Sunday against the . Rapoport also noted that quarterback has a "long leash," which is just NFL front-office translation for having absolutely no backup plan.
taking over the heavy lifting is the only logical move for a 3-2-1 Giants team trying to stay alive in the NFC East. He has ground out 294 rushing yards and a touchdown so far this season. That production is honestly a medical marvel when you remember his 2025 campaign ended with a dislocated ankle, a fractured fibula, and a ruptured ligament.
Now he gets to test that rebuilt leg against a 2-4 Texans squad. A heavy dose of is exactly what you want if you are holding his rushing props, but it is also a pure survival tactic for 's passing game.
That brings us to and his supposedly infinite leash. The young quarterback basically has one real game of tape this year, stepping in last week against the to throw for 243 yards, one touchdown, and one interception on 21 attempts. The lost that game 34-27, but apparently, the coaching staff saw enough to let him keep cooking.
Giving a raw quarterback a long leash is a lot easier when you can just turn around and hand the ball to a workhorse running back 20 times a game.
We will find out Sunday in if this combination actually works. If handles the volume and avoids a total meltdown, the might just hang around the playoff picture. If not, that long leash is going to turn into a tripwire.