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.
Losing Skattebo was a more crushing loss than losing the game
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.
The run defense got gashed by Saquon Barkley and the Eagles
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 ran the ball nine times for 104 yards, and at one point, with Philadelphia facing a 2nd-and-26 from their own 40-yard line, he converted it on a 29-yard run. The Eagles finished the game with 277 yards on the ground on 33 carries.
Sunday was another embarrassing performance by the defense, which has allowed 71 points in the last five quarters. Defensive coordinator Shane Bowen’s seat is even hotter than it was before, and you have to wonder if he’ll be relieved of duties before the end of the season.
The Giants need to be sellers, not buyers at the trade deadline
There have been discussions that the team might trade for a wide receiver before the November 4th trade deadline. Well, Sunday’s outcome made it crystal clear that the team doesn’t need to trade away any draft capital.
At 2-6 and dealing with a ton of injuries, New York is going to miss the playoffs for the third consecutive season. The team is void of talent and deep at several positions, and trading away picks would not be beneficial for the franchise long term.
Some will say they should trade for a receiver to help the development of Dart with the absence of Malik Nabers and now Cam Skattebo. But the rookie quarterback has shown that he can be productive with the talent around him and compete at a high level even when victory is out of reach, as he showed on Sunday.
If Big Blue is going to make a move before the deadline, they should consider trading either Evan Neal, who has been a healthy scratch all season, or Jalin Hyatt, who was a healthy scratch against the Eagles, for draft picks that can help the team in 2026 and beyond.
