Brief

Giants’ Cam Skattebo says he plans to wear down defenses for later runs

Skattebo admits his early‑season strategy is to make opponents work harder so the Giants can break big runs in later games.

By Felo News Desk · Published Sun, 11 Oct 2026 09:22:24 GMT

Giants running back Cam Skattebo told the New York Post that his early‑season approach is to "punish" opponents, hoping the effort will pay off with longer runs later in the year.

What happened

Skattebo, a second‑year player, said he is intentionally limiting his own big gains early in the season. He explained that by making defenses work harder now, they will be less effective when the team reaches games seven, eight and nine. The Giants have recorded a longest run of 13 yards for Skattebo this season, and he leads the NFL with 68 rushing attempts without a single gain of 15 yards or more.

What the reports add

The article notes that Quinshon Judkins of the Browns is second in the league with 59 carries without a long run, while Giants teammate Najee Harris’ longest run is 11 yards. The Giants average 3.7 yards per rushing attempt, and quarterbacks Jaxson Dart (22 yards) and Jameis Winston (15 yards) have the two longest gains for the team in the first four games. Coach John Harbaugh is quoted as saying the team is not yet good enough and expects longer runs as they improve.

What was said

"Yeah, for sure," Skattebo said, adding, "I think early in the year, I kind of like to punish my opponents. When game seven, eight, nine comes around, they’re not going to want to do that. That’s when you kind of just get to run past them." Guard Jon Runyan Jr. told the Post, "Linemen, we like to run the ball. We’ll throw the ball if we have to, but we like to establish the run as much as we can. It makes our jobs a little bit easier, it makes it a lot more fun." Coach John Harbaugh said, "Yeah, I mean, we’re just not good enough yet. Defenses are playing us pretty well. As we get better, we’ll probably have more longer runs."

How it came about

Skattebo’s comments follow a previous Felo News piece on Oct. 2 that highlighted his focus on personal performance after returning from a fractured tibia. The earlier article noted his 100 yards from scrimmage in his last game and his recovery from surgery. The current remarks suggest a shift from pure personal improvement to a broader tactical plan aimed at wearing down defenses over the season.

Key facts

Cam Skattebo says he is deliberately limiting early-season big runs to wear down opponents. (nypost.com)
Skattebo has the most rushing attempts (68) without a gain of 15 yards or more in the NFL. (nypost.com)
Giants average 3.7 yards per rushing attempt and have a longest run of 13 yards for Skattebo this season. (nypost.com)
Coach John Harbaugh said the team is not yet good enough and expects longer runs as they improve. (nypost.com)
Guard Jon Runyan Jr. emphasized the team’s preference for establishing the run game. (nypost.com)