In the wake of a 34-27 loss to the New Orleans Saints this weekend, New York Giants running back Najee Harris demonstrated his frustration with the team’s approach to running back by committee.
Even though Harris got the nod at the start against a “punished” Cam Skattebo, he only received four carries in the loss.
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At times, the former Pro Bowler was at a loss for words when he spoke with reporters afterward.
“It’s hard to find a rhythm with one or two plays,” Harris said after the game, according to The Athletic. “…If you play here and then get picked for a series, there’s nothing you can do. I’ve never experienced any of that before.”
Now, just two days later, Harris, 28, is no longer in that situation, as he has been released.
In five games with the Giants this season, Harris has 31 carries but only 99 rushing yards. His 3.2 yards per carry was the least he averaged during a six-year NFL career that began with the Alabama product piling up four straight 1,000-yard rushing campaigns for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
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New York head coach John Harbaugh was asked Monday about Harris’ comments about the difficulty of establishing a rhythm on the court amid constant turnover at the position.
Harbaugh said he understood the frustration and even respected it.
“I would love for us to be in that kind of circumstance, you know: a Derrick Henry situation or a Saquon Barkley situation or whatever,” Harbaugh said, hinting at a scenario in which the Giants could lean on a star in production.
“That would be great. And our running game hasn’t earned it yet. And none of these guys have. … My advice would be to any player, it’s all the guys. … I’ve had the same conversation with all the running backs. … Do as much as you can with the opportunities that present themselves. Make the most of those opportunities, and you’re sure to get more opportunities. Do something. So I understand you want to go out and you want to have a rhythm, but this Rhythm is also earned. And that just hasn’t happened yet.
Harbaugh continued: “A few weeks ago, we kind of took this direction, and the running game was no different than that last game. … They want to be that guy. They don’t advocate for the other guy to be that guy. They advocate for themselves to be that guy. And my advice is to go out there and take the job when you get the ball. Take the job.”
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The Giants started the first five games of the season at Skattebo. Although he impressed in the season opener with 81 yards and a touchdown on 18 rushing attempts in a “Sunday Night Football” victory over the Dallas Cowboys, he didn’t come particularly close to matching that total in a single game in the next four outings.
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That streak culminated with Skattebo infamously going into overtime in a Week 5 tie game. With the Giants already in position for a potential game-winning field goal against the Washington Commanders, the second-year guard coughed up the rock.
This mistake cost New York a chance to win the division and seemingly put them in the doghouse. Skattebo didn’t get a single touch in the loss to the Saints last Sunday.
“I was punished for what I did. I understand that, so I have to be ready when coach calls my name, and it wasn’t today,” Skattebo told Charlotte Carroll of The Athletic.
Throughout Sunday’s game, in which New York faced a 34-10 deficit before backup quarterback JJ McCarthy made a game-changing comeback attempt in the fourth quarter, the Giants allowed three runs to running backs.
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Harris ran four times for two yards. Devin Singletary finished with four totes and 14 yards. And Tyrone Tracy Jr. had 18 yards on six attempts.
The 3-2-1 Giants rank 19th in the league with 104.8 rushing yards per game this season. But that placement doesn’t even fully represent their running back issues.
Harris will not be part of the solution going forward.
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