Giants running backs ran 14 times for 34 yards in last Sunday’s loss to the Saints and one of their backs said after the game that he thinks the rotation of backs is working against the team.
Najee Harris and Devin Singletary had four carries in the game, Tyrone Tracy had six and Cam Skattebo didn’t touch the ball at all after leading the team in carries through the first five weeks of the season. Harris said, via Greg Johnson of the Trentonian, that it is “hard to get into a rhythm” while constantly going in and out of the game and those comments were brought up to head coach John Harbaugh during Monday’s press conference.
Harbaugh said he understands that feeling, but said that the opportunity to develop that kind of rhythm is something that has to be earned and no one has done that to this point.
“I would love for us to be in that kind of a circumstance,” Harbaugh said, via a transcript from the team. “A Derrick Henry circumstance or a Saquon Barkley circumstance or whatever it might be. That would be great, and we haven’t. Our run game hasn’t earned that yet, and none of those guys have. My advice would be to any player, and it’s all the guys, we had the same conversation. I’ve had the same conversation with all the running backs, the receivers, it’s no different than any position, but do the most you can with the opportunities you get. Make the most of those opportunities and you’re sure to get more opportunities. Do something.”
Harbaugh invoking Henry is interesting because he and the Ravens were criticized in Week 16 last season for pulling Henry in favor of Keaton Mitchell at key moments in the second half against the Patriots. New England came back from 11 points down in the fourth quarter for a 28-24 win that helped keep the Ravens out of the playoffs and contributed to Harbaugh being fired at the end of the season.
No one would argue that any of the Giants backs are in Henry’s class, but history says that the division of labor might not be any more ideal if that was the case.