Giants' Cam Skattebo sees first game action after missing three weeks with injury

Cam Skattebo’s first carry Thursday had Giants fans eager to see the rookie running back for the first time. It ended up memorable in ways he didn’t expect.

On the game’s opening play against the Patriots in the preseason finale, Skattebo took the handoff but got his feet caught up and fell for a 4-yard gain. Maybe he was too excited after being sidelined all month with a hamstring injury, but Skattebo brushed it off the next day.

“You fall on your own face, everybody gives you a little crap for it,” he said. “But the guys understand what we have as a team, we continue to push every day and they know that nine times out of 10, I make that play. Really, 10 times out of 10.”

Skattebo had three carries for 12 yards — all on 4-yard gains — and played 10 snaps. He showed the bruising style that the Giants love and fans expect after he was an All-American last season for Arizona State.

But first Skattebo had to get his body right. The fourth-round pick practiced July 28, the first day in pads, and took four snaps with the first team during some late periods. He missed the next two practices in team drills, and when he returned Aug. 1, he was in team drills briefly before leaving for the training room.

He didn’t practice again until two days before facing the Patriots. Was it a case of him rushing back too soon?

“I thought I was feeling a little better and then something casually popped up,” Skattebo said. “I realized I wasn’t ready yet, so we started working it again. Time tells. I love the game of football, so I’m gonna do everything I can to be on the field. And I started noticing that it wasn’t time to go out there yet.”

Patience is a lesson every rookie has to learn, usually waiting for snaps or struggling against NFL speed. For Skattebo, it was realizing he had to listen to his body. He had never had hamstring issues before, and he never missed a game in his two seasons at Arizona State.

Despite the layoff, he returned to practice as a full participant Tuesday, including team drills. It was a good sign that he’d finally make his debut Thursday, even with a light workload.

“[We] sat down with the medical team and this was the amount of reps he could get,” coach Brian Daboll said Friday. “Hopefully every day he can do a little bit more throughout these next two weeks.”

Through training camp, it appeared Skattebo was set as the third running back behind Tyrone Tracy Jr. and Devin Singletary. When healthy, he mostly took reps next to Jaxson Dart or Jameis Winston.

He also earned praise for his receiving ability out of the backfield. Near the end of one practice, he made a highlight-worthy toe-tapping catch off a tipped pass in the back of the end zone.

During rookie minicamp, Skattebo said he wanted to be known for his hands as much as his ability to punish defenders between the tackles. Tracy later praised him as another versatile back in the room, not just a power back to complement his and Singletary’s speed.

So Thursday was a long overdue introduction. It may have been brief, and Skattebo won’t have many carries behind Tracy and Singletary in the regular season, but after his injury, it was a step in the right direction.

Even if Skattebo stumbled before picking himself up.

“It was awesome. I got to play football, and that’s what I was excited for,” he said. “I got to be there with the guys and have the high energy that they got.

“It felt great to be out there and finally get back to it.”

By Evan Barnes

evan.barnes@newsday.comevan_b

Evan Barnes covers the Giants for Newsday. He previously covered the Brooklyn Nets, Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.