New York Giants v Houston Texans
New York Giants v Houston Texans | Kenneth Richmond/GettyImages
With the weight of the world on their shoulders, the New York Giants' running backs rose to the occasion. Their remarkable efforts in the club's thrilling overtime win against the Houston Texans temporarily silenced the noise, yet uncertainty still hangs over them.
Cam Skattebo, Devin Singletary and Tyrone Tracy Jr.'s remarkable efforts against the Texans were the difference. They deserve a ton of credit for responding after Giants head coach John Harbaugh publicly challenged the trio to "step up." There's no denying that.
Alas, chatter surrounding New York bringing in backfield reinforcements won't just disappear following one big game. Heck, you could even argue that improving to 4-2-1 gives the front office more motivation to make a move. It's fair to wonder, however, whether they should even consider being trade deadline buyers.
Whether the Giants will or should trade for an RB are two different questions
In a recent mailbag, SNY's Connor Hughes said the Giants "will likely try to add to the running back room" in the coming weeks. He has "doubts" that exploring the market will lead to anything, for what it's worth, but hey, crazier things have happened, right?
Nevertheless, Big Blue's perceived interest in upgrading from Skattebo, Tracy and Singletary is notable. The Nov. 10 cutoff date for any deals is rapidly approaching, so Harbaugh and Co. will have to decide one way or the other. Hughes' insight not only raises the question of who; it also makes you ask why.
Should the G-Men be sinking more assets into this team? Is their success sustainable? Lest we forget, they're without starting quarterback Jaxson Dart, star pass rusher Brian Burns and stalwart linebacker Tremaine Edmunds for the rest of the season.
It's been fun watching the Harbaugh-led Giants overcome adversity, though overall, the group has been very average. Through Week 7, excluding Monday Night Football, they rank 14th and 16th, respectively, in offensive and defensive expected points added per play, per Fantasy Points' data suite 2.0 ($). That doesn't sound like a squad ready that's another RB away from making a deep run, frankly.
Right or wrong, the Giants will add an RB if that's John Harbaugh wants
Folks still aren't taking New York seriously, and it's easy to see why. Their health (or lack thereof) is a real concern, especially in January, when the stakes rise and the competition is stiffer. It feels borderline silly to operate as a playoff threat if no one else treats them as such, but Harbaugh has shown he doesn't care.
The Giants haven't been afraid to shake up their roster since hiring Harbaugh, making six swaps between this past April and now. They'll go out and get a player if he fills a need and fits the culture their leader is trying to build. Skattebo, Singletary and Tracy are no exception, and that might mean acquiring someone to siphon opportunities from them.
Addressing the media postgame, Harbaugh highlighted New York's internal sense of urgency heading into the victory over Houston. His actions have also spoken louder than his words all year, so maybe he'll push more chips to the center of the table.