NFL Execs Rank Giants 14th in NFC — Are They Wrong?

Cam Skattebo is back and looks ready to lead the Giants backfield, but his admission that one major injury nearly made him walk away from football changes the risk New York is managing. His violent running style is a huge part of what makes him special, yet protecting him may now matter as much as unleashing him.Follow on Spotify and leave a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts if you enjoy no-BS Giants debate.The Big Question: Should the Giants protect Cam Skattebo more after his injury? New York can reduce some of the punishment with Najee Harris, Patrick Ricard and a deeper backfield without asking Skattebo to stop being the physical runner that made him a fan favorite.The biggest debate of the episode starts with how little faith the rest of the NFL seems to have in the Giants. Mike Sando’s survey of six NFL executives placed New York 14th of 16 NFC teams, Dallas is favored at MetLife, and Jaxson Dart landed on a bottom-10 projected QB1 list. Drew pushes back on the ranking and especially the criticism of Dart’s decision-making after a rookie season with 15 touchdowns and five interceptions, while still acknowledging that the Giants have not earned the benefit of the doubt yet. Kayvon Thibodeaux saying the team “got a lot better” only sharpens the divide between confidence inside the building and skepticism outside it.Then Skattebo’s story changes the tone. He told Kay Adams that he had promised himself he would be done after one major injury, and after last season’s dislocated ankle, fractured fibula and ruptured deltoid ligament, he genuinely questioned whether he wanted to keep playing. He ultimately came back, stayed around the team through rehab and now enters Week 1 healthy and in position for a major role. The question is whether the Giants should use Najee Harris and Patrick Ricard to absorb more of the punishment, or whether trying to protect Skattebo too much would strip away what makes him effective.Drew also revisits Darius Alexander after Chris Pflum’s film review showed both the technical problems and the flashes that keep his developmental upside alive. Greg Newsome’s history with George Pickens adds another layer to Giants-Cowboys, Malik Harrison joins the practice squad in another John Harbaugh reunion, and Ben Barten is released. Evan Neal, Tre Hawkins and Azeez Ojulari all worked out for the Raiders, while quick hits cover Shelby Harris joining SiriusXM NFL Radio, the Giants’ Week 1 stadium plans and the team’s practice break before Monday.Merch: https://2giantgoofballs-shop.fourthwall.com/ Support: https://buymeacoffee.com/2giantgoofballs All episodes: https://2giantgoofballs.buzzsprout.com/Send us Fan MailSupport the show