With quarterback Jaxson Dart forced out of the Rams game because of an injury, the Giants needed Cam Skattebo to become the difference-maker if they were going to have any chance of winning. The responsibility was clear: New York needed production from Skattebo.

The Rams knew this, too. So, their physical defense never allowed him to do anything worth talking. In fact, at one point, the running back even got pancaked by Los Angeles’ defenders.

“You have to see that, ref!” Cam Skattebo yelled when the incident took place, per Awful Announcing.

Though Skattebo’s reaction suggested frustration, the play was a legal tackle with no penalty flag. Rams kicker Harrison Mevis sent a 63-yard kickoff from the Los Angeles 35-yard line to the Giants’ 2-yard line. Giants receiver Braxton Berrios caught the kick and returned it 28 yards before Rams Omar Speights brought him down at the Giants’ 27-yard line.

With six seconds remaining, Giants quarterback Jameis Winston took the snap from the shotgun and looked to the left, targeting Malik Nabers with a short pass. Rams defender Trent McDuffie was covering Nabers, and the pass fell incomplete.

Then, with only one second left, Cam Skattebo took the ball from the shotgun and ran toward the right tackle. He gained just one yard before Nate Landman and Desjuan Johnson closed in and brought him down, effectively pancaking him as they stopped the running back at the Giants’ 28-yard line, ending the first quarter.

That moment left Skattebo furious.

However, a pancake block is not automatically a penalty. It is only a foul if the defender uses an illegal technique. When Rams defenders Nate Landman and Desjuan Johnson took him to the ground, it was simply a tackle.

That said, Skattebo’s concern might stem from the injury he suffered last year.

He suffered a serious injury during the Giants’ Week 8 game against the Philadelphia Eagles in October. With 8:07 left in the second quarter, Skattebo went down after an incomplete pass while Eagles linebacker Zack Baun was tackling him. His leg got trapped underneath him, resulting in a dislocated right ankle.

Medical staff placed an air cast on his leg and transported him off the field. He was then transported to a Philadelphia-area hospital for further tests. The Giants said he was scheduled to undergo surgery that same night.

It was a season-ending injury for him, after which the team placed him on injured reserve.

He finished his rookie season with 101 carries for 410 yards and five rushing TDs, plus 24 catches for 207 yards and two receiving TDs.

So, that is something Skattebo does not want to repeat this season either.

QB Jaxson Dart was sandwiched by the Rams

The Giants appeared to have found an early rhythm, with their opening possession moving steadily down the field. Jaxson Dart completed 3 of his 5 passes for 20 yards, taking New York all the way to the Rams’ 43-yard line before the momentum suddenly disappeared and ended with a 28-6 loss against the Rams. Here’s why:

Dart was caught between Rams defenders Byron Young and Josaiah Stewart. He got sandwiched and went down. He was hurt!

He grabbed his knee before limping toward the sideline and was ultimately ruled out after halftime. Now, as per the NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, Dart sustained a sprained MCL.

Coach John Harbaugh talked about the injury and mentioned:

“We’ll get an MRI (on Tuesday) and have a real good feel for it, and give you more information from there.”

That said, there are other Giants players who have also been injured in the game.

• WR Malik Nabers– right shoulder
• OLB Brian Burns– left ankle injury
• LT Andrew Thomas– groin injury
• ILB Arvell Reese– while he did not miss playing time against the Rams, he is said to have an undisclosed injury.

So, while the Giants approach their next game against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, they will have to address their players’ injuries. Interestingly, this is not unfamiliar territory for the Giants, who had already dealt with similar absences the previous season.

During his rookie campaign, Jaxson Dart suffered a concussion in Week 10 against the Bears, while Malik Nabers was sidelined for most of the year after tearing the ACL in his right knee.

But then, let us not forget that the team ended last season with a 4-13 record. They surely do not want to repeat strategies from 2025.