The Giants are broken. Well, that seems to be an explanation for their 0-3 record. As if there weren’t enough offensive crises, their starting RB Tyrone Tracy Jr., coming off an impressive rookie campaign, went down on Sunday. The cause was later reported to be a dislocated shoulder. Meaning? He won’t be there in the coming weeks. As the news made headlines, an NFL doctor seems to have shared an expert take. And it’s not what Giants fans wanted to hear.
Tracy Jr. endured a hard hit right on his shoulder, positioned close to the sideline. It was the first quarter against the Chiefs when the running back didn’t return. Adam Schefter of ESPN reported that Tracy Jr. would at least miss two to four weeks. “Doctors believe Giants RB Tyrone Tracy Jr. is expected to be sidelined two to four weeks due to the dislocated shoulder injury he suffered Sunday night vs. Kansas City, per sources,” he wrote. Among the many reactions to the post, NFL Doctor Jesse Morse chimed in with his personal observation of the situation.
He compared Tracy Jr.’s injury with Xavier Worthy’s injury from Week 1, where he sustained a fully torn labrum after colliding with Travis Kelce. “Xavier Worthy suffered a very similar injury in Week 1, missed Weeks 2 & 3 and has a chance to suit up in Week 4. Time missed often correlates with severity of injury to the labrum,” Doctor Morse wrote. Translation? Given the Giants RB’s return is expected to take longer, his injury may involve a more severe labrum tear. But that isn’t the worst part.
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“Understand that Tracy’s risk of re-dislocation is very high,” Doctor Morse added. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine data, labrum damage increases re-dislocation risk, especially in a contact sport such as gridiron. “Contact sports have a greater chance of injuring the labrum repair,” the date read. This means the Giants need to make long-term plans. Now that brings us to the second element of this piece. Cam Skattebo.
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In Tracy Jr.’s absence, the Gaints are most likely to rely on Skattebo. He made quite the impression on Sunday. He caught six passes for 61 yards, earned 60 yards on 10 carries, and scored a touchdown—his career second and the Giants’ only TD. He’s carried the Giants’ ground game so far, piling up 102 rushing yards on 23 carries with seven first downs. He also outpaced Tracy Jr. and Devin Signletary with 13 receptions for 87 yards on 10 targets.
Brian Daboll calls Cam Skattebo’s daily antics nothing new
Skattebo recently made headlines for another reason. As head coach, Brian Daboll was taking questions from reporters, the running back was seen squealing as he walked by. It happened when a reporter asked Daboll about Skattebo, “Sorry, Skattebo,” he said, shaking his head and gesturing toward him outside the media room. He then asked the reporter to repeat his question, but before he could, Skattebo’s loud voice echoed through the hallway, screaming, “WOOO! YEAH.”
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Daboll playfully shook his head and joked that the RB’s enthusiasm was nothing new. “It’s a daily thing,” he added, suggesting it’s just another example of Skattebo’s daily energy. Now there’s another side of the player that shows humility and thrust to achieve heights. He once shared that he grew up a 49ers fan, and since Russell Wilson commanded the Seahawks, he never really liked him. Until he got him as a teammate.
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“How many snaps in the NFL have you seen me play? Zero. I’ve proved nothing,” he said before the media. He even helped motivate Wilson when things weren’t going their way, as seen by yanking on his shoulder pads. Skattebo’s larger-than-life personality is a bonus to the abilities he possesses. Perhaps, there’s a chance for the Giants to stand up after all.