EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ — Cam Skattebo foreshadowed the acrobatics.
"I’ve been saying it for about a month now ‘I’m going to do a backflip when I score my first touchdown,’" the New York Giants running back said.
The moment arrived eight minutes and 15 seconds into Skattebo’s second season, when he performed his patented celebration – a backflip, this one preceded by a cartwheel – following a three-yard touchdown run to open the scoring in an eventual 28-20 victory over the Dallas Cowboys on "Sunday Night Football."
The return of Skattebo and wide receiver Malik Nabers, who faced an uncertain future on multiple levels – reports of whether his knee would ever fully heal following a season-ending injury last season, and whether he would suit up for Week
1 – had Giants fans jumping for joy, too.
"I was proud of them boys … (Nabers), it was brave thing he did coming back and just not knowing," defensive end Brian Burns told USA TODAY Sports. "But he played well. Happy for him."
Skattebo was the enforcer with the rock, carrying 18 times for 81 yards to be the offense’s pace-setter as the Giants manhandled the Cowboys. The cartwheel that preceded his backflkp was "crappy," Skattebo said.
"I kind of lost my balance," he said.
The former Arizona State running back dislocated his ankle in a grizzly scene against the Philadelphia Eagles midway through his rookie campaign.
"I felt like myself again," Skattebo said with his pads still on in the locker room.
Skattebo briefly contemplated retirement but decided that he would give rehab his undivided effort. In July, Skattebo made headlines for backflipping during an onstage appearance at Fanatics Fest – he slipped and did not land the trick cleanly.
Head coach John Harbaugh, 1-0 in his Giants tenure, has been supportive of Skattebo’s unorthodox approach to the game.
"He does not care at all. He wants me to be who I am. He wants me to be confident, be confident and continue to be me. Because when I’m me, I’m able to be like that on the field. If they try to take me out of who I am, they know that they might not get the full me."
Skattebo feels embraced by the staff and front office and wants to return that affection.
"They trust who I am," he said. "They cut me slack. I appreciate them. I’m going to continue to kick (expletive)."
Just don’t expect the backflips to remain a regular occurrence.
"I might do it here and there throughout the year, but you won’t see it every time," the California native said.
He added: "Give the kids something else to do."
John Harbaugh tackled Malik Nabers to prepare WR for return
Nabers caught six passes for 69 yards and, most importantly, looked fluid while running his routes.
"No matter what the coverage is, no matter who they put out there on him, you have all the confidence in the world that he's going to make a play," quarterback Jaxson Dart said.
Offensive coordinator Matt Nagy sent Nabers in motion across the formation on the Giants’ fourth play from scrimmage, and he was wide open for an easy pitch-and-catch with Dart for a gain of nine yards. From there, it was smooth sailing.
"I think that once he was able to feel those lights and feel the game-day environment, maybe he had a little bit of adrenaline, and then he's just a guy who wants to play for this team, loves the game," Dart said.
Nabers was cleared by the Giants’ medical staff. The choice was left up to him. He told his family not to attend the game because he feared they would travel only to have him not suit up.
"I had to feel like I wanted to play," Nabers said at his locker. "I had to feel it."
Practice and training camp can never replicate the game feeling.
"I had to feel the energy, the game day moment," Nabers explained.
A chill went through his body during warmups.
"This is a one-on-one battle that you got to go through, you got to do it yourself," Nabers said.
As he went onto the field, Nabers felt good catching the ball and stretching.
"It was amazing to take it all in, get right back on track to where I left off," he said.
But Dart said something else that occurred as the Giants were about to start walkthrough about three hours before kickoff that may have set the tone for Nabers’ return. Harbaugh tackled Nabers to help him be accustomed to that game "feel" he apparently craved.
Nabers hit the ground and his concerned teammates realized it was their own coach who hit him.
"Then (Harbaugh) pops up and he goes, 'See, you're all good,'" Dart recalled.
"All good" is one way to describe the return of two young Giants.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Cam Skattebo's backflips, Malik Nabers' 'feel' are welcomed returns for Giants
