New York Giants’ running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. reminded people around the NFL of an important fact against the Green Bay Packers. He reminded people that while the Giants are missing Malik Nabers and Cam Skattebo, they’re not completely out of offensive weapons.
After all, Tracy was a 1,000-yard player himself last year, despite not being a significant part of the offense until Week 5.
And he echoed his 2024 performance against the Packers. Last year he averaged 4.4 yards per carry and 7.5 yards per reception.
Against the Packers, Tracy averaged 4.6 yards per carry and an impressive 12.8 yards per catch on 19 carries and 4 receptions.
Tracy noted on Tuesday that interim head coach Mike Kafka stressed energy in the team’s practices leading up to the game.
“That was kind of one of his [Mike Kafka’s] things going into the week was just playing, leaving no doubt and just playing with a lot of energy,” Tracy said. “We had some of the practice players on the sideline and the way we practiced this week was, or last week, was a little more energized and that’s just based off of Kaf and how he wanted things ran in practice. It carried over to the game. And I think it was very evident just by the energy, offense, defense, special teams that everyone had.”
It was a fine performance, and almost enough to come up with an underdog victory. But even so, Tracy is less concerned with his individual numbers as he is with how he’s contributing to the team.
“I mean, it’s very simple for me. I’m a team player,” he said. I want whoever’s out there, whether it’s me, Motor [Devin Singletary], Skatt [Cam Skattebo], EG [Eric Gray], Turbo [Dante Miller], like whoever it is, like I want them to do good. I really don’t care to have all the touches, all the touchdowns. That’s not really my MO. I’m just a big dude that, whoever’s in the RB room, if you’re out there on the football field, you’re producing, whether again I don’t care what your name is.
“I’m just trying to go out there for my team in a good situation,” he added. “And at the end of the day, numbers look better when you have Ws on your side. So, when I can help my team win, that’s when numbers will matter. Because if you really think about it, like I think I had like 88 yards, something like that. Eighty-eight yards looks really good when you have a W to sit back on. Or 50 yards really looks good when you have a W to sit back on. But when you have 150 yards, but you lost the game, like, yeah, you had a good individual performance, but you’re still coming home with an L and you’re feeling sorry the next day. So, I would much rather have a W than any individual stat.”
Tracy might not be interested in individual stats, but he had a couple highlight plays, most notably a 20-yard catch-and-run to convert a third-and-long and keep the Giants’ drive alive.
He walked the media through the play, making sure to credit both his blockers and the play design.
“In that play it was two screens,” he said. The first screen was just a little chip screen. But I knew I, the dude across me, 56 [Green Bay Packers LB Edgerrin Cooper], I believe, he had me man. So, when he was following me out, I knew I had a blocker coming as well to get the play started. And he got him just enough so that obviously he didn’t blow me up, but I knew it was a chance that I would get hit. So, I was really preparing myself either to make a move or to make him miss or just to break the tackle, regardless of what was going on. But the first thing is always the first thing is to catch the ball.
“But after I caught it and made a miss,” he continued, “I see GVR [Greg Van Roten], Jon Runyan in front of me. So now, I have to get the play started. Now, it’s really just up to me and my instincts and really just doing what I do with the football. I cut back. GVR had a nice little chip block on D-lineman that was kind of trying to chase me down. But then, yeah, the rest of it was really just very instinctive. It wasn’t really any thinking, really, just because everything’s moving so fast. There’s really no time to think because, mind you, like they’re trying to get me down, I’m trying to get yards. And then I think it was like third-and-12, I believe, or 3third-and-13, something like that. So in my head, I’m just trying to get 12, 13 yards just so our offense can stay on the field. Everything else after that is a bonus. Obviously, I’m doing my best to try to score a touchdown. But however many yards I get over 12, 13 was a good play for me.”
Tracy finished the game on a high note as well, with a gritty 17-yard run the final time he touched the ball.
Tracy mentioned that practicing with increased energy — and carrying that into the game — was a focus for Mike Kafka as head coach. One of the things to watch is how the return of Jaxson Dart (who is in the concussion protocol as of this writing, but could be cleared to play against the Lions) impacts that energy level. Nobody will mistake Jameis Winston for a “low key” player, but Dart’s ability to extend plays and pick up yards with his legs adds an extra dimension to the offense. The Giants are simply different with Dart on the field, and his play has a way of injecting extra energy into the team.
“Obviously, Dart’ss’ legs are an asset to our offense,” Tracy said. “So, I definitely think with him coming back, I think that his legs will help us in certain areas of the field and he’ll help us get out of certain situations.”
Tracy wants the rushing load to be on Singletary and himself, though he also acknowledges that Dart can add a further dimension to the Giants’ offense.
“Going forward I definitely do think that me and Motor, the way we run and how we complement each other throughout the game and just how the flow of the game and how it goes and how it’s really easy between us two,” he said. “I definitely do think that game really, we kind of asserted ourselves I guess you can say, but at the same time Darts’ legs are going to be an asset.”
While we don’t know for certain, it seems likely that Kafka will limit the designed quarterback runs when Dart returns.
