The New York Giants are 3-1 and sitting atop the NFC East, but head coach John Harbaugh knows there is still plenty of room for improvement.
Chiefly among those those areas is the running game.
The Giants have established a physical identity on offense through the first four weeks of the season, ranking fifth in the NFL with 29.8 rushing attempts per game. Meanwhile, they've also dominated time of possession, averaging 32:41 per game, good for second in the league.
While the notion of being a physical offense is nice, the issue has been the Giants aren't been explosive enough when they have the ball on the ground.
New York is averaging just 3.7 yards per carry, which ranks 23rd in the NFL. The Giants have eight runs of at least 10 yards through
four games, with only five teams having fewer. Their longest run by a running back is just 13 yards, courtesy of Cam Skattebo.
"Yeah, I mean, we're just not good enough yet. Defenses are playing us pretty well. As we get better, we'll probably have more longer runs," Harbaugh told reporters Wednesday. "Also, if we make them pay a little more with play action, I think that'll loosen them up a little bit, probably," Harbaugh said. "But we just got to keep getting better."
Skattebo has been the clear lead back for the Giants through four games even if it hasn't felt like it at times.
The second-year back has 68 carries for 235 yards and one touchdown, averaging 3.5 yards per attempt. His 68 carries account for more than half of the Giants' 119 rushing attempts this season.
That's not necessarily a reflection of Skattebo's overall effectiveness. He's been asked to do a lot of the dirty work in an offense that wants to be physical and stay committed to the run.
Skattebo's longest run through four games is only 13 yards, and his 44.1% rushing success rate is down from the 50.5% he posted as a rookie.
The addition of veteran Najee Harris has given New York a duo in the backfield. However, he's seen considerably less work than Skattebo, even if he's been slightly more efficient. Harris has 22 carries for 88 yards through three games, averaging 4.0 yards per carry with a long run of 11 yards.
Through four games, New York has used play action just 33 times, which ranks 24th in the NFL. When the Giants have used it, however, they've averaged 10.3 yards per play.
If the Giants can make defenses pay more consistently when linebackers and safeties step toward the line of scrimmage, it could create more favorable rushing opportunities later in games.
"I think the guys are working hard at it. We're playing very hard. We're trying to play very physically. So, all the elements are there. We just have to get better, keep getting better," Harbaugh said.
But if the Giants want to remain at the top of the NFC East, their ability to generate more explosive plays on the ground could become one of the biggest factors determining just how good this offense can ultimately be.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Giants' John Harbaugh: We're 'not good enough' at generating explosive runs
