New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo has drawn both praise and criticism for his smashmouth running style in his young NFL career.
Many hope his style won't shorten his career by taking on too many hits. The Giants took steps this offseason to help ensure that doesn't happen by bringing in Patrick Ricard, a 300-pound former defensive lineman turned fullback via free agency.
A 10-year veteran and six-time Pro Bowler during his days under John Harbaugh in Baltimore, Ricard adds an extra layer of security for both Skattebo and quarterback Jaxson Dart.
Last season, Skattebo fired himself into the line of scrimmage like a battering ram, taking on defensive linemen and linebackers. This season, he has Ricard in front of him to clear the way. Life
has become a lot simpler for him.
"Safe, I feel safe," Skattebo told reporters on Thursday when asked what it is like running behind Ricard. "When he hits the first linebacker, and I don't have to take them both on, it's really nice. My mom – when we first signed Pat, my mom didn't really know who he was at first. And then I kind of showed her some videos and kind of taught her what he was going to be doing. And she goes, ‘I want to meet that guy.’ So, my mom says it's safer, and me, 300 pounds in front of me as a lead blocker on top of the o-line is awesome. It feels awesome."
Ricard has made a world of difference in the Giants' offense this year. They have become an attacking force rather than one that is cowering and passive.
"It's a great chess piece for us, because what he allows us to do is he plays basically three different positions in one, whether it's an O-lineman, whether it's a tight end, or whether it's a fullback. So, it's a little bit of a chess piece," Giants offensive coordinator Matt Nagy said of Ricard this week.
"He's super smart, so you can do different things formationally, personnel-wise. And so, it becomes a little bit of a back and forth with the defensive coordinator on what you're doing personnel-wise with him. But then we’ve got to be able to protect that, too, and make sure we're doing enough passes as well. So, it's been great for me to learn who he is from day one when he got here. He's also really good at what he does. So, it's one thing to be smart and be able to use him, but he's really good at what he does, too."
In the Giants' season-opening victory over Dallas last week, Skattebo rushed for a team-high 81 yards, and the Giants totaled 165 yards on the ground. They have Ricard to thank for paving much of the way.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Giants' Cam Skattebo feels 'safe' running behind FB Patrick Ricard
