Have NY Giants Found Their New "Earth, Wind & Fire" Ground Game?

The New York Giants’ 2007 Super Bowl run was helped by an efficient running game led by Brandon Jacobs, Derrick Ward, and Ahmad Bradshaw. This backfield earned the moniker "Earth, Wind & Fire" for their contrasting yet complementary running styles.

And the way things appear to be shaping up for the 2025 Giants, they might very well have found their new three-headed rushing attack that might conjure up memories of the Jacobs (earth), Ward (wind), and Bradshaw (fire) attack.

That new trio is Tyrone Tracy Jr., Devin Singletary, and rookie Cam Skattebo.

Can the Giants' new trio achieve same production?

The Giants run game has been trying to rebrand itself ever since losing Saquon Barkley in free agency two offseasons ago, and in Tracy, Singletary and Skattebo, they’re hoping that the group can eventually become as successful as the 2007 Earth, Wind & Fire trio.

That group, in 2007, finished fourth in the league in rushing (134.3 yards/game), Jacobs finishing with 1,009 yards that season (16th in the league). 

The following season, the trio finished first in the league in rushing (157.4 yards/game), with Jacobs (1,089) landing 11th league wide and Ward (1,025) finishing 15th. 

Tracy and Skattebo have some flashes of their predecessors. Tracy is akin to Bradshaw in the way he utilizes his quickness and agility to find the open hole and evade defenders' tackles.

Tracy rushed for 839 yards and five touchdowns but has shown the ability to break away for big plays. Last season, he had six rushes of at least 20 yards and two rushes of at least 40 yards, including a 45-yard touchdown run against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Skattebo is a very similar player to Jacobs. At 5-foot-11 and 215 pounds, he is smaller than Jacobs in height and weight, but he runs as hard and with downhill power, just as Jacobs once did.

Last season, Skattebo finished second amongst running backs with 103 missed tackles forced and third in yards after contact (1,202).

Skattebo also averaged 4.09 yards after contact, which placed him in the 90th percentile among collegiate running backs with 100+ attempts, showcasing his ability to fight off defenders to gain extra yards.

Finally, there's Singletary. The veteran running back was the starter to start the season but lost the role to Tracy early in the season due to injury. In 15 games, he rushed for 437 yards and four touchdowns while playing only 39% of offensive snaps.

Heading into this season, the Giants will utilize all three players in different situations. Tracy is the lead back and should receive the bulk of the work. Singletary is the backup and should be used similarly to last year. Skattebo may project as a short-yardage and goal-line specialist as a rookie.

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