Cam Skattebo has already won over plenty of NFL fans with his energetic, hard-nosed style of play. The running back never shies away from contact and often looks to deliver the hit rather than absorb it. It’s entertaining to watch the Giants back, and it calls back to some of the toughest to ever do it at the position, like Adrian Peterson and Marshawn Lynch. And Chris Long certainly agrees.
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Ahead of the Giants-Eagles matchup today, Long, a Philadelphia Eagles insider and analyst, and his crew were discussing how Philly could slow down Skattebo. It’s no small task against a runner who torched the same team for 98 rushing yards and three touchdowns just a few weeks ago. Still, the Eagles will be getting back some key defensive players who missed that game.
That’s why Long believes the challenge could be a bit easier this time around if the Eagles’ defenders come prepared.
“You’ve got to bring your pads. It’s a rally and tackle thing with this guy,” Long said on his podcast Green Light. “He is a classic NFL running back.”
It’s easier said than done, though. Skattebo has already proven he doesn’t go down easily in his short career. If you hit him high, he’ll hit you right back and often stay on his feet. You have to aim low and hope he doesn’t slip free.
That’s when Long weirdly wondered how it would feel to tackle Skattebo. “I wonder what it feels like to tackle Skattebo,” he questioned.
This also led the former NFL veteran to say that it could be similar to tackling Marshawn Lynch. “I can remember what it felt like to hit Marshawn’s [Lynch] body. It felt like he had heavy bones. It felt like they poured Quikrete in him, and that’s what his skeleton is made of,” Long added.
The former Eagles DE later clarified that Skattebo isn’t on Lynch’s level just yet, but the rookie is very tough to tackle. Long then went on to recall what it was like to tackle some of the best running backs from his playing days.
“I remember Michael Turner, the way it felt to bounce off the little bowling ball… Adrian Peterson. I wonder what it feels like to hit Skattebo,” Long questioned once again, adding. “Because he is making guys look like, it feels a lot like that.”
It was high praise for a rookie running back to be mentioned in the same breath as those guys. And let’s not forget, Skattebo has only been starting for a month. Tonight, he’ll once again be a major threat for the Eagles’ defense. But with Jalen Carter back on the defensive line, life could get a whole lot tougher for him.
We’ll see if Carter’s presence throws a wrench into the back’s game. So far, no one has managed to do that. But at 6-foot-4 and 314 pounds, Carter is the ideal player to stop Skattebo from getting going. Good luck bouncing off a tackle like that. Still, if anyone can, it’s Skattebo.
