NEW YORK — The Giants run the ball a lot already, but Sunday’s offensive strategy at Washington might redefine John Harbaugh’s commitment to the ground game.

Weather forecasts are calling for heavy rain and maybe thunderstorms during the Giants’ Week 5 NFC East clash against the Commanders at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Md.

“We can’t avoid the rain, huh?” left tackle Andrew Thomas said Friday with a laugh.

The Giants came out of Week 4 tied for the fifth-most rushing attempts in the NFL (119) as an offense, and Cam Skattebo sees that as the path to navigate Sunday’s soggy battle, too.

“I already told Coach Nags: ‘Just give me the ball, we’ll be fine,' ” Skattebo said Friday with a laugh of his conversations with offensive coordinator Matt Nagy. “We’re going to have a challenge in front of us, especially with the weather. It’s going to be a slugfest, and I think it’s going to be a fun game for us.”

What it will be is a true test for Nagy and senior offensive assistant Greg Roman, the architect of their run blocking scheme, to find ways to keep the offense on the field.

The Commanders defense blitzes on 46.4% of passing plays, the second most in the entire NFL, and Jameis Winston has a 29.2% success rate against the blitz, the lowest among qualified passers, according to NextGen Stats.

Those tendencies and Sunday’s pouring rain present a huge challenge for the Giants’ passing game to take more than a handful of calculated shots downfield. The best way to combat it will be to run the ball effectively and pop some explosives on the ground.

“As an offensive lineman you’re definitely excited for the opportunity,” Thomas said. “We want to pass protect well, but being able to run the ball is a great feeling. They’re trying to stop you, and you’re just outwilling them. They’ve got a good front and different pressures and good players. It’s gonna be a physical game. We’ll be ready for it.”

The Giants haven’t generated explosive runs this season, even though they’ve been committed to handing it off. They have only two rushes of 15 yards or more this season, and both were by quarterbacks: Jaxson Dart (22) and Winston (15).

“I think we haven’t fully [come] into our own yet,” Skattebo said. “I think up front we’re in a new scheme, new system, and these guys are learning. [Rookie right guard] Sisi [Mauigoa] coming in, this is going into game five of his career. The guys up front are learning the system.”

Skattebo said he can help, too, by making some “different cuts” here and there to “change the outcome” of plays. But there is also a method to his madness.

“Early in the year I kind of like to punish my opponents,” Skattebo said. “When game seven, eight, nine comes around, they’re not going to want to do that. That’s when you kind of just get to run past them: when they lower their shoulder and close their eyes.

“Right now, I’m just doing me,” he added. “I obviously could probably make a move here and there, but sometimes it’s better for the team, beating up on the other team, lowering the shoulder.”

While the Giants want to create more explosive plays, in fact, Thomas said the more impactful improvement would be to start averaging more yards per carry in general.

The Giants are tied for 25th in the league averaging only 3.7 yards per carry. Moving the line of scrimmage would help them open everything else up.

“One, we just want to average more per carry,” Thomas said. “If you can average four, five yards a carry, it puts so much pressure on the defense. We want explosive plays, and our backs are capable, but it starts with everybody.

“You have to make the right check, play with the right technique,” he said. “We’ve been getting heavier boxes, especially with the rain. So sometimes there’s a guy you have to make miss. Sometimes it’s a guy missing their block or not holding them long enough. We just have to focus on straining and making sure we’re on the same page.”

The Giants’ season-high 37 carries for 165 yards and a 4.5 per carry average in their Week 1 win over Dallas was a great example of what that accomplishes.

“You control the game,” Thomas said. “It opens up the pass game. Explosive runs are great. But if you’re consistently running for four yards, then you go play action and they don’t know what’s coming, I think it’s very hard to stop our offense.”

Skattebo, who wore a red non-contact jersey for Wednesday’s practice as a precaution, took it off for Thursday and Friday and said he’s feeling “great.”

“Just a little muscle tightness,” he said. “They told me to wear it just for safety. Just doing what I’m told. Nothing to worry about. I’m good. My shoulder’s OK. I literally had a little bit of muscle tightness in my back, and over the last couple of days I’ve worked it out and I feel great.”

He’ll need to feel great. Skattebo, running back Najee Harris, fullback Pat Ricard and the Giants’ offensive linemen and tight ends are going to work as hard as ever Sunday to try to get their second division win.

Schmitz: Benching is ‘tough all around’

Center John Michael Schmitz returned from the birth of his first child last weekend, watched Bryan Hudson start in his place against the Arizona Cardinals and now has lost his job to Hudson, who took this week’s practice snaps and will start again Sunday at Washington.

The New York Daily News asked Schmitz how he felt about losing his job under these circumstances.

“I mean, no one should feel good about it at all,” Schmitz said. “I was just, ya know, I just kinda don’t know what — I don’t know. I don’t know.”

He was looking for words. He paused and thought a bit.

“It’s just tough all around,” Schmitz said. “I’m just being a pro out there and supporting the team any way I could and being there for B-Hud in the start. But obviously, I want to be out there competing and helping this team to win.”

Schmitz, 27, a 2023 second-round pick, hadn’t been playing well consistently in the season’s first few weeks. And Harbaugh has expressed confidence in both centers.

But the timing of Schmitz’s benching is awkward after he missed one Friday practice in Week 4. Mom and baby Schmitz are doing well, by the way.

Washington, meanwhile, is starting Lucas Patrick as their center. Patrick started training camp as the Giants’ No. 2 center behind Schmitz before getting cut.

Top giants weapons will play

The Giants got good news on Friday that all of their injured top offensive players will play Sunday at Washington. Thomas (groin), Skattebo (shoulder), wide receiver Malik Nabers (knee) and tight end Isaiah Likely (knee/groin) all are good to go. So is tight end Chris Manhertz (shoulder).

Giants defensive lineman Chauncey Golston (neck) and safety Jason Pinnock (concussion) are out.

The Commanders are getting quarterback Jayden Daniels (elbow) back as their starter, but they have a laundry list of injuries and players who are out Sunday or questionable.

Wide receiver Stefon Diggs (hamstring), defensive end Charles Omenihu (groin/ankle), backup quarterback Marcus Mariota (knee) and safeties Nick Cross (illness), Tyler Owens (hamstring) and Percy Butler (hamstring) are all out.

Wide receiver Terry McLaurin (hamstring), corner Trey Amos (ankle), running back Jeremy McNichols (quad) and defensive end Deatrich Wise Jr. (quad) are questionable.

©2026 New York Daily News. Visit nydailynews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.