And in that time, it dawned on the rookie running back that he was running toward his family seated in the rapidly approaching end zone.
"Once it opened, I knew I was gone. I knew that," Scott said. "They were actually in the end zone where I ran. It was good to score my first TD with them in that end zone. It was nice running to that end zone. It felt really good."
When they drafted the fastest running back at the combine, the Giants knew they were adding speed with Da'Rel Scott. They maybe just didn't know he could turn a potential safety into a touchdown in the blink of an eye.
In the closing minutes of Monday's preseason game, Scott received a handoff on a play originating from the Giants' own three-yard line and ran into the back of left tackle James Brewer. This sent Scott bouncing back to the goal line, nearly down in the end zone with the Bears rushing in. However, Scott somehow propped himself up, kept his balance and after 10 yards of traffic was home free for the longest touchdown of his career at any level.
"We do drills like that just to keep ourselves up and stuff like that – stumble and bumble," Scott said on Wednesday. "Our coaches do a great job of putting us in situations like that. I was just prepared for it. As soon as it opened up, I just showed my speed."
Scott, a University of Maryland product, tied for the fastest 40-yard dash at this year's scouting combine with a time of 4.34, behind only Demarcus Van Dyke of Miami (4.28). Drafted in the seventh round by the Giants, Scott sits in a long line of succession at the running back position. The long score was only his second touch in as many games, but Scott thought he took a big leap in showing the ability to complement his speed with agility.
"Everybody sees north-south," Scott said. "It's just me getting past the defender and stuff like that. I felt like I showed that a little bit, too. I felt like I showed everything that they wanted to see."
The timing couldn't be better for Scott, who feels confident heading into the first wave of roster cuts.
"I can't control who they bring in and I can't control what they do," Scott said. "I can only control what I can do. So as long as I keep getting better, keep learning the plays and keep making plays, that's the only thing I can control."
