J.J. McCarthy exploded onto the field Sunday, pulling out 269 yards from scrimmage and three scoring drives in the fourth quarter after being thrust into a game where the Giants were down by 24 points. It was an absolutely wild ride for a guy who had never even heard a Giants play-call three weeks ago, let alone thrown a live pass to his new teammate Malik Nabers. McCarthy took his first snap with 11:25 left in the fourth, with the Giants trailing big at 34-10, mostly thanks to three turnovers. His fourth pass was even picked off, making it look like he was going to dig that hole even deeper. But then, man, he just flipped a switch. The Giants still lost to the Saints 34-27, dropping their record to 3-2-1, but the fourth quarter was all McCarthy.
The Kid Came to Play When It Counted Most
Seriously, talk about making an entrance. McCarthy’s late-game heroics were his first real meaningful action since the Giants traded a fifth-round pick for him back on September 28. Before Sunday, he’d only been in for a trick play or two, nothing serious. Coach John Harbaugh had to give him props after the game, even in a loss. “I thought he came in there and did a heck of a job given the circumstances, you know, and kind of desperation time,” Harbaugh said. “It’s different than normal football, but [he] made some plays and got us back, gives us a chance to win the game and we’re throwing the ball in the end zone at the end so that was good. You’ve got to compliment him on that.” It’s one thing to make plays, it’s another to do it when everything is on the line, barely knowing your guys, and with the clock ticking down. That’s the stuff legends are made of.
Harbaugh’s Quarterback Conundrum Starts Right Now
Now, with that kind of performance, McCarthy has officially thrown his hat in the ring for the starting quarterback job. Harbaugh was pretty cagey about naming a starter for next week’s game against a gaining-momentum Houston Texans team. “I can’t answer it now,” Harbaugh said initially in his postgame conference. “It’s not even up for discussion or conversation right now. We’ve got to go back and go to work.” He even added, “I have no problem with Jameis whatsoever. I love the way he competes, I love the way he fights, all those kind of things. He was up and down today for sure, but those things will all be decided not 10 minutes after a game.” Jameis Winston had led the team to wins over the Tennessee Titans and Arizona Cardinals before and after McCarthy came to town, but his play was definitely “up and down” against the Saints. Yet, nine questions later, Harbaugh’s tone shifted. When asked when he’d start the process of deciding who would be under center, Harbaugh simply stated, “Starts right now.”
So there it is. The Giants are heading into a crucial matchup against the Texans next week, and Harbaugh has a monumental decision on his hands. Does he stick with the veteran Jameis Winston, who was “up and down” today, or does he unleash the young gun J.J. McCarthy, who literally exploded in the fourth quarter when the game seemed totally out of reach? This isn’t just about one game, this is about the direction of the team for the rest of the season, and it’s going to be fascinating to see which way they go.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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