J.J. McCarthy just carved up the Texans in his first start as a Giant, delivering a huge victory that flat-out stopped Houston’s playoff hopes dead in their tracks. Forget about any idea that the Texans could claw their way back after Week 6, even with that Marvin Harrison Jr. trade or beating a division rival; McCarthy proved that thinking was a poor assumption. The dude went 20/28 for 252 yards, racking up a 99.1 rating, even while taking three sacks. He was playing on a different level from the first whistle, and it was glorious to watch.
McCarthy’s New Level of Play Unleashed
This wasn’t the McCarthy we saw with the Vikings, at least not in this one full game. His passing average depth of target jumped from 8.7 in 2025 to 9.5 in Week 7. His average time to throw also tightened up, moving from 2.93 seconds to a crisp 2.60. And check this out: his CPOE rocketed from -5.7% last year to a whopping +8.0% this past weekend. What’s wild is how his play made things easier across the board. The Texans had lost four games to quarterbacks who dared to challenge the perimeter of their defense, guys like Josh Allen (1.46 EPA per dropback on outside throws) and Daniel Jones (0.50). McCarthy kept their secondary on its toes, which meant Cam Skattebo only ran into a stacked box on 17.6% of his carries. Even with the rushing attack having to work for it, clocking in at a -11.1% PROE, the Giants still pulled off the win because McCarthy was just *that* good.
Pressure? What Pressure?!
The biggest, most jaw-dropping difference was how McCarthy handled pressure. With Minnesota, his clean pocket splits versus being under duress were night and day, and Texans HC DeMeco Ryans clearly knew it. Ryans went for it, calling a blitz at the highest rate his team has seen all season, a massive 36.7% of the time. The protection broke down for McCarthy on half of his dropbacks, and two-thirds of those pressures came screaming in under 2.5 seconds. He took three sacks, sure, but the guy completed an insane 83.3% of his throws *under pressure*, with a quarter of those throws resulting in a first down. That’s just unreal. Plus, Malik Nabers is on an absolute tear, hitting his third straight game with a 30+% target share. While McCarthy’s 29 dropbacks in regulation were the second-fewest of any Giants’ starter to finish a game, seeing him come through when it mattered most is a sign of something special brewing.
So, what’s next for McCarthy and the Giants? If this is how he handles a defense throwing everything at him, we’re in for a treat. He’s showing the league he can take a hit and still make the big plays. And for all you fantasy heads, yeah, you probably don’t need to worry about Isaiah Likely, either, but more importantly, keep an eye on Nabers. This duo is just getting started!
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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