The Giants must decide whether to ride McCarthy's momentum immediately or give him the Week 8 bye to prepare for a potential change
Oct 19, 2026 at 7:31 am ET • 5 min read
The New York Giants have a quarterback question to address. Jameis Winston is 2-1-1 in his four starts under center in place of the injured Jaxson Dart, but the team also traded for J.J. McCarthy last month, who received his first extensive action as a Giant during Sunday's 34-27 loss to the New Orleans Saints.
After Winston threw his second interception of the game and set up the Saints with an opportunity to extend their lead to 24 points, John Harbaugh made the decision to replace him with McCarthy. The former No. 10 overall pick of the Minnesota Vikings came in and led three straight scoring drives, and had the Giants in position to send the game to overtime. McCarthy completed 11 of 21 passes for 243 yards, one touchdown and one interception, and may have stolen the starting job from Winston.
The Giants sit atop the NFC East with a 3-2-1 record. With the Dallas Cowboys' tragic defense and Jalen Hurts sidelined indefinitely with a blood clot, New York has an inside track to a playoff berth. This is not just a lost season because Dart went down in Week 2. So, should Harbaugh start McCarthy in Week 7 when the Giants travel to Houston to take on the Texans? Or, should he stick with Winston? Let's take a look at some pros and cons of promoting McCarthy to starter.
Pro: McCarthy brought a legitimate spark
If you watched the Giants game on Sunday, you know how frustrating it was. New York jumped out to a 10-0 lead -- only to allow the Saints to score 34 unanswered points. With the game tied at halftime, the Saints scored 17 points in the third quarter, while the Giants went three-and-out and then turned the ball over. After another three-and-out followed by another interception, Harbaugh knew something had to be done. That's when McCarthy went in.
McCarthy threw an interception on his fourth passing attempt, but then led a six-play, 52-yard drive that was capped by a Tyrone Tracy Jr. touchdown and a successful Isaiah Likely two-point conversion to trim the deficit to 16 points. Following a Saints three-and-out, McCarthy took the Giants offense 73 yards down the field on just three plays, and hit Likely for a 24-yard touchdown to make it a 10-point game.
McCarthy was given the opportunity to lead a game-tying drive with 57 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter with zero timeouts. It came down to a fourth-and-1 from the Saints' 14-yard line, where McCarthy couldn't connect with Likely in the end zone.
McCarthy's 243 passing yards were the most in a game in the last 35 years by a quarterback with zero passing yards through three quarters, per CBS Sports Research. He came in and turned a 34-10 game into a 34-27 game. That's tough to ignore.
This game has already established that there is a quarterback controversy. Why not ride the hot hand?
Con: Does he have a handle on the offense?
It's understood why the Vikings moved on from McCarthy. He completed 57.6% of his passes for 1,632 yards, 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions last season, and was holding back a team that boasted a top-three defense and a talented supporting cast headlined by Justin Jefferson. McCarthy became the only first-round pick at quarterback since 1970 to finish last in completion percentage and TD-INT ratio in their debut season.
McCarthy is a 23-year-old kid who just got to the Giants three weeks ago. I want to know how he's coming along in learning Matt Nagy's offense. Does he have enough of a handle on it to start, run the operation effectively and handle whatever wrinkles Nagy may want to throw in? McCarthy looked pretty good on Sunday, but that situation was entirely different. The Giants were down double digits in the fourth quarter of a game. McCarthy came in with zero pressure and just tried to make plays downfield. Playground football. It's not like you can claim McCarthy came in and "ran the offense." I'm curious how comfortable he is with this brand-new playbook, and how much Nagy would have to change the game plan if Harbaugh made the call to change quarterbacks.
Pro: Athleticism/ability as a runner
This may be the best argument for starting McCarthy right now. He entered the game in the fourth quarter and ended up leading the Giants in rushing yards. On the first play of what could have been the game-tying drive, McCarthy scrambled up the middle for 28 yards -- getting the ball from the Giants' 29-yard line into enemy territory quickly. Winston can't do that.
McCarthy isn't Lamar Jackson by any means, but he will tuck and run if you give him that opportunity. He's more capable of moving the chains with his legs and keeping defenses honest than Winston.
Con: The opponent
The Texans may be 2-4, but they are certainly finding their rhythm. Houston has strung together two straight victories after DeMeco Ryans took back play-calling duties on defense, including a 34-31 upset of the Jacksonville Jaguars across the pond. The Texans no longer statistically have one of the league's top defenses, but this is still an aggressive unit capable of pressuring the quarterback.
Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr. make up the best pass-rushing duo in the NFL, and the Giants could potentially be down their top two tackles. Right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor missed this week with a calf injury, while left tackle Andrew Thomas left Sunday's game early to be evaluated for a concussion. A road matchup against a surging Texans team is not exactly a conducive situation for a young quarterback learning a new offense to make his first start.
Con: Week 9 may be more ideal
The Giants have a Week 7 date with the Texans in Houston, and then will enjoy their bye in Week 8. Week 9 against a Jalen Hurts-less Philadelphia Eagles team could be the ideal time to promote McCarthy. You give him the bye and a full week of practice before he takes over your team. That makes sense, and gives Winston one more chance to save his job.
