The J.J. McCarthy Era arrived in New York earlier than expected.
The Giants are making a quarterback change and starting McCarthy over James Winston on Sunday against the Texans in Houston.
It’s a bold move by head coach John Harbaugh considering that Winston (2-1-1 as the starter) is one poor game removed from throwing three touchdown passes and leading a 14-point comeback in a tie against the Commanders.
But Winston threw two second-half interceptions in a 34-27 loss to the Saints, and McCarthy was tantalizingly good in throwing for 243 fourth-quarter yards and leading three scoring drives after replacing Winston. Only one non-starting quarterback has thrown for more fourth-quarter yards in a game over the last 25 years.
McCarthy’s last pass — on fourth-and-1 from the 14-yard line with 12 seconds remaining — fell incomplete or else the Giants would’ve had a chance to win the game or send it to overtime despite trailing 34-10 when the quarterback change was made with 11:36 to go.
So, McCarthy draws the challenge of facing one of the NFL’s top defensive minds (Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans) and a pass rush tied for No. 3 with 18 sacks.
The Giants alternately could have started Winston on a short leash and used next week’s bye to prepare McCarthy to run the full playbook.
But the fans who cheered McCarthy’s entrance into the game and were electrified by his comeback didn’t want to wait. And neither did Harbaugh, who was reluctant to address the quarterback future in the immediate aftermath of the game.
“He did a heck of a job given the circumstances and kind of desperation time,” Harbaugh said. “It’s different than normal football, but made some plays and gives us a chance to win the game. We’re throwing the ball in the end zone at the end so that was good. You have to compliment him on that.”
The Giants acquired McCarthy for a fifth-round pick in a trade with the Vikings on Sept. 28. He provides some of the athleticism to run RPOs and zone-reads that the Giants lost when Jaxson Dart suffered a season-ending knee injury.
McCarthy appeared to be playing chuck-it-and-go backyard football against the Saints but it was more structured than that.
“It was mostly running the actual offense for that circumstance,” Harbaugh said. “The no-huddle offense.”
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