Facing a 34-10 deficit in the fourth quarter, the New York Giants officially traded quarterback Jameis Winston for JJ McCarthy.
Winston endured a rough outing Sunday, completing just 14 of 26 passes for 152 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. The offense continued its struggles down the court, scoring 10 offensive points with Winston against a Saints defense that is allowing 30.2 points per game.
McCarthy provided an immediate spark when he entered the game. He nearly engineered a massive comeback against the Saints, leading New York’s offense to three straight. The Giants lost 34-27 to fall to 3-2-1, but McCarthy flashed the kind of potential the Giants need going forward.
In just one quarter of action, he tallied 243 passing yards and a touchdown, along with 26 rushing yards. The touchdown came on a 24-yard strike to tight end Isaiah Likely.
Despite the early interception, McCarthy showed real promise. That glimpse of potential is huge for a Giants offense looking for long-term stability at quarterback after Jaxson Dart was lost for the season with a knee injury.
McCarthy went 6-4 as a starter last season, but his underlying numbers paint a troubling picture despite the Minnesota Vikings’ offensive weapons. He completed 57.6% of his passes for 1,632 yards with 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, finishing with a 35.6 QBR.
The former Michigan star may have struggled statistically early in his career, but he’s always found ways to keep his teams competitive. That’s exactly what he did for Harbaugh’s Giants on Sunday afternoon, fighting until the end.
Winston has played well since taking over for Dart, but Sunday afternoon was an off day for the veteran quarterback. In a one-sided game, Harbaugh will likely put McCarthy in to see what he has moving forward, as the quarterback position remains a question mark for the offense.