J.J. McCarthy rallies Giants after Winston benching, but Saints hold on
McCarthy threw for 243 yards after entering in the fourth quarter of a 34-27 loss. Coach John Harbaugh did not name a starter for New York’s next game.
J.J. McCarthy led a late New York Giants rally on October 18 at MetLife Stadium after replacing Jameis Winston, but the New Orleans Saints held on for a 34-27 win. McCarthy threw for 243 yards in his first extensive action for New York, leaving coach John Harbaugh with a quarterback decision for the Giants’ next game.
McCarthy entered with 11:31 left in the fourth quarter after Winston’s second interception set up a Chris Olave touchdown that put New Orleans ahead 34-10, Minnesota Sports Fan reported. Martin Emerson Jr., who had also intercepted Winston, picked off McCarthy early in his appearance. McCarthy then led a rally that brought the Giants within a touchdown, but his final fourth-down pass fell incomplete.
How McCarthy brought the Giants within a touchdown
On the possession after his interception, McCarthy completed passes to Malik Nabers and Malachi Fields to set up a five-yard Tyrone Tracy Jr. touchdown run. McCarthy connected with Isaiah Likely on the two-point conversion, cutting the Saints’ lead to 34-18. On another drive, he found Likely for a 24-yard touchdown, his first touchdown pass as a Giant.
New York later closed the gap to 34-27, according to Minnesota Sports Fan. After a Saints punt, McCarthy got the ball at the Giants’ 29-yard line with 57 seconds left and no timeouts. He scrambled for 28 yards, then completed passes to Likely and Nabers to reach the Saints’ 14. His fourth-down throw to Likely fell incomplete under pressure from Chase Young, ending the comeback attempt.
McCarthy finished 11 of 21 passing for 243 yards, one touchdown and one interception, and ran twice for 26 yards. Four of his completions went to Nabers for 95 yards, Minnesota Sports Fan reported. Winston had completed 14 of 26 passes for 152 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions before being replaced. The contrast gave Harbaugh two performances to weigh after a game in which New York changed quarterbacks while trailing by 24 points.
Harbaugh leaves the next Giants starter undecided
Harbaugh declined to name a starter immediately after the loss, CBS Sports reported. He also said he had no problem with Winston. The Giants visit the Houston Texans next Sunday, according to Minnesota Sports Fan; Harbaugh had not said whether McCarthy or Winston would start that game.
The Giants acquired McCarthy from the Minnesota Vikings last month for a 2027 fifth-round pick. In 10 starts for Minnesota last season, he threw 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, Minnesota Sports Fan reported. His late rally against New Orleans followed that uneven stretch, but the decision about his next role rests with Harbaugh.
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Sources and context
- Giants Get Full JJ McCarthy Experience vs SaintsMinnesota Sports Fan (Eric Strack); distributed via USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
- Jameis Winston benched: J.J. McCarthy's thrilling, historic comeback bid comes up short vs. SaintsCBS Sports
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.