The New York Giants are honing in on their starting quarterback decision this week, head coach John Harbaugh told reporters at his Monday press conference.
With starter Jaxson Dart out for the rest of the season with a knee injury, the Giants turned to veteran backup Jameis Winston. They traded for J.J. McCarthy from the Minnesota Vikings in September.
During the Week 6 game against the New Orleans Saints, the Giants benched Winston, and McCarthy nearly led a comeback win, setting up a mid-season competition between the two to become starter going forward.
Harbaugh was asked what factors would go into the decision.
“Like every other personnel decision we make, what gives us the best chance to win the football game at this given time or what combination of players and schemes and things like that, give us the best chance to— in this case move the ball, score points, protect the football, et cetera,” he said.
“All the things that help us win, whatever it is that furthers us and helps us— just to use the basic, obvious point—that’s what we want to do.”
Winston has years of experience on McCarthy, both with the Giants and in the NFL. He is in his 12th season and has 93 career starts. He spent last season with the G-Men as a backup behind Dart and veteran Russell Wilson.
When Dart went down with his injury in Week 2, Winston finished the game and started every game since. He had a standout game last week in the 27–27 tie with the Washington Commanders, completing 33 of 54 passes for 326 yards and 3 touchdowns; he added 5 rushes for 27 yards.
Winston started against the Saints but went 14 of 26 for 152 and a passing TD, but had 2 interceptions at the end of the third quarter and the beginning of the fourth.
Down 34–10, the Giants benched Winston and put McCarthy in. McCarthy’s first drive was cut short when he threw an errant pass for wide receiver Malachi Fields that was picked off by Saints cornerback Martin Emerson Jr.
After the Saints gave it back to New York by a fumble, McCarthy made up for it by throwing a 28-yard completion to wideout Malik Nabers, which led to a touchdown. He then completed a 2-point conversion to tight end Isaiah Likely.
On the Giants’ next possession, McCarthy launched one for WR Charlie Jones. Jones was blanketed by corner Quincy Riley, who had a hand on it, but tipped it up in the air, allowing Jones to come down with it. Emerson nearly intercepted his next pass again, but it was ruled incomplete. On the next play, McCarthy hit Likely for a 24-yard TD.
McCarthy had two big completions to Nabers on the following drive, hitting him for 13 and 46 yards. The Giants kicked a field goal to make it 34–27.
With less than a minute left, McCarthy opened the final drive with a 28-yard run and led the Giants to the red zone, but his last-ditch pass to Likely sailed over his head, and the Saints survived.
Winston is a known gunslinger who can push the ball downfield but also takes risks that create turnovers; McCarthy demonstrated the same mindset on Sunday. The decision then comes down to Winston’s body of work versus McCarthy’s comfortability with the offense.
“I don’t know if I really could say exactly what percentage you give each thing. It’s more kind of an overview, and then just with your thoughts toward what’s in front of us and what we’re trying to accomplish going forward, but you take all that into account, absolutely,” Harbaugh said.
“Jameis has done a great job in so many ways, and I just admire him and respect him for it. He’s helped us win games and did what he had to do to win games, and that’s something you value very much. J.J. just got here a couple of weeks ago, and where do we stand? We’re trying to put an offense together that he’s got a feel for and those kind of things. So, all those things are things you factor in.”
