JJ McCarthy exposed it all in sensational film A 27-yard throw that hit Malik Nabers in stride on the left side of the field during the first half against the Texans. The Giants’ new starting quarterback showed arm strength, accuracy, confidence and chemistry with a receiver he’s been teammates with for less than a month.
The play also showed a ton of confidence, evident in McCarthy’s no-look pass, but it wasn’t as elegant as a blind throw from Matthew Stafford or Patrick Mahomes. Before diverting his body from the action, McCarthy probably had to hope that the pass would arrive before the two defenders closed in on Nabers.
Certainly, it’s easy to trust a receiver of Nabers’ caliber. It will make most flaggers look competent, even with limited practice time. But here comes McCarthy, the 2024 first-round pick, the Vikings quickly dropped because he couldn’t make it work with the great Justin Jefferson.
In just five quarters, McCarthy and Nabers have built a strong partnership. In just five quarters, it’s clear that McCarthy isn’t relying solely on his star player. In just five quarters, McCarthy went from a potential draft bust to running the show for the first-place Giantswho beat the Texans, 27-21, in overtime and improved to 4-2-1.
Maybe it’s because I keep reminding myself how little McCarthy has played for the Giants, but I can’t help but think beyond 2026. McCarthy has played like a long-term quarterback, the type of player the Vikings envisioned when they selected him with the No. 10 pick in the ’24 draft.
I’m not the only one who thinks this, but if McCarthy gets his career back on track, is that trajectory better than Jaxson Dart’s? I said it, but I remember it’s only been five quarters. I’ll let the New York talk shows debate the looming quarterback dilemma that probably isn’t on coach John Harbaugh’s mind.
The truth: Harbaugh doesn’t have to commit to Dart because he wasn’t there when the Giants drafted him in the first round of the 2025 draft. The same goes for fan-favorite second-year running back Cam Skattebo, who quickly rose from Harbaugh’s doghouse to one of the heroes of Sunday’s victory. Skattebo’s 42-yard run set up Devin Singletary’s 30-yard scoring run on the next play to win the game in overtime.
Even though Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh talks about McCarthy like he was a future Hall of Famer before his brother signed last month’s trade with the Vikings, John Harbaugh instilled a pragmatic mindset since joining the Giants earlier this year, which also applies to McCarthy. For now, we should look at McCarthy as the better option over Jameis Winston – you know, except in short yardage situations. Winston had four carries for four yards and a touchdown against Houston, while McCarthy made all the throws, completing 20 of 28 for 252 yards. More importantly, McCarthy and the entire Giants operation recorded zero turnovers.
Running back Najee Harris skipped the line after complaining about the backfield’s four-man rotation. The Giants quickly cut Harris after his words to reporters, and a few days later the Giants racked up 188 rushing yards against a stout Texans defense.
All this only gives Harbaugh more evidence that his “my way or the highway” approach is working. Again, this applies to McCarthy, despite possible rave reviews from Harbaugh’s younger brother who won a national championship at Michigan with McCarthy.
If McCarthy starts making poor decisions on the field — it’s probably not a good idea to keep throwing no-look passes — Harbaugh would probably bench him long before we see a training camp battle between him and Dart.
So while it’s hard not to get caught up in the moment when McCarthy looks like an ascending quarterback, he still has a lot to prove to Harbaugh and the Giants. But Vikings fans can’t be happy to see a vastly improved McCarthy, especially after another slow outing from Kyler Murray and the offense. However, it helps that Minnesota beat Indianapolis, 16-10, on Sunday to improve to 6-0.
Part of the reason it didn’t work out for McCarthy in Minnesota is that the Vikings didn’t have the patience to develop him. They had just won 14 games with Sam Darnold the year before and McCarthy became a full-time starter. With Jefferson in the midst of his prime, they couldn’t afford to wait for McCarthy to figure it out or have confidence that he could stay healthy.
Maybe McCarthy benefits from being on a team where nothing is promised every week. Plus, he’s already used to playing for a pragmatic Harbaugh from his days in Ann Arbor. It’s a different type of pressure to show minimal promise as a first-round pick. This creates awkwardness in the building and conversations that no one wants to have.
But the Giants didn’t take McCarthy with a top-10 selection. They will probably tell him to his face when he is not playing well and without any hesitation. Everything is on the table and everyone knows the expectations.
It’s the Harbaugh Highway, and everyone benefits from it, even if it’s only for a week. No one should expect to be given a roster spot, even former first-round quarterbacks.
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