J.J. McCarthy steady in first start for Giants — and they'll need more of that from him
J.J. McCarthy of the Giants reacts after a game against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium on Sunday in Houston. Credit: Getty Images/Kenneth Richmond
J.J. McCarthy said Sunday he lives by the phrase “Amor Fati.” It's a Latin phrase that translates to love of fate and roughly means accepting that whatever happens in life is for the best.
McCarthy’s NFL journey wasn’t easy to embrace. A former first-round pick cast aside as a third-string quarterback. A gamble for the Giants needing quarterback depth after Jaxson Dart’s season-ending injury.
That’s what made his first start more than admirable. He didn’t set off many fireworks in the Giants’ 27-21 overtime win over the Houston Texans, but he and the Giants left satisfied with his effort after their first road win of the season.
“I thought he did a great job. He’s not a guy that’s never played before,” John Harbaugh said. “He’s young, but he’s played and he showed it. He made throws. I’m sure he didn’t play perfect, but he played a heck of a football game and he deserves a lot of credit.”
It validated Harbaugh’s decision to start McCarthy now instead of making a switch after the bye this week. McCarthy didn’t throw a touchdown pass or an interception. He had only one official carry, but his mobility kept plays alive. He threw for a career-high 252 yards, 178 in the first half.
McCarthy doesn’t need to be exceptional. He needs to be steady and efficient with that strong arm. But most of all, he needs to be consistent.
Jameis Winston had good-to-great moments in his four starts, but the Giants made a change because the bad plays were hard to overcome. McCarthy has had highs and lows during his brief career, but the Vikings did win his final four starts. He threw for 703 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions in that span. Maybe something clicked despite his demotion?
“Just being able to really start feeling like the defense is slowing down and understanding concepts, intent of plays, understanding the situation,’ McCarthy said of that stretch. "There's a lot of things that go into playing NFL quarterback and it takes a little bit to figure those things out.”
The NFC East title remains the Giants' for the taking. Despite having several players down with season-ending injuries, they’re in good position to stay in contention. All they need is for McCarthy to do his job.
He doesn’t have to light up the stat sheet. He just needs to play efficiently and consistently in every start. If he does that the way he did Sunday, the Giants can hold steady in November and December.
It likely means more close games are coming, but the Giants have shown they’re built to fight in those situations. McCarthy showed he can maintain poise in a tight game.
“I continue to just refine my craft and get better every day,” he said. “That's the same thing I'm going to do going into this week is figure out how I could continue to get better and help my teammates around me."
Evan Barnes covers the Giants for Newsday. He previously covered the Brooklyn Nets, Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.
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