Giants turning to J.J. McCarthy experiment with hopes of unlocking untapped potential
HOUSTON — Jameis Winston did his job. Now it’s onto the next. Get texts from Paul Schwartz with all the latest Giants news and insights, exclusive to Sports+ subscribers.The acceptable baseline when the backup quarterback must become the starter is for him to figure out a way to be a break-even player.
The initial thought with Jaxson Dart was that he suffered a sprain to his medial collateral ligament and that he would miss a month.So, the Giants — not the coaching staff, mind you — looked at the upcoming schedule and, without ever saying this publicly, privately hoped Winston could help more and hurt less, and navigate the team in his starts to 2-2 before Dart found his way back. Winston got the team through, going 2-1-1 as the starter to boost and then, remarkably, keep the Giants in first place in the up-for-grabs NFC East.
It can be “well done” to Winston and also “that’s enough” for him as well.The next 11 games with him as the starter was a dire projection to the higher-ups in the building.
John Harbaugh and his staff decided Winston was not going to be as consistent enough to satisfy the requirements of the position and that his limitations put too many constraints on the offense.So, the decision to move on and give the ball to J.J.
McCarthy was made. This is not the potential start of any J.J.McCarthy Era.
It is more the opening of the J.J.McCarthy Experiment.
They need him to show that at 23 years old, he has matured from his time with the Vikings and that after the “failed first-round pick” line on his résumé can be something akin to “allowed his talent to come forward in his second NFL stop.” He is not on board to be the quarterback of the future — Dart returns in 2027 — and McCarthy now has a ready-made opportunity to dig in for 11 games and do his best to keep the Giants atop their division. Someone’s discarded quarterback salvages his career elsewhere.That is what this player and this team have in mind....