New York Giants quarterback J.J. McCarthy’s limited sample against the New Orleans Saints stood out in the advanced metrics.
In relief of Jameis Winston during New York’s 34-27 loss, McCarthy posted the second-highest expected points added (EPA) per play among quarterbacks with at least 20 dropbacks in Week 6. Houston’s C.J. Stroud, the Giants’ Week 7 opponent, led the category.
No qualifying passer posted a higher dropback success rate than McCarthy, and the gap was substantial.
It was only 20 garbage time dropbacks against the Saints, but JJ McCarthy was elite in his Giants debut pic.twitter.com/9uJx3xqrPr
— Box Score Scout (@boxscorescout) October 19, 2026
The performance arrived in a compressed window. McCarthy entered early in the fourth quarter with the Giants trailing 34-10. He completed 11
of 21 passes for 243 yards, one touchdown and one interception while adding 26 yards on two carries.
Those figures produced three scoring drives and 17 unanswered points, cutting the deficit to a single score and positioning New York for a potential tying attempt that fell incomplete on fourth down.
The volume was modest—23 dropbacks in what amounted to late-game conditions—and the Saints defense had not game-planned extensively for him. Still, the combination of efficiency and explosive plays generated measurable value on a per-snap basis that few other quarterbacks matched that week.
Head coach John Harbaugh has not named a starter for Sunday’s game against the Texans. He described the decision as one the staff is still “honing in on,” focused on what gives the team the best chance to win.
Winston remains the incumbent after starting since Jaxson Dart’s season-ending injury, yet McCarthy’s showing has created a genuine evaluation point. With the Giants at 3-2-1 and atop the NFC East, the choice carries weight beyond a single game. At this stage, a switch appears increasingly plausible.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Giants' J.J. McCarthy posted elite efficiency numbers in Week 6 loss
