J.J. McCarthy saw some early action on specialized plays for the Giants after coming over from the Vikings in a trade, but he got to run the offense for the first time on Sunday with the Giants trailing 34-10 in the fourth quarter.
John Harbaugh replaced Jameis Winston with McCarthy, looking to give the offense a spark after New Orleans scored 34 consecutive points.
The Giants are 3-1-1 despite losing Jaxson Dart to a season-ending knee injury in Week 2, but with the surging Texans looming next week, there are suddenly real questions about what Harbaugh might do at quarterback.
Here’s what you need to know about Sunday’s in-game switch.
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Why Giants benched Jameis Winston for J.J. McCarthy
The Giants sent Winston to the bench after he threw two interceptions in the second half. The switch was made after Winston’s second turnover of the half gave way to a Saints touchdown with more than 11 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.
Whether Winston was benched for his performance or just because of the score isn’t clear. The Saints led 34-10 by the time McCarthy entered, and the Giants’ hopes were just about gone even with much of the fourth quarter left. The Saints also switched quarterbacks with the game seemingly decided, bringing in Spencer Rattler for a banged-up Tyler Shough.
McCarthy’s first drive ended in an interception, but he had two completions plus a successful two-point conversion pass on a touchdown drive when the Giants got the ball back.
JJ McCarthy throws an INT in his first real action with the Giants https://t.co/6NAMUjl1Uz
— Arye Pulli (@AryePulliNFL) October 18, 2026
Winston had an interception-free game against the Commanders in Week 5, but he has thrown multiple interceptions in two of his last three starts.
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