Giants Name J.J. McCarthy Starter After Overtime Win Over Texans

Overview

• The Giants acquired J.J. McCarthy from the Minnesota Vikings after Jaxson Dart’s season‑ending knee injury and fast‑tracked him into limited packages before promoting him on the depth chart.
• Coach John Harbaugh announced McCarthy as the starter and the rookie delivered a 27‑21 overtime road win over the Houston Texans in his first start for New York.
• McCarthy completed 20 of 28 passes for 252 yards, took three sacks, and did not throw a turnover in the Week 7 start that helped change the locker‑room momentum.
• Jameis Winston has publicly praised McCarthy on his podcast, accepted a backup role, and was used situationally as the team’s designed short‑yardage quarterback, scoring a rushing touchdown.
• The win leaves the Giants 4‑2‑1 and atop the NFC East as they enter a Week 8 bye, and coaches say the simplified, mobility‑focused package will guide how they build McCarthy’s role going forward.