Giants Name J.J. McCarthy Their Starter for Week 7

Overview

• Coach John Harbaugh confirmed Wednesday that J.J. McCarthy will start at quarterback in Week 7 at Houston and Jameis Winston has been moved to the backup role.
• Harbaugh framed the change as the team’s direction going forward and said the decision was driven by what gives the Giants the best chance to execute their offense.
• The move follows McCarthy’s 243‑yard, one‑touchdown relief effort against the Saints and comes less than a month after New York acquired him from the Vikings for a 2027 fifth‑round pick.
• McCarthy offers more mobility than Winston and the staff hopes that will help revive a struggling Giants running game that had been built around dual‑threat starter Jaxson Dart before his season‑ending knee injury.
• The switch is a high‑risk, high‑reward gamble because McCarthy has limited time in the playbook and an uneven Vikings record marked by injuries and turnover problems, and the Giants have a bye after the Texans game to evaluate whether the change should stick.