The New York Giants are hitting the road in first place in the NFC East but handing the keys to their third quarterback in the past six games when they touch down in Houston to face the Texans on Sunday.
New York coach John Harbaugh confirmed Wednesday that J.J. McCarthy has been promoted to the QB1 role over Jameis Winston, who had operated as the starter since Jaxson Dart’s season-ending knee injury in Week 2.
“What gives us the best chance to be our best? Gives us the best chance to play the best offense we can,” John Harbaugh said of making the move to McCarthy, a first-round pick of the Vikings acquired via trade after Dart’s injury. “I thought Jameis has done a tremendous job. Won us games, played well. But as we go forward here, this is going to be our direction, and we think it gives us some good options on offense.”
The Giants (3-2-1) turned to McCarthy late last week against the Saints and found a spark after Winston threw two interceptions in the 34-27 loss.
Houston (2-4) left a winless September in the dust and has won back-to-back games on the arm of C.J. Stroud, who has nine touchdowns and one interception this season. Stroud ranks second in the NFL in passing yards (1,714) and is tied for the league lead with 25 completions of at least 20 yards.
His group of receivers grew by one last week and the reinforcements are still coming. After the Texans acquired Marvin Harrison Jr. from the Arizona Cardinals last week, Tank Dell is back this week. It’ll be his first action since Dec. 21, 2024, when he left the field with a dislocated kneecap and damage to multiple ligaments in his left knee.
“As we all know, Tank is an explosive player. He’s still quick as ever. As our defenders who was covering him the past couple weeks, he’s been putting us in some tough matchups and practice the past two weeks,” Ryans said. “He’s going to stress defenders and you add him in a mix with all of the other guys that we have. We just have a really good group of guys, a lot of guys who are capable of making big-time, explosive plays for us.”
McCarthy replaced Winston with 11:25 left in last week’s game and promptly threw an interception. From there, he led three straight scoring drives and finished the game with 243 passing yards in very limited time on the field.
McCarthy was relegated to backup duty to start his third season after Kyler Murray won the starting job for the Vikings. When Murray was concussed Week 1, journeyman Carson Wentz got the call to step in over McCarthy.
Injuries had an impact on McCarthy’s development to date. He missed his rookie season after knee surgery in his first preseason and battled an ankle injury last September but started a total of 10 games in 2025. He’s 6-4 as a starter with a four-game winning streak entering Sunday.
He said he’s now more prepared to be a starter in the NFL.
“I believe just experience does wonders,” McCarthy said. “Being able to be in that same situation where you might have made a mistake the last time, this time you’re just going to react better and make a more well-rounded response in that situation. Just being around great talent and great coaches, absolutely love everyone on the offensive side of the ball.”
The Texans are still searching for the same bite they had as a defense last season. Ryans has owned defensive playcalling the past two games, both wins, but getting to the quarterback and setting the tone with a physical secondary are not the evident calling cards they were in 2025.
Blending personnel has been a factor, too. Safety Jalen Pitre “is still week-to-week with his shoulder injury” according to Ryans but “getting better.” Safety Reed Blankenship remains in concussion protocol.
But Ryans said the Texans will be ready for McCarthy and their bye week after trekking to Nashville and London without a rest the past two weeks.
“Watching the New Orleans game, just seeing the change of pace, seeing how he really sparked that offense — you just saw a different speed,” Ryans said of the Giants’ switch to McCarthy. “You saw him making some big plays. He was throwing the ball downfield, really just cutting it loose. … He gave that offense a spark, gave that team a spark and I think they saw some belief from their entire team.”
Giants linebacker Tremaine Edmunds (shoulder), offensive tackle Jermaine Eluemunor (calf), safety Jevon Holland (concussion), offensive lineman Marcus Mbow (knee), CB Greg Newsome II (concussion) and left tackle Andrew Thomas (groin) all missed Wednesday’s practice.