McCarthy Makes History in Relief, but Giants Fall Short vs. Saints

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ — New York Giants quarterback J.J. McCarthy did not set out to make history during the team’s Week 6 showdown with the New Orleans Saints.

Yet, with just over 11 minutes left in the fourth quarter and New Orleans holding a 34-10 lead, the Michigan product stepped onto the field to relieve beleaguered starter Jameis Winston.

McCarthy orchestrated three late-game scoring drives and helped the Giants nearly complete an improbable comeback in the eventual 34-27 loss at MetLife Stadium.

His 243 passing yards in the fourth quarter were the most by any player in 11 minutes of play in NFL history.

For McCarthy, however, giving his team a chance to earn the win was all that mattered.

“I believe it was like 10 or 12 minutes left in the fourth quarter, but my mentality stays the same every time I step on the field,” McCarthy said. “Do my job in those six seconds, and do it to the best of my ability, and do anything I can to help the team move the ball.”

Despite his record-setting day, McCarthy left the field with mixed emotions. Though he remained proud of his performance, the 10th overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft fell short of his ultimate goal,: to bring the Giants a win.

On New York’s final drive, McCarthy ran for 28 yards and completed 20-yard and 9-yard passes to tight end Isaiah Likely and receiver Malik Nabers, respectively. Unfortunately, the drive was littered with four incompletions — the last of which resulted in a turnover on downs on 4th-and-1 deep in New Orleans’ red zone.

In that regard, McCarthy will use the game’s ending sequence to motivate improvement heading into Week 7 and beyond.

“I’m not pleased when we lose,” McCarthy said. “At the end of the day, no matter what happens, we try to get that 1-0 win every week, and I’ve got to look back at the tape and find ways to get better.”

Still, the 23-year-old has reason to be confident in his performance. He finished the game having completed 11-of-21 passes for the aforementioned 243 yards and one touchdown. Per ESPN, McCarthy had the most passing yards in a fourth quarter by any player this season, and the second-most passing yards in a fourth quarter by any quarterback who didn’t start over the last 25 seasons.

He also rushed twice for 26 net yards, allowing coordinator Matt Nagy to keep his run-centric, motion-based offense. Though he may be the talk of the Tri-State area for the next few days, McCarthy was content to credit his teammates for helping him feel right at home.

“I was just really proud of the guys around me, just responding and always keeping that belief that we can win this thing,” McCarthy said. “That’s going to be huge going down the stretch, and I’m just really proud of the guys around me.”

“I felt like I was protected every single play I was in there,” he added. “The offensive line played great, receivers caught the balls, running backs did their thing when they needed to, and it was just a really awesome group to be a part of.”

J.J. McCarthy Is Trending Toward the Next Step

New York Giants quarterback J.J. McCarthy (18) and New York Giants running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. (29) during a week 6 NFL football game between New York Giants and New Orleans Saints on Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Since the Giants sent a 2027 fifth-round draft pick to the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for his services in late September, McCarthy has impressed his coaches and teammates with his strong work ethic and quick ability to understand and apply what he’s learned.

As a result, he quickly worked his way from Big Blue’s third stringer to their top backup, who could also be used in a package of gadget run-plays. In Week 6, he got the chance to run the Giants’ offense — and he made the most of it.

With New York’s Week 7 matchup against the Houston Texans looming, questions about his future role will only intensify. However, McCarthy is happy to be a part of a team that refuses to quit — even in the face of adversity.

“Yeah, I’m extremely impressed,” McCarthy said of his team’s determination. “This team, since I got in the door, you could tell there was something special about them. The way Coach Harbaugh instills this kind of confidence and belief is through the work and the preparation, and it’s not just talk.

“Just being able to be a part of this group is extremely special,” he continued. “They were going to keep having to build that resilience along the way. Earlier in the year, with (Brian) Burns and Jax (Jaxson Dart) going down, that’s huge. But seeing how they responded, it’s a really special group.”

Sign up for our free newsletterand follow us on Facebookand Xfor the latest news, and send your mailbag questionsto us.

Add us as a preferred source on Google