Jameis Winston Answers Critics With Historic Day in Giants Tie vs. Commanders

The adage that says “the backup quarterback is the most popular player on a football roster” is certainly alive and well, at least for the New York Giants.

Such has been the case ever since the Giants acquired J.J. McCarthy from the Minnesota Vikings for a fifth-round pick.

For many pundits, the arrival of McCarthy, who took five snaps against the Commanders in a package of plays the coaches felt comfortable having him run, meant it was just a matter of time before Jameis Winston’s run as the starter, which has been frustrating at times, would come to an end.

Instead, Winston, who has joked about the “Jameis Winston Experience,” has handled his situation with aplomb and quieted some of those critics calling for McCarthy to take over at quarterback.

The part of the Jameis Winston experience that no one outside of the building sees is that he comes to work, puts in the effort, and is always open to getting better. While his weekly showings are not perfect—whose effort is?—he gives his teammates every chance possible for a win.

Oct 11, 2026; Landover, Maryland, USA; New York Giants quarterback Jameis Winston (19) celebrates a touchdown with quarterback Jameis Winston (19) during the fourth quarter against the Washington Commanders at Northwest Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

A wacky game against the Commanders ended in a 27-27 tie after a major collective brain freeze in overtime, when it appeared Washington forgot it had no timeouts left while driving for the game-winning score. Winston gave the Giants a chance.

The 12-year veteran led the team back from a 14-point deficit, completing 33 of 54 passes for 326 yards and three touchdowns for a passer rating of 96.7, and adding five carries for 27 yards.

It marked the only time since 1950 that a Giant has thrown for at least 300 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for at least 25 yards in the same game.

He also became the first Giants quarterback since Eli Manning on Sept. 24, 2017, to throw three or more touchdowns in the second half.

His passing efficiency, which started slow, improved as the game went on, thanks in part to a coaching adjustment to move away from the no-huddle, control the tempo, and return to the drop-back game.

Winston saved his best performance for the second half, going from 43.8% completion in the first 30 minutes to 75% in the second half, before capping it with a 50% completion rate in overtime.

“I thought he was amazing in the second half,” head coach John Harbaugh said of Winston.

“First half, he wasn’t. He’d be the first to tell you that, but that’s on everybody. I tell the guys, nothing good is all one person. We’re all responsible for all the good, and we’re all responsible for all the bad.”

Winston, who makes no secret of how much he leans into his faith, has surely heard the growing chatter about his current hold on the starting quarterback job and how McCarthy, whose skill set is thought to be closer to Jaxson Dart’s because of his mobility, should be handed the keys to the offense.

But Winston, as he did under pressure against Washington, plays his game.

“I always focus on what my heart desires, and I say this over and over again, I desire to be the New York Football Giants Super Bowl-winning quarterback,” he said.

“I desire to be a great starting quarterback in the NFL. I dreamed of this, and this is who I am, and I know that I’m going to continue to get better and find ways to help this team win football games.”

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