Younger football fans may not remember an era when, while evaluating players like the New York Giants’ J.J. McCarthy, we didn’t need to rely solely on advanced metrics.
That’s not to say we’re against analytics and certain data points. But the eye test and the casual conversations about how we felt someone played often take a back seat on social media, and even more so in the Pro Football Focus era.
Rather than study up on subjective numbers, we want you to take a second and ask yourself how you feel McCarthy played in Sunday’s thrilling overtime victory over the Texans.
Are you done? Good, because we know exactly how we’d answer said question.
Evaluating quarterback J.J. McCarthy’s first New York Giants start
McCarthy finished 20-of-28 for 252 yards, no touchdowns, and no picks. The third-year quarterback also had a one-yard run in the Giants’ bounce-back win.
Even before Devin Singletary’s game-ending touchdown, we loved what we saw from McCarthy on Sunday afternoon. He looked poised, confident, and comfortable in both the pocket and on the run.
“Guys have scars,” Giants coach John Harbaugh said. “He has scars. He’s been wounded. He’s been broken. He’s been battered. But you heal strong, and you become better because of it.”
We were also impressed by his not solely depending on Isaiah Likely and Malik Nabers. Eight different players drew at least one target, with Nabers (seven catches for 111 yards on nine targets) and rookie Malachi Fields (four catches for 83 yards on five targets) leading the way. Previously, Likely and Nabers had been accounting for about half of the Giants' targets.
By no means was McCarthy perfect, and we’re not saying that because of his seven incompletions. He specifically pointed out a fourth-quarter pass that the Texans’ Jadeveon Clowney batted down; Likely was wide open in the flats on the 2nd-and-10, and the Giants punted two plays later.
Lesser quarterbacks may have spiraled or tried forcing a third-down completion. McCarthy completed his four final passes, even if none went longer than nine yards, and he didn’t waste either of the Giants’ final defensive stands.
We’ll save the McCarthy-Jaxson Dart debate for far later in the season, assuming there’s even a reason to start one. But Monday’s Cowboys-Eagles game will significantly affect the final NFC East standings, and the 5-3-1 Giants remain atop the throne.
Just remember: the last time McCarthy played for a Harbaugh brother, things ended with a national championship.
Add us as a preferred source on Google