J.J. McCarthy’s historic fourth-quarter performance last Sunday may have temporarily eased concerns about his viability as an NFL quarterback — at least among New York Giants fans and national pundits.
Those who actually played in the NFL, such as former Raiders All-Pro quarterback Rich Gannon, likely feel differently. Speaking with Casino.org earlier this week, the 2002 NFL MVP expressed doubts about McCarthy’s mental readiness to replace Jameis Winston as the Giants’ starter.
Gannon said he’s concerned about McCarthy’s accuracy, decision-making, and “lack of anticipation” heading into Sunday’s game against the Texans.
“I think when you go back and evaluate every opportunity he had last year, you could tell that he was late,” Gannon said. “He was late with his eyes, he was late with his arm, and his overall anticipation wasn’t there.
“I think he was rushed because he wasn’t in rhythm, and I don’t think he has a mastery of protections yet,” the four-time Pro Bowler continued. “He always seemed surprised where free blitzers were coming from.”
New York Giants fans shouldn’t dismiss Rich Gannon’s thoughts on J.J. McCarthy
Gannon played 17 seasons in the NFL and experienced plenty of lows before salvaging his career with the Raiders starting in 1999. We trust his objective analysis far more than we would a random talking head or blogger citing obscure metrics as reasons why McCarthy will or will not succeed.
For those entirely unfamiliar with Gannon, know that he didn’t start his first NFL game until his fourth professional season. He was a low-level starter and mid-tier backup — a 1990s Mason Rudolph, if you will — for much of his career. It wasn’t until he teamed up with Jon Gruden in Oakland that he unexpectedly evolved into one of the league’s top quarterbacks.
Could McCarthy have a similar rise to prominence under John Harbaugh and Matt Nagy? Don’t even think of opening that can of worms yet.
Gannon wants McCarthy to “trust his eyes and feet” moving forward, and we saw mixed results against the Saints. Much of the talk focused on his 243 passing yards in the fourth quarter, but it’s easy to forget he went 11-of-21 and threw an interception. He also had a 28-yard run, and the Giants consistently moved the ball downfield with him at quarterback.
Harbaugh and Nagy are putting their faith in McCarthy, and Gannon likes the overall fit. He noted the Giants also have Greg Roman, who worked with Lamar Jackson in Baltimore and has familiarity with RPO-type offenses.
“Maybe Minnesota saw an opportunity for him in New York and wanted the best for him,” Gannon said. “The Giants have an offense that’s probably a little more suitable to what JJ does.”
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