Harbaugh says the Giants are 'honing in on a decision' at quarterback between McCarthy and Winston

Coach John Harbaugh said the New York Giants are still discussing whether Jameis Winston or J.J. McCarthy will start at quarterback for their next game Sunday at Houston.

“We’re working through that now: honing in on a decision,” Harbaugh said on a video call with reporters on Monday.

Winston started the past four games since Jaxson Dart was sidelined by a left knee injury. McCarthy replaced Winston early in the fourth quarter against New Orleans and led multiple scoring drives to get within seven points before losing 34-27.

Facing little resistance from the Saints, McCarthy completed 11 of 21 passes for 243 yards and had a 28-yard run over a span of 11-plus minutes. He threw an interception on his fourth attempt, while Winston was picked off twice.

The Giants (3-2-1) are alone in first place in the NFC East, and their bye week coming up after playing the Texans is one of the factors involved. Another is Winston's familiarity with the offense compared to McCarthy, who is still learning it since joining in a trade from Minnesota in late September.

“With a quarterback ... what kind of a grasp does he have on all the things he’s going to need to do with just operating the offense, and understanding the terms and its cadences and the checks and all those kind of things, and to what degree are you able to do all those things?” Harbaugh said. “Is it enough to run your offense? And that’s something that we have been grappling with.”

McCarthy at 23 is younger than Winston by almost a decade and is also more mobile. After offensive coordinator Matt Nagy had some designed runs in the playbook for McCarthy each of the past two weekends, the question is now whether the entire game plan will be structured around the 10th pick in the 2024 draft with a national championship at Michigan on his resume.

Winston and McCarthy each deferred to Harbaugh when asked Sunday about the situation.

“Coach Harbaugh has to make a lot of decisions, and those are his decisions,” McCarthy said. “I trust him wholeheartedly with any decision he makes, and at the end of the day I’m just focused on getting better for this team.”

What’s working

The offense has been at its best in the fourth quarter, scoring 17 points against New Orleans a week after putting up 14 at Washington. Only four of New York's 29 plays were handoffs, and throwing that much is not something that can last an entire game.

“It’s not balanced,” Harbaugh said. “It’s one-dimensional. It invites a lot of issues for your offense from a pass rush standpoint. If you don’t keep people honest, just like running the ball every play, 3 yards and a cloud of dust is not sustainable.”

What needs help

The running game that was supposed to be a Harbaugh trademark has not gotten going, and it is not one person's fault. Najee Harris, Tyrone Tracy and Devin Singletary combined for 34 yards on 14 carries versus the Saints, who entered with the NFL's third-worst rush defense.

And it's not a one-game problem. The Giants rank 19th in the league on the ground with an average of 104.8 yards.

“I thought we’d be running the ball better at this point in time in terms of outcome and result, and we haven’t been able to do it,” Harbaugh said. “We’re not blocking well enough. We’re not running well enough. We’re not putting up enough yards. We’re not putting up enough consistency. We’re not efficient in our run game.”

Stock up

Linebacker Arvell Reese does not look like a rookie. Others on defense are missing tackles but not Reese, who played all 72 snaps.

Stock down

Charlie Jones had been solid since taking over return duties when Braxton Berrios was lost for the season. Jones fumbling when he was hit on a kickoff late in the first half totally changed the momentum in New Orleans' favor.

“Just got to be better, obviously,” Jones said. “Any time you’ve got a ball in your hands, you’ve just got to make sure, at minimum, I’m handing the ball to the ref at the end of the play. He hit it, and it came out.”

Injuries

The secondary is a mess. Greg Newsome got a concussion in the Saints game, fellow cornerback Colton Hood was out because of a concussion and safety Tyler Nubin did not play because of a neck injury.

Receiver Darnell Mooney left with a neck injury, and rookie right guard Sisi Mauigoa went to the X-ray room after the loss. Right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor is dealing with a calf injury that caused him to be inactive.

Key number

65 — Years since a Giants player had more than McCarthy's 243 yards passing after not starting a game. Y.A. Tittle had 315 against Washington on Oct. 1, 1961.

Next steps

Make a decision at the most important position in football, with implications not only on the standings but in the locker room. Harbaugh's choice between a respected veteran whose play has been up and down and a relative newcomer who nearly led a comeback has the potential to determine the direction of the remainder of the season.

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