J.J. McCarthy’s next big NFL audition is happening in New Jersey, and the former Vikings first-round pick says he’s better equipped for it now than he was when his career first got moving.
McCarthy is set to make his first start for the Giants on Sunday against the Texans, and the opportunity could open the door to an 11-game stretch for him to show what he can do. Drafted 10th overall in 2024 to be Minnesota’s quarterback, McCarthy now gets a fresh runway with a new team and a chance to get back in front of the league.
On Wednesday, McCarthy described the move to the first team as “a chance to prove yourself” and said the lessons he picked up in Minnesota have left him in a stronger spot than when he stepped in as the Vikings’ starter last season.
He said the 10 starts he made between injuries gave him a better feel for “the nature of NFL football” and added that experience should help him handle things more cleanly this time around.
“I believe just experience does wonders,” McCarthy said, via a transcript from the team. “Being able to be in that same situation where you might have made a mistake the last time, this time you’re just going to react better and make a more well-rounded response decision in that situation. Just being around great talent and great coaches, absolutely love everyone on the offensive side of the ball and the defensive side of the ball does a tremendous job of just giving us opportunities and always making sure we stay in the game and fight to the last seconds of each game.”
The Giants still have Jaxson Dart as their long-term quarterback plan, but McCarthy’s immediate job is clear: make the most of the opening in front of him. If he plays well, there should be interest, and a chance to remind everyone why he went so high in the draft in the first place.
In Other News...
Jahmyr Gibbs Faces A Familiar Packers Problem At The Worst Time
Jahmyr Gibbs has been one of the NFLs most dangerous finishers this season, and Detroit is leaning on him again as it tries to get back on track in the division. The Lions head into another meeting with Green Bay looking for their first win over the Packers since 2024, and Gibbs will be central to that push after emerging as the offenses touchdown leader.
The matchup, though, has not always brought out his biggest rushing afternoons. In six career games against Green Bay, Gibbs has averaged 48.2 rushing yards and scored twice, even as the Packers run defense has been merely average this season. Detroit knows what it needs from its backfield, but this remains one of those rivalries where production has been harder to bank on than the name on the stat sheet suggests. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Run Defense Just Got A Brutal Week 7 Twist
The Lions run defense is about to get a very different test in Week 7. Josh Jacobs has been activated to the Packers roster, giving Green Bay a needed boost after he missed the entire season to this point and the offense sputtered to the bottom of the league on the ground. For Detroit, the timing matters because this matchup now looks less like a chance to feast on a struggling rushing attack and more like a battle against a back who can change the feel of a game.
Jacobs return comes after his off-field situation shifted enough to clear the way back onto the roster, and Green Bay suddenly has a player it has been missing all season. For the Lions, it adds a layer of urgency to a unit that has built its identity on controlling the line of scrimmage. The Packers may still be trying to find their footing, but this is no longer the same rushing opponent Detroit was preparing for a week ago. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Have A Tom Kennedy Replacement Decision Still Hanging Over Sunday
Tom Kennedys injury leaves the Lions with a straightforward special teams problem and a familiar name ready to step in. Detroit special teams coordinator Dave Fipp said DeAndre Carter brings the kind of experience the team wants in the return game, and the veteran is the logical option to take on both punt and kickoff duties after Kennedy goes down.
The wrinkle is procedural, not positional. Carter is still on the practice squad, so Detroit has to make a roster move before he can actually suit up on game day, either by signing him to the active roster or elevating him for the matchup. For now, the Lions have a clear answer in mind, but the final paperwork still has to be sorted before Sunday. [Read more 🡒]