J.J. McCarthy is getting another shot to show why he was taken 10th overall in 2024, and this one comes in a very different setting. His path as a starter now runs through New Jersey, where he’s set to make his first start for the Giants on Sunday against the Texans.
The opportunity gives McCarthy an 11-game stretch, and he knows exactly what’s on the line. On Wednesday, he called the move to the first team “a chance to prove yourself,” and said he feels better equipped for the job than he did when he opened last season as the Vikings’ starter.
What changed, in his view, is simple: reps. McCarthy said he learned about “the nature of NFL football” during 10 starts with Minnesota, and that those games - interrupted by injuries - left him more prepared to handle what comes next, even with only a few weeks in the Giants’ building.
“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 view Jaxson Dart as their long-term quarterback plan, but McCarthy’s next few weeks carry plenty of weight. If he flashes the ability that made him a top selection, there should be interest in what he can do next.
In Other News...
Drake Lindsey Suddenly Carries Minnesotas Biggest Concern Against Iowa
Minnesotas Big Ten season has opened with a rough reminder of how quickly things can tilt in this league. After the Gophers were routed 41-13 by Purdue, the focus immediately sharpened on the passing game and on Drake Lindsey, whose play has been a little steadier at times but still has not erased the turnover issues that have dogged Minnesota early on.
P.J. Fleck has made it clear the offense has to clean up the mistakes and be more efficient through the air, especially with Iowa next on the schedule. Lindseys next test comes with plenty of pressure attached, and Minnesota knows the margin for error at quarterback will be razor thin in a rivalry game where last seasons meeting in Iowa City turned into a long afternoon for the Gophers. [Read more 🡒]
Gophers Showed Real Fight But This Exhibition Raised A Bigger Concern
Minnesotas final exhibition offered plenty to like in the fight, even if the result ended up in the loss column. The Gophers dug out of an 18-point hole against Creighton and pushed the game to double overtime, with Isaac Asuma carrying the offense and finishing with 32 points in a performance that showed how much he can take on when the pressure rises.
Still, the closer look leaves a more familiar concern hanging over the night. Starting guard Kyan Evans exited in the first half with a right hip injury and did not return, and Minnesotas sloppiness showed up in the margins with 20 turnovers and a 13-for-28 effort at the free throw line, the kind of issues that can undo a team even when the energy and compete level are there. [Read more 🡒]
P.J. Fleck Finally Delivered A Gophers Rivalry Moment Fans Craved
P.J. Flecks 10th season at Minnesota has featured plenty of talk about culture, toughness and the long climb toward relevance, but the Gophers finally got a rivalry moment that matched the message. At home against Iowa, Minnesota reclaimed the Floyd of Rosedale in a game that was ugly at times and anything but clean, yet still carried the kind of weight that can linger well beyond one Saturday in November.
For a program that has spent years trying to turn close calls and near-misses into something more durable, this was the sort of win Fleck has been chasing. Even with Iowa gifting Minnesota early chances, the Gophers had to grind through the kind of messy, error-filled night that usually leaves a team wondering what might have been, and instead walked off with a result that matters in the rivalry and in the larger story of where this program is trying to go. [Read more 🡒]