The Giants’ ever-changing quarterback situation is testing offensive coordinator Matt Nagy’s math skills.
Nagy estimated that the Giants lost about 30 percent of their playbook — namely the dual-threat quarterback section of zone reads and RPOs — when Jaxson Dart was injured in Week 2 and replaced by pocket passer Jameis Winston for four starts.
The final variable in the equation is the introduction of JJ McCarthy, who moved ahead of Winston to get the next start Sunday against the Texans.
“Maybe now 20 percent of the 30 who left are back,” Nagy said before Thursday’s practice. “For us, what does he do well? You’ve seen some of the packages he’s done, but it can get predictable. We don’t want to be predictable. Now that he’s a starter, it probably benefits some of us that he’s not always coming in to make predictable QB-driven runs.”
Making only his second appearance since being acquired in a trade with the Vikings on Sept. 28, McCarthy produced a historic fourth quarter – 243 passing yards and three TDs – coming off the bench last Sunday in nearly bringing the Giants back from a 24-point deficit in a 34-27 loss to the Saints.
That performance reinforced the coaching staff’s belief that McCarthy had turned a corner last week and was ready to play a bigger role.
“Just the confidence that he’s able, in practice, to tell us about the scheme, where his eyes are going in the passing game, where he’s snapping the ball with a swing or a shift,” Nagy said.
“If there was a little problem with Jameis or if he got hurt, he could come in and perform. Whereas the first two weeks, I had a highlighted (game) call sheet that if something happened and he was there, it was the plays. It was probably 50 percent. Last week, it was probably 90 percent. Now this week, it’ll be 100 percent.”
Tight end Isaiah Likely said it was the responsibility of the other 10 offensive players to make McCarthy “as comfortable as possible (for) a quarterback in a new offense.”
McCarthy has at least two pass catchers who believe they are always open. So, he’ll throw his 50 mph fastballs — among the fastest quarterback speeds in the league — downfield (12.4 career yards per completion) against a notoriously ball-hawking secondary.
“I let him know that as long as the ball is in the air and close, it’s a good pass either way,” Likely said. “It doesn’t matter if someone’s on me or if I’m wide open. Just throw the ball, trust me, and I’ll make the play for you.”
McCarthy is the eighth quarterback Malik Nabers has caught a pass from in 25 career games. His strategy for adapting to the change of quarterback is simple.
“Open up, just open up,” Nabers said. “They’re going to find you, and they know who their guys are. And when you talk to them, just give them motivation. Tell them, ‘I know you’re just coming in, you don’t really know me… but just know on certain plays, just give me an opportunity. Even when I’m covered, just give me an opportunity.’ »
McCarthy nailed the no-huddle part of the playbook against the Saints. But what about managing a match in four quarters?
“His surgery is really, really good,” Nagy said. “It starts with listening to the play call in your headset, being able to say it and/or read it on the wristband, getting to the line of scrimmage, and then being a quarterback: seeing the formation, the motion changes, seeing the play clock, doing your ID checks or whatever you’re doing with the center, and then making a play. What he does is incredible. He wants everything he can stomach within our offense.”
The Giants couldn’t have thrown McCarthy into a hostile road environment as a 9.5-point underdog and gave him two weeks to prepare to make his first start after the bye. Why wait?
“We wouldn’t have had this discussion if we didn’t think he could do it,” Nagy said. “We have full confidence that as the staff (quarterbacks) coach, Brian Callahan has done an incredible job working with him and preparing him. We’re confident about that.”
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