Carton and Big Mac Debate Starting JJ McCarthy for the Giants

Craig Carton (0:01)

2019 Carton Show Big Mac, let's do this like Brutus, because it ain't new to us. 888-808-1019. There you go.

SPEAKER_2 (0:14)

I know you planned it.

Craig Carton (0:15)

Jets are 2 and 4, Giants are 3, 2 and 1 You got the Texans coming up. They've now won back to back games. Defense is still a little leaky. We'll get more into that later in the week, of course, but right now, just to give you guys a chance to vent about either the Jets lost to the Patriots or the Giants. Well, look, that was going to be a blowout loss to the Saints yesterday. Let's just put one thing to bed now. And you and I have not talked about this before the show, so I'm not sure where you're going to be. I have my gut on it.

I assume you want Jameis Winston starting last game before the bye, and then if things go south, two weeks for JJ to prepare for the second half of the season. Or you want JJ starting this week?

Chris McMonigle (0:58)

No, you guessed it. That's what I would glean towards giving Jameis one more start. I think he's earned it with his play.

They've won the games he started for the most part. I know it didn't go well yesterday. I don't look too much into coming in down that amount of points and being able to just throw the ball down the field. One of the plays a miracle, bounce up in the air, guy makes a big time catch. Not to say he didn't play well. He played well in those big moments, made some big throws, no doubt about it, and got the offense going where it was stagnant with Jameis.

SPEAKER_2 (1:27)

Easier to play quarterback in that spot.

Chris McMonigle (1:28)

I totally agree. Look, I think, I don't know how much you're going to get out of McCarthy. I think they play similar styles. There's going to be a lot of good, a lot of bad. I think James has earned one more start leading into the bye, and then you can have the entire bye week to transition and have a full week of practice with JJ McCarthy as your quarterback if James Winston doesn't play well against the Texans.

Craig Carton (1:46)

Yeah, I think that's probably the right thing to do also. Because once you go to McCarthy as the starter, now he's your starting quarterback.

Chris McMonigle (1:52)

That's it. You're not going back. And Jameis is a backup. I get it. Because I know a lot of people are clamoring that you have to start JJ McCarthy. Look, I mean, JJ McCarthy might have a little bit of magic to him. He did at the end of this game. I get it. But I still think Jameis Winston gives them the best chance to win. He's won football games for the Giants. He started a hell of a lot more games than JJ McCarthy. He's more entrenched in this offense.

I think he's earned one more start. We'll see how it goes. And then I would make the move after that if it's another awful start.

Craig Carton (2:21)

Yeah, if he plays like crap and is turning the ball over. Now you go to JJ McCarthy and then JJ McCarthy comes.

This franchise has started quarterback for the last two and a half months of the season. And then of course, we worry about those games when we have to. Here's the good news for the Giants. And there is good news.

Chris McMonigle (2:39)

The rest of the division?

Craig Carton (2:40)

The division. Look, we'll get into the Philly situation later on today because it's maybe the craziest thing I've ever heard in my lifetime. To have a player with blood clots that travel to his lungs, stay awake in a London hospital, and not be allowed to fall asleep for fear that he might die, and then bless that guy playing a football game a few hours later with 36 hours of not sleeping because they were afraid he might die.

And then put that guy on an international flight for seven hours is mind boggling. More on that later. That being said, the Eagles look like a dead franchise right now. Washington plays tonight against San Francisco. Obviously, they're a big touchdown underdog. No expectation they win that game. Dallas Cowboys embarrassed themselves against the Green Bay Packers yesterday.

It's still the Giants' division to lose.

Chris McMonigle (3:36)

Amazingly enough, they're not going to lose any ground. They're going to go 0-1-1 over the last two weeks and gain a half a game.

That's living pretty. That's a lot of luck. Right now, the division is falling apart around them. As you said, Jalen Hurts is not going to be here the rest of the season. Who knows how they handle that? I wouldn't be surprised if Philadelphia gave up on the year and started selling off pieces. They've got a lot of salary cash implications coming up in the next few years. I would not be surprised if this is now a dead season for the Philadelphia Eagles.