Hour 1: Craig and Big Mac React to Giants Trading for J.J. McCarthy

Craig Carton (0:05)

It's The Carton Show with Big Mac on a gorgeous Monday afternoon in New York City. Phone number to join, as always, 888-808-1019.

We got a great show for you today, as we, of course, get ready for the America League wild card tomorrow night at Yankee Stadium. Much more on that later on today. The New York Giants, how sad is it for us as Jet fans? They're actually enjoying and celebrating the fact that they didn't lose by as much as we thought they might. And the New York Giants, I've said it a million times, was it ugly? Yes. Does it matter? No.

A dub is a dub. And then we come in about a half hour ago to the news that the New York Giants are not happy with Jameis Winston, so they decide to trade a fifth round pick for the failed first round quarterback of the Minnesota Vikings, JJ. McCarthy. Lots cooking today. Good afternoon, Big Mac. How are you?

Chris McMonigle (1:02)

I'm doing well. I'm feeling good. I'm feeling good. Big win, big playoff game coming tomorrow. But yeah, big win for the Giants who, look, it was ugly. It was disastrous in many ways. The quarterback play, which I think leads into this. Yes. Because let's be honest, right?

If they were just looking for a straight up backup for Jameis Winston just to get another quarterback in the room, just to make sure if Jameis goes down, they have someone competent, they're not trading a fifth round pick for JJ. McCarthy. I think they have every intention of playing him. I think what you've seen these two games-

Craig Carton (1:31)

Or at least giving him a chance to show that they can trust him.

Chris McMonigle (1:35)

I think their intention is and their hope is that within a few short weeks, he is the starting quarterback of New York Giants.

Craig Carton (1:41)

Because you could have gotten Jimmy Garoppolo for nothing.

Chris McMonigle (1:43)

You could have gotten a bunch of guys for nothing.

Craig Carton (1:45)

Absolutely. I agree with you 100%.

Chris McMonigle (1:46)

The way Jameis Winston played and I understand the elements and I understand the game plan and I understand the kind of field possession game it was. You watched him play. We saw him play Monday against the Rams. Forget that. We know how terrible it was. Just everything about the way he played. Just his awareness inside the pocket. He's holding on to the ball forever, missing throws early on in the game. Like there was nothing he did well in that game, other than not make a mistake. He's not a good quarterback. But this is a guy like I'm wondering what's going on with Jameis.

Craig Carton (2:15)

I think you see what he really is. He's a great personality that can't play.

Chris McMonigle (2:19)

But let's just go through the timeline here.

Right, everyone's telling us at the beginning of camp, and a lot of it was because Jackson Dart was having trouble understanding Matt Nagy's offense a couple weeks into camp. But the talk at a camp was, does Jameis Winston looks better than JJ looks better than Jackson Dart? Right, that was the camp. That was the talk. Then they give him the extension on the contract. What has gone on that in two weeks, one of the games he wins, they go out and trade, the post game sound is like, well, you know, he did what was necessary. He did just enough to win. Like they didn't even say, look, the elements were tough. I thought he played a good game. It was like, hey, he did what we needed, right? We won at the end of the day. We had more points than they did. And now they go out and trade a fifth round pick for a first round pick who's been failed.

Third string for a coach that's a quarterback guru and whisperer decided to play Carson Wentz instead. Now they're going to this, why? Because he won a national championship with his brother in Michigan. Like something's up with Jameis. The passes look bad, throws her at receivers feet. Like everything is pointing to the idea that they are no longer confident Jameis Winston can run this offense and they've traded for someone to supplant them. Like that's how I'm looking at it.

Craig Carton (3:29)

I agree 100 percent and it's funny, you could have blamed the weather theoretically yesterday, but they didn't and he just didn't play well. The Giants escaped with a W and that's all that matters.

Chris McMonigle (3:39)

Yes.

Craig Carton (3:40)

But it's one of those things, it's kind of like a chicken and egg kind of scenario where would you say that the Giants won the game or would you say that Ken Ward lost the game? Because the reality is that in that last drive and the two last drives that the Giants had, the scoring drive and then the last drive that could have won in the game, those two drives happened, not coincidentally, right after Burns goes down, whether I guess it's a torn ACO, which sucks for him because-