If J.J. McCarthy was guaranteed to throw for 943 yards, rush for 104 yards and lead 12 scoring drives in his next start, then the Giants wouldn’t have a quarterback controversy on their hands.
asserted
Giants → guarantee → hands
But, of course, it’s preposterous to conclude McCarthy’s fourth-quarter production against the Saints should be quadrupled to determine what he could do over the course of a full game.
uncertain
he → ’ → game
tRY IT NOWSo, head coach John Harbaugh continued to “hone in on” whether McCarthy or Jameis Winston (2-1-1 as the starter) will start Sunday against the Texans.
asserted
McCarthy → try → Texans
Monday passed without a decision.
asserted
Monday → pass → decision
“Jameis has done a great job in so many ways … and did what he had to do to win games, and that’s something you value very much,” Harbaugh said.
asserted
Harbaugh → do → games
“J.J. just got here [via trade] a couple weeks ago, and where do we stand?
asserted
we → get → trade
We’re trying to put an offense together that he has a feel for.”
asserted
he → try → feel
There are extenuating circumstances — a 24-point deficit, a no-huddle offense, soft defensive coverage, abandonment of the run game, an opponent that temporarily removed starters, to name a few — to consider when judging whether McCarthy’s performance suggests he should be the starter and the Giants should change their identity to become more up-tempo and pass-oriented.
uncertain
Giants → be → identity
The Giants snapped the ball every 14.6 seconds of possession with McCarthy in the fourth quarter.
asserted
Giants → snap → quarter
“That kind of an offense has been tried — you see it in college sometimes with teams that run no-huddle all the time or the run-and-shoot was like that,” Harbaugh said.
asserted
Harbaugh → try → that
“It hasn’t really proven to be sustainable.
asserted
It → prove → ?
It’s one-dimensional.
asserted
It → ’ → ?
It invites a lot of issues for your offense from a pass-rush standpoint if you don’t keep people honest.
asserted
you → invite → people
Just like running the ball every play — three yards and a cloud of dust — is not sustainable.
asserted
running → run → dust
It’s been proven over time that being more balanced [is better].”
asserted
being → prove → time
Except that the Giants are struggling to create balance because their rushing attack ranks No. 22 with 3.8 yards per carry.
asserted
attack → struggle → carry
Fumble-prone Cam Skattebo was punished by getting no touches against the Saints.
asserted
Skattebo → punish → Saints
“Not having an efficient run game causes the defenses to stay too high,” receiver Malik Nabers said, “and they are able to double-team and try to take us out of the game.”
asserted
they → have → game
One week ago, the stagnant Winston-led offense came alive under similar hurry-up circumstances during a 14-point fourth-quarter comeback.
asserted
offense → lead → comeback
Winston threw three touchdown passes.
asserted
Winston → throw → passes
“You can do it, but I don’t think that’s something you want to do,” running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. said.
asserted
Jr. → do → it
“You don’t want to rely on going up-tempo the whole time.
asserted
You → want → tempo
That’s more of a change-up.”
asserted
That → ’ → up
That style is the opposite of the physical, ball-control identity that Harbaugh sought to build before quarterback Jaxson Dart’s season-ending injury.
asserted
Harbaugh → seek → injury
“We just have to be honest with ourselves in the film room,” tight end Isaiah Likely said.
asserted
Likely → have → room
“Understand and realize, being truthful, about what offense we want to be.”
asserted
we → understand → offense
McCarthy’s 4.9 air yards per attempt and 17.2 air yards per completion were the most by a quarterback with at least 20 dropbacks in a game this season, according to NextGenStats.
uncertain
yards → accord → NextGenStats
He was worth 4.7 expected points added through the air.
asserted
He → expect → air
McCarthy’s play style is well-suited for mounting comebacks.
asserted
style → suit → comebacks
He led the NFL last season with 9.3 air yards per attempt and a 42.4 percent downfield throw rate.
asserted
He → lead → attempt
It is yet to be determined — including through his 10 career starts with the Vikings — if he is suited for managing a four-quarter offense.
asserted
he → determine → offense
“We wanted to be a team that could play a very balanced type of attack … and a lot of different styles,” Harbaugh said.
uncertain
Harbaugh → want → styles
“When we lost Jaxson that made it tough for us to be what we wanted to be.
asserted
we → lose → what
That changed everything.
asserted
That → change → everything
We were trying to find ourselves for a few weeks there — we still have been, obviously.
asserted
we → try → weeks
“The thing that’s important to remember is we are most definitely a work in progress.
asserted
we → ’ → progress
It’s our responsibility to find ourselves and put together the type of football team that can go get what we want.
asserted
we → ’ → what
It could be a little different range, but in that 60-40 [run-pass] range either way, what are we going to be doin’?”
uncertain
we → go → what
Similar to McCarthy, Winston likes to make aggressive throws into tight windows.
asserted
Winston → like → windows
He just doesn’t add the same level of athleticism and rushing threat that the Giants have missed since Dart’s injury.
asserted
Giants → add → injury
…and 5 more, not listed.
The Aporia
