Micah Parsons Praises Giants Quarterback J.J. McCarthy's Debut
The Cowboys' star edge rusher believes McCarthy's first start showed why he was a first-round pick, but doesn't see him unseating the Giants' primary QB.
All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons has offered praise for J.J. McCarthy following his strong first start with the New York Giants in Week 7. Parsons, speaking on his podcast "The Edge," indicated that McCarthy demonstrated the qualities that made him a first-round draft selection.
"Football is about consistency. Okay. Did he show why he was a first-round pick in that game? I’m going to say yes," Parsons stated.
The Giants' recently acquired quarterback completed 20 of 28 passes for 252 yards in a 27-21 overtime victory against the Houston Texans. Parsons noted McCarthy's solid decision-making, which he contrasted with the quarterback's previous stint in Minnesota.
"What I appreciate for his short run there, he was consistent. He didn’t cause a lot," said Parsons, who is nearing a return after tearing his ACL. "He didn’t turn the ball over, which is crucial, and he let his defense win the game. And then his running backs did what they were supposed to do."
Parsons attributed McCarthy's early success to the offensive system implemented by Giants coordinator Matt Nagy. He described the offense as one that plays to McCarthy's strengths, utilizing play-action and moving the pocket.
"I’m going to say, ‘I told you so’. He joined a system that well fits him. Run, play-action, live and die by it. Twenty-eight passes. Now, how many of them were true drop-backs? Not a ton. It was a lot of back-to-the-defense action. He took a lot of shots, like he pushed the ball, but it wasn’t ‘take a five-step drop, hitch, make a throw’," Parsons explained. "You got to understand every quarterback isn’t three-shot, live in shotgun. Every quarterback can’t live in shotgun."
McCarthy, the 10th overall pick in the 2024 draft, has the remainder of the season to showcase the potential that led Michigan fans to a national championship.
However, Parsons suggested that McCarthy is unlikely to become the Giants' long-term quarterback. The team acquired McCarthy for a fifth-round draft pick on September 28, following an injury to starting quarterback Jaxson Dart, who was lost for the season due to knee surgery.
"It’s his team to lose," Parsons said regarding Dart. "There’s nothing he (McCarthy) can do to take that job. The only thing he can do is gain value. They’re not going to take the main guy’s job unless Jaxson Dart just doesn’t look the same… We’ve seen that, don’t get us wrong."
In his first six quarters with the Giants, McCarthy has accumulated 495 passing yards, completing 63 percent of his passes with one touchdown, one interception, and a career-high passer rating of 95.2.