John Harbaugh defends conservative Giants play-calling for ‘capable’ J.J. McCarthy

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The box score reads that last Thursday was the most prolific passing night of J.J. McCarthy’s young career. The fourth quarter of the Giants’ loss to the Commanders suggests…

The box score reads that last Thursday was the most prolific passing night of J.J. McCarthy’s young career.

Watching the fourth quarter of the Giants’ 24-21 loss to the Commanders suggests something very different.

At the end of a game in which McCarthy threw for a career-high 293 yards, the Giants took responsibility out of his hands and tempered excitement that he has had a breakthrough — cooling the runaway hot-take train that he could challenge Jaxson Dart as the starter next season — by showing the level of conservative play-calling typically reserved for backup quarterbacks.

Is that an indication of a lack of trust entering a daunting part of the schedule, including facing three of the NFL’s top-six scoring defenses over the next four games?

“No, no, no,” head coach John Harbaugh said. “It’s a very fair question. I think he’s proven that he’s capable of winning games and making the plays, and I probably feel more strongly about that now than ever. It was his third [start] … but he’s earned that right. I’m excited about where he’s going [moving] forward and our chance to close out some games.”

On the Giants’ two possessions with a four-point lead after the defense forced interceptions, offensive coordinator Matt Nagy called six runs on six plays and it led to two punts.

“Defense gives you two opportunities to end the game — especially on down and distances where you feel like you can get it — so as an offense that’s frustrating going to the sideline, keeping putting them in a position to go out there and ice the game,” tight end Isaiah Likely said. “As an offense, we need to look ourselves in the mirror.”

As he often does, Jameis Winston replaced McCarthy to run a quarterback sneak on third-and-1 at the 11-yard line rather than handing to Cam Skattebo (who gained 9 yards on the previous two carries) or using a play-action fake. It failed to gain more than a few inches.

One possession later, McCarthy kept the ball on a poorly blocked third-and-3 quarterback sweep.

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