J.J. McCarthy’s NFL career has been full of ups and downs, starting with him missing his entire rookie year due to injury and then facing criticism over inconsistent performance as the Minnesota Vikings’ QB1.

After being traded to the New York Giants in late September, McCarthy got to show off his skills against the New Orleans Saints in Week 6.

The Giants’ quarterback question has hung over the team since Sunday. On Wednesday, ESPN reported that McCarthy is in line to start over Jameis Winston when New York visits the Houston Texans this weekend.

The reported switch comes three days after McCarthy replaced Winston in a 34-27 loss to the Saints and helped the Giants climb within a touchdown. However, fans are divided on it, with some backing McCarthy while others remain unconvinced.

New York Giants Reportedly Turn to J.J. McCarthy After Fourth-Quarter Rally

New York led 10-0 in the second quarter before the Saints scored 34 unanswered points, and McCarthy entered with the Giants trailing 34-10 and just under 12 minutes remaining. His first drive ended in an interception, but New York scored on its next three possessions, including on his 24-yard touchdown pass to Isaiah Likely. A final drive in the last minute ended on downs.

McCarthy finished 11 of 21 for 243 yards and a touchdown, while Winston was 14 of 26 for 152 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions.

With Jaxson Dart sidelined, New York still had not named a starter as of Monday. A source told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler that the Giants “plan to start QB J.J. McCarthy this Sunday vs. the Texans.”

Fans Divided Between Backing McCarthy and Expecting the Worst

Harbaugh’s decision quickly won over one fan, who wrote, “Let’s gooo, smart decision Harbs. JJ’s confidence is probably as high as it’s ever been in the NFL. You have to ride that.”

McCarthy said after Sunday’s loss, “I hope I just showed them… that they can trust me out there.” However, he also left the call to his coach: “Those are his decisions. And I trust him wholeheartedly with anything he makes, any decision he makes.”

Another fan took it a step further: “This is the correct decision. I don’t understand this need to baby JJ like he will fall apart mentally if he has a bad game. What JJ needs is a team and coaching staff that is 100% behind him. This is how you show that. Get a start in then let’s fix the mistakes during the Bye.”

ESPN had earlier reported that the bye week was also a consideration in the decision. After Sunday’s trip to Houston, the Giants don’t play again until Nov. 8 at the Philadelphia Eagles.

One fan had the bigger picture in mind: “Rooting for JJ. Would be fun if he plays well. Giants can win their division.” Despite Sunday’s loss, New York is 3-2-1 and sits first in the NFC East.

However, the move also caught some flak, with a fan already predicting McCarthy’s stat line for Sunday: “15/35 120 yards with 3 INTs loading.”

Another fan was even more blunt: “Houston’s defense is going to destroy him.”

One fan’s reaction centered on the Giants’ two leading receivers on Sunday: “There goes my Isaiah Likely, Malik Nabers fantasy points.”

Nabers caught 12 of his 15 targets for 165 yards against the Saints. Likely finished with six catches for 99 yards and also caught a two-point conversion from McCarthy.

It remains to be seen how the Giants’ offense, which ranks 18th on PFN’s Offense Impact Metric, will perform with McCarthy. Hopefully, he’ll be able to make the most of his opportunity and save his NFL career.