LANDOVER, Md. — J.J. McCarthy made his Giants debut, but he feels further away from taking over as the starting quarterback than ever before. 

Acquired two weeks ago in a trade with the Vikings to provide help in Jaxson Dart’s absence, McCarthy took five snaps — rushing twice for 2 yards and throwing two passes that were negated by penalty — as Jameis Winston rallied the Giants from 14 points down to a 27-27 tie against the Commanders. 

“I think we’ll grow,” head coach John Harbaugh said. “We’re in a situation where it’s by any means necessary. Sometimes it’s going to work. Most of the time, it’s going to work — we hope, if we’re going to get where we want to go — and sometimes it’s not. We had a chance in a couple of those to make big plays.” 

Winston improved his job security by throwing for 326 yards and three touchdowns. McCarthy’s only two passes were on a jet sweep and a bubble screen — nothing down the field. 

“The coaches get paid a lot of money to make decisions,” Winston said. “I had a chance to play with one of the best [RPO quarterbacks] of all time in Taysom Hill. So, whatever is required for this [team] to win, I am for that.” 

Commanders head coach Dan Quinn lamented not kicking what could have been the game-winning 42-yard field goal at the 11-second mark, before running one more play and letting the time run out. 

“I don’t need to put him in that spot at all,” said Quinn, who was the head coach on the losing end of the Falcons blowing a 25-point lead in Super Bowl 51. “We don’t need to gain more. Let’s go win it right there.” 

Tucked into the Giants’ 3-1-1 record is that they have not yet learned to win on the road. They were hammered Week 2 by the Rams in Inglewood, Calif., and failed to win (or lose) to the Commanders in their first NFC East road game. 

New York Giants quarterback J.J. McCarthy (18) is tackled by Washington Commanders’ Frankie Luvu (4) during the second half of an NFL football game in Landover, Md., Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026. AP Photo/Nick Wass

“It’s hard to come on the road and win,” nose tackle DJ Reader told The Post. “People got pride, their families are watching. We came on the road, and we got beat pretty bad last time. We got a tie this time. Next time we got to go get a ‘dub.’” 

In his first NFC East road game, Harbaugh was impressed by the traveling contingent of Giants fans. 

“Wow, I mean our fans were loud,” he said. “At the end of the game, especially, it was really something to see. Really proud of our fans.”