JJ McCarthy Led NFL QBs in Yards Per Attempt in Giants Relief Role

JJ McCarthy led every quarterback in the NFL in two key passing measures in Week 6, according to Pro Football Focus. The Giants quarterback finished first among all passers in both yards per attempt and average depth of target, a combination that shows he was not only pushing the ball down the field but also making those throws pay off.

McCarthy averaged 11.6 yards per attempt, and his average depth of target was more than 16 yards, per PFF. The third-year quarterback nearly engineered a wild comeback for the Giants on Sunday. For how the game played out, read our full recap of the Giants vs. Saints game.

What JJ McCarthy's Average Depth of Target Tells Us

Average depth of target, often shortened to aDOT, measures how far past the line of scrimmage a quarterback's passes travel on average, whether or not they are caught. It counts every targeted throw, including incompletions, so it reflects how aggressive a passer is with where he chooses to throw the football.

An average depth of target of more than 16 yards is a very aggressive number. Most quarterbacks mix in short completions, screens and checkdowns over the course of a game, which pulls their average down into the single digits. Leading the league in this category for a week means McCarthy was consistently attacking the intermediate and deep parts of the field rather than settling for quick, safe throws near the line of scrimmage.

That style carries both upside and risk. Deep throws are harder to complete and give defenders more time to break on the ball, but when they connect, they can flip field position and change the scoreboard in a hurry.

Why 11.6 Yards Per Attempt Stands Out for the Giants

Yards per attempt is one of the simplest ways to measure how efficient a passer is. It takes a quarterback's total passing yards and divides them by the number of passes he threw. Because incompletions count as attempts with zero yards, a high yards-per-attempt figure means a quarterback is producing big gains often enough to make up for the throws that fall incomplete.

Averaging 11.6 yards per attempt put McCarthy at the top of the league for the week. Pairing that efficiency with the deepest average target of any quarterback is notable, because aggressive passers often see their efficiency drop as they take more low-percentage shots. In Week 6, McCarthy's downfield approach produced results.

What Comes Next for JJ McCarthy and the Giants

One week of numbers does not define a quarterback, and PFF's figures are a snapshot of a single game. Still, McCarthy's performance gave the Giants plenty to evaluate as they review the film from Sunday. His top receiver was impressed too, as Malik Nabers praised McCarthy's outing after the game.

NFL coaching staffs typically spend the early part of the week breaking down every snap from the previous game before building the plan for their next opponent. How the Giants handle the quarterback position going forward will be a storyline to watch, but McCarthy's Week 6 production, and how close he came to leading a comeback, made a strong statement about what he can bring to the offense.

Want more Giants coverage? Catch up on all of our latest articles here on the site, and follow @BigBlueFilmRoom on X for every Giants update as it breaks.

About Big Blue Film Room: Big Blue Film Room is an independent New York Giants news site delivering daily news, injury updates and game recaps. We credit and link to the original reporting behind every story, and we correct errors promptly under our Editorial Standards. Learn more about who we are and how we report on our About page.