​The New York Giants pulled off a massive road upset against the Houston Texans, a team favored by nine points in their own stadium. Quarterback JJ McCarthy led the offense with poise and confidence throughout the contest. His performance quickly made waves across the NFL media world. One of sports television’s loudest voices then dropped a comparison nobody saw coming. The reaction is already heating up.Colin Cowherd draws bold Sam Darnold comparison with JJ McCarthyColin Cowherd used his podcast to connect McCarthy with Sam Darnold, now one of the league’s biggest comeback stories.“Is JJ McCarthy the next Sam Darnold? First-round pick, goes to an organisation and it just starts poorly, never gets going, Darnold leaves,” Cowherd asked listeners. “A lot of players wanted Darnold. Do we have a Darnold on our hands as the Giants, on the road, beat a Houston team that was favoured by 9?” “Is JJ McCarthy the new Sam Darnold”@colincowherd & @JohnMiddlekauff on the Giants QB leading an upset over the Texans https://t.co/9FSQYotYMN— The Volume (@TheVolumeSports) October 26, 2026The parallels are clear. Darnold went third overall to the Jets in 2018, then moved on to the Panthers and 49ers. He found his footing with the Vikings in 2024, leading them to a 14-3 record and a Pro Bowl nod. Last season, he guided the Seahawks past the Patriots 29-13 in Super Bowl LX.New York Giants quarterback JJ McCarthy, is shown during pregame practice, Sunday, October 4, 2026, in East Rutherford.McCarthy went 10th overall in 2024, but his time in Minnesota stalled. He lost the starting battle to Kyler Murray, then slipped behind Carson Wentz on the depth chart. The Giants acquired him on Sept. 28, and John Harbaugh kept him active as an option in Week 4.McCarthy completed 20 of 28 passes for 252 yards with no touchdowns or turnovers in a 27-21 Week 7 overtime win. Cam Skattebo ran for 124 yards, and Devin Singletary scored the winner. Houston entered as roughly 10-point favorites.The reaction inside the Giants’ locker room afterward said even more about McCarthy.McCarthy fires up teammates after first Giants winHarbaugh gave McCarthy a game ball, and the quarterback then addressed his new teammates in the locker room. Fans on social media praised the speech, which came just 27 days after his trade.“Truly the only stat I care about is going 1-0,” McCarthy told reporters. “I couldn’t care less how we get it done. At the end of the day, you want to perform well. You want to execute well. It’s one of those things where if the running backs are getting their touches and getting their touchdowns, I’m as happy as I can be. Whether I’m throwing the touchdowns, I’m as happy as I can be. At the end of the day, all that matters is getting that victory.”The result also carried a personal edge. McCarthy is now 3-0 against C.J. Stroud, dating back to their college days at Michigan and Ohio State. It was his seventh win in 11 career starts.