EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The New Orleans Saints piled up 34 unanswered points and then had to survive a frantic finish Sunday, beating the New York Giants 34-27 at MetLife Stadium after backup quarterback J.J. McCarthy nearly erased the deficit.
New York opened a 10-0 lead before four turnovers let New Orleans take over. With the Giants down 34-10 in the fourth quarter, coach John Harbaugh pulled Jameis Winston, who was 14 of 26 for 152 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions in his fourth straight start for the injured Jaxson Dart.
McCarthy was picked off on his third throw, then caught fire. He led a 52-yard march that ended with a Tyrone Tracy Jr. touchdown run and an Isaiah Likely two-point conversion, then needed only three plays to go 73 yards, finding Likely for a 24-yard score. A 41-yard Dominic Zvada field goal with 2:04 to go made it a one-score game.
Taking over with 57 seconds left and no timeouts, McCarthy ran 28 yards up the middle and hit Likely for 20 more to reach the New Orleans 23. The comeback ended when his fourth-and-1 throw from the 14 fell incomplete in the end zone with 12 seconds left.
McCarthy finished 11 of 21 for 243 yards with a touchdown and an interception, all in roughly 11 minutes of play, and led New York with 26 rushing yards. The Giants got him from Minnesota last month for a fifth-round pick.
Harbaugh declined to name a starter for Week 7, saying the decision would not be made right after a game, and said he still backs Winston. The Giants, who tied Washington a week earlier, lost for the first time in nearly a month. Running back Cam Skattebo did not get a carry, which Harbaugh said was not planned.
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