Giants coach John Harbaugh said Monday that the team is "honing in" on who will start at quarterback in Week 7. ESPN reported that the decision is for Sunday's game against the Texans. Pro Football Talk and Yahoo Sports said the question follows J.J. McCarthy replacing Jameis Winston late in Sunday's game and playing well. CBS Sports described it as McCarthy's Giants debut, after Winston was benched. None of the summaries we have says whether Harbaugh named a leaning or a timeline, so the choice is still open.

The box score from the 34-27 loss to New Orleans shows why. Winston completed 14 of 26 passes for 152 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions, a 52.1 rating. He was sacked four times and averaged 5.8 yards per attempt. McCarthy went 11 of 21 for 243 yards, one touchdown and one interception, a 90.0 rating. He averaged 11.6 yards per attempt and ran twice for 26 yards, including a 28-yard carry. He also took a sack. Our data has him with two games played this season, and the passing line above is his only production. Those 21 attempts are a small sample.

The Giants trailed 27-10 after three quarters and scored 17 in the fourth. They outgained the Saints 461 yards to 319 and threw three interceptions, four turnovers in all to New Orleans' one. The game ended with a McCarthy incompletion intended for Isaiah Likely. Winston is not the only quarterback who struggled, since McCarthy threw one of those interceptions.

Winston's season has been uneven. In five games he has 957 passing yards, seven touchdowns and five interceptions. He threw for 326 yards and three touchdowns in the 27-27 draw at Washington on Oct. 11, and three more touchdowns in a 36-24 win over Arizona a week earlier. Against the Rams on Sept. 21 he threw for 111 yards with an interception, and against Tennessee on Sept. 27 for 118 with no touchdowns. Sunday's two interceptions came a week after he was strip-sacked or otherwise lost a fumble at Washington, per the game log.

The stakes are high because the Giants are 3-2 and lead the NFC East, on a one-game losing streak after the draw and the loss. The Saints game was their first defeat since the Rams loss on Sept. 21 that our data shows, and a quarterback change now would come while they hold the division lead.

Houston is next, Sunday, Oct. 25. Harbaugh has not said who will start, and the starter's name should come before kickoff.