Justin Simmons had his criticism of John Harbaugh ready before the New York Giants even finished their Week 7 game. He knew the argument he wanted to make, knew where he would place the blame, and was ready to take Harbaugh to task on television if the Giants lost.
Then the Giants won, and Simmons had to eat his words.
The former All-Pro safety owned up to his mistake during CBS Sports HQ's coverage after New York beat the Houston Texans 27-21 in overtime. J.J. McCarthy played fairly well in his first start, but Simmons had expected Harbaugh's decision to start the young quarterback to backfire.
"I fully expected to come on show today and say, 'This is a bad call by Harbaugh,'" Simmons said . "I thought Houston was going to win, and I was going to blame him for starting JJ."
Simmons' concern centered on the timing of the quarterback change. With the Giants' bye week approaching, he believed Harbaugh could have stuck with Jameis Winston for one more game and given McCarthy another two weeks to get comfortable with the offense before taking over.
"I legit was going to come on air. I already had it prepped: 'Bad move. Their bye week is next week… Give J.J. McCarthy two more weeks to learn the offense,'" the analyst added.
SET YOUR LINEUPS: PFN's Free Fantasy Start/Sit Optimizer
Simmons then owned his mistake after McCarthy proved him wrong with a solid performance in the Giants' win. "Hand up accountability. That's on me. Giants fans, I apologize."
There is something refreshing about an analyst admitting he had his criticism ready before the game even started. Simmons could have spent the segment defending his original take, but instead, he gave Harbaugh credit and owned his mistake.
Harbaugh's decision to start McCarthy over Winston had drawn mixed reactions before the Giants even traveled to Houston. The head honcho announced the change after Wednesday's practice.
Some fans supported the move online , while others shared Simmons' concerns about the timing of the switch.
PREDICT THE NFL SEASON: PFN's Free NFL Playoff Predictor
McCarthy's first start had its share of ups and downs. He recorded 252 passing yards, 0 touchdowns, 0 interceptions, and a 99.1 passer rating.
The running game ultimately sealed the deal for New York, with Cam Skattebo breaking loose for a 42-yard run in overtime before Devin Singletary punched in the winning 30-yard touchdown.
McCarthy has much work to do before the Giants return to action in Week 9. He ranked No. 17 among quarterbacks in Week 7 with a PFN QB Impact Score of 72.3.
The 23-year-old will need to find the end zone more often through the air and do a better job of avoiding sacks and handling pressure.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network .
