J.J. McCarthy gave the New York Giants reason to believe after nearly pulling off a comeback against the New Orleans Saints. But one strong stretch won’t erase every concern, especially with a tougher defensive test awaiting him against the Houston Texans on Sunday.

Former NFL linebacker Emmanuel Acho, for one, isn’t sold on McCarthy just yet. He believes Houston’s defense could expose the quarterback’s weaknesses and put his starting job in jeopardy sooner rather than later.

Emmanuel Acho Warns Giants’ J.J. McCarthy Ahead of Texans Matchup

Discussing on the “Speakeasy” show, Acho predicted McCarthy would struggle against the Texans and quickly lose his starting job. He argued that Houston’s defense would be better prepared to face McCarthy than the Saints were, as New Orleans had little time to prepare for him when he came off the bench.

“J.J. is going to go out there and stink it up,” Acho said, adding that Texans defenders Calen Bullock, Kamari Lassiter, Derek Stingley Jr., Jalen Pitre and Reed Blankenship would have fun racking up stats against the 23-year-old quarterback.

“When you are playing a backup quarterback, you do not scout the backup quarterback. You start the scout with the starting quarterback,” Acho added.

McCarthy threw for 243 yards and a touchdown in the fourth quarter against New Orleans, helping the Giants mount a comeback before ultimately losing 34-27.

Acho gave McCarthy credit for his performance but warned that Houston would approach the matchup differently now that the quarterback is expected to start. The Texans, who rank No. 22 with a PFN Defense Impact Score%20assigns,red%20zone%20and%20third%20downs.) of 73.9, will have a full week to study McCarthy’s tendencies and tailor their coverage to limit his options.

“So, when J.J. McCarthy comes in and throws for 243 yards in the fourth quarter, that is absolutely worthy of our applause,” Acho said. “But here’s what I will tell you. Now, they are going to prepare for J.J. McCarthy.”

Houston has won two straight games after opening the season 0-4, giving its defense some momentum heading into Sunday’s matchup.

“You are not playing the New Orleans Saints. You’re playing a team full of All-Pro-caliber talents in the secondary,” Acho continued.

McCarthy’s performance in Week 6 wasn’t without its flaws, either. His first drive ended with an interception on a pass intended for Malachi Fields, although he later produced a strong fourth-quarter response.

Still, Acho believes McCarthy may not have much time to prove himself. With head coach John Harbaugh ready to make a change if things go south, the Texans’ matchup could be crucial for the young quarterback.

“Anything John Harbaugh gives, John Harbaugh takes away, and that starting job was about to be given, and it will very quickly be taken away,” Acho said.

McCarthy will get a chance to prove Acho wrong on Sunday, but if he struggles against Houston, his time as the Giants’ starter could be shorter than expected.