Giants Grounded by Brady and Bucs
BUCCANEERS 30 – GIANTS 10
If things couldn’t get any worse for the New York Giants, it certainly did on Monday night against the World Champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who whipped Big Blue to the tune of 30-10 in a battle of two teams heading in opposite directions.
Daniel Jones struggled big time for the Giants, tossing for only 167 yards through the air, while getting intercepted twice. He was under constant duress from the Buccaneers who sometimes rushed only four linemen. Jones’ mechanics were off all night, with no better example than his first interception, which came on a corner blitz, as the Giants quarterback hurried the throw off his back foot and tossed the ball right into the hands of defensive lineman Steve McClendon.
Meanwhile running back Saquon Barkley, in his first game back since an ankle injury was ineffective, rushing for only 25-yards on nine carries. It didn’t help matters that the Giants couldn’t stop Tampa’s offense, which took New York right out of its game plan.
TAMPA, FLORIDA – NOVEMBER 22: Tom Brady #12 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the huddle with teammates during the second half against the New York Giants at Raymond James Stadium on November 22, 2021 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
Even with the struggles via player execution, head coach Joe Judge tried to deflect blame onto his coaching staff, with a particular swipe at offensive coordinator Jason Garrett.
“Players have to execute. That is their job, right? It is our job to teach them. It’s their job to go out and execute. But we’ve got to make sure we put them in position to have success. That has to be consistent, by the way. So, you can go ahead and write that down. I’m not going to debate that.”
…”We have to do a better job of putting our players in position to make plays. We have too many good players. We have to put them in better position to capitalize on it. That’s it.”
Tom Brady had his way with the Giants. The seven-time Super Bowl champion threw for 307 yards and two touchdowns. At times the Bucs overpowered the Giants on the defensive side of the ball, and moved up and down the field with alacrity.
Tampa Bay needed only eight plays on its opening drive to put points on the board when Chris Godwin hauled in a 13-yard pass from Brady to make it 7-0.
Brady nearly led the Bucs to a second touchdown on their next possession, but an incompletion on third and goal at the seven forced Tampa to settle for three points, and a 10-3 lead.
Then the only good thing to happen for the Giants occurred on consecutive plays in the second quarter. First, a ball that bounced off the hands of wide receiver Lee Evans was picked off by Giants corner Adoree Jackson at the Bucs’ 15-yard line. Two plays later Jones hit tackle Andrew Thomas as an eligible wide receiver for a touchdown to even up the game at 10.
Tampa quickly got the momentum back. Brady hit Rob Gronkowski on a 35-yard strike to the Giants’ 29. Five plays later Ronald Jones II plowed in from six yards out to give Tampa Bay the lead back at 17-10.
The Bucs all but put the game away in the third quarter when Brady engineered another extensive drive, this one culminating in a Lee Evans touchdown to make it 24-10.
The Giants (3-7) season has pretty much slipped away from them at this point. Even with a number of inconsistent teams battling for the final two wild card slots, the Giants would need a huge December rally to have a shot. New York hosts the Philadelphia Eagles (5-6) on Sunday at 1 p.m.
