Approach to the Game – New York Giants at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, November 24, 2003: I’ve actually seen quite a few prognosticators pick the Giants in this game and for the life of me I can’t figure why. Not only are the Giants absolutely terrible on Monday night, but the head coach of the Buccaneers basically laid down the law this week by, in effect, removing one of his star players from the team. That is the kind of move that will get everyone’s attention in the locker room and help to ensure that they play inspired football. It sends a message that no job is safe, a trick that Head Coach Jim Fassel never seems to have learned. The Bucs are not in turmoil.
On top of that, Tampa’s players know that their head coach will be their head coach next season. The Giants don’t know that at all.
Giants on Offense: If you want to talk X’s and O’s, the strength of the Tampa Bay team is their defensive line. This unit is going to cause all kinds of havoc against the Giants’ inexperienced offensive line that includes three first-year starters. The best way to attack Tampa is run on them, and specifically run north-south, not east-west. But the Giants are a passing team that, when it does run, runs east-west. The quickness of the Tampa Bay front seven will work against the Giants’ outside running game.
The big problems up will be DT Warren Sapp against LG Wayne Lucier. Lucier has struggled the past couple of weeks. LT Luke Petitgout, who probably is still hampered by a back injury that he suffered early in the season, will have his hands full with DE Simeon Rice. The other end, Greg Spires, is no slouch either and RT Ian Allen will be tested.
WLB Derrick Brooks is one of the best cover linebackers in the game. He has the skills to stick with Barber out of the backfield or keep up with TE Jeremy Shockey (if Shockey is foolish enough to play). SS John Lynch is a force in run support and a big hitter and blitzer.
I really think New York’s only shot in this game is if they keep it pretty conservative and attempt to grind the ball out on the ground with Barber and Dorsey Levens. The more the Giants pass, the more QB Kerry Collins will be under the gun and the more likely that sacks, penalties, and turnovers will result.
Giants on Defense: The problem is the Giants can’t win this game unless the defense plays very well. The Giants are not going to be able to put many points up on the Bucs. Unless the Giants’ defenders play with a lot more passion and pride than they have since the 4th quarter of the Jets game, New York really has no shot.
The Bucs don’t really run the ball all that well, but everyone has had success running on the Giants in recent weeks. Keith Washington is likely to start at right end for the Giants, with Osi Umenyiora coming off the bench in passing situations. They will face ex-Giant LT Roman Oben. The Giants need better production out of their right tackle spot where Keith Hamilton has really fallen apart. If he continues to struggle, the Giants need to play Lance Legree or William Joseph in there. DT Cornelius Griffin will face ex-Giant Jason Whittle. DE Michael Strahan battles against the inconsistent RT Kenyatta Walker.
Gruden is no dummy and he has to be licking his chops at getting his quarterbacks to throw against the Giants’ linebacking corps that struggled mightily last week in Philadelphia. Look for passes to the tight ends and backs.
When the Bucs throw the football down the field, WR Keenan McCardell has been playing at an exceptional level. I would expect and hope the Giants keep CB Will Allen on him. Look for ex-Giant WR Joe Jurevicius to have a big day against CB Frank Walker and/or Ike Charlton. For one, this is a favorable match-up. Second, Joe will be motivated to play hard against his former team. Third, you know the football gods are going to conspire against us so there will be 50 “the Giants should never have let Joe Jurevicius go” threads in The Corner Forum on Tuesday.
A change in the secondary this week will be Johnnie Harris or Ryan Clark at strong safety. Harris is not fast, but he has a good nose for the football.
The secret to defending QB Brad Johnson has always been to get heat on him. When Johnson was with Washington, in those games where the Giants pressured him, he played poorly. In those games where they didn’t, he picked them apart. The Giants need to get a good pass rush performance out of their defensive linemen, and they need to come up with some less-than-predictable blitzing schemes.
Giants on Special Teams: The Bucs play special teams as poorly as the Giants do. This is an area where the Giants can out-play Tampa Bay if they are focused enough.