The New York Giants are gearing up to face off against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday night, and it will be one of the biggest tests of the 2020 season. Despite sitting at 1–6 on the year and struggling to get through even the easiest of games, the Giants have no choice but to compete until the final whistle against one of the best teams in the NFL.
Tampa Bay ranks atop the league in multiple categories, including points per game and defensive efficiency. They have two of the best linebackers in football, Levante David and Devon White. They also have two stellar cornerbacks and one of the best pass-rushing units.
The Giants are simply outmatched across-the-board and will need to execute their game plan to perfection if they wish to stay competitive late into the contest.
Three keys to beating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the New York Giants:
1.) Control time of possession
One of the top goals for the Giants should be to control time of possession. They’ve only controlled this factor one time this season against the Dallas Cowboys.
Last week in Philly, the Giants had about five minutes less time with the ball than the Eagles, who also enjoyed 10 additional first downs. The Giants also turned the ball over three times, which was the major differential in the 22-21 loss.
Running the football is essential for the Giants, as wasting out the clock and keeping their defense fresh is the only way they can physically overcome Tampa. If their defense is on the field for a majority of the first half, the Buccaneers will adjust and attack them aggressively, tiring them out and likely forcing a blowout.
If they can get Wayne Gallman churning yards and opening up some running lanes, they will have a bit more success than other teams. However, considering Tampa held Raiders’ Josh Jacobs to 17 yards on 10 carries last week, things aren’t looking optimistic.
2.) Put Tom Brady on the ground
This factor dates back to both Super Bowl wins in Giants’ past, as putting Tom Brady on the ground is essential to throwing him off his rhythm and disrupting their game plan. Brady has only been sacked eight times this season, while Daniel Jones has gone down 20 times.
The differential regarding both team’s offensive lines is significant, and the Giants are going to have to get creative on defense if they wish to put pressure on Brady and disrupt their game plan.
3.) Creativity on both sides of the ball
Creativity and imagination will play a big role for the Giants in week eight as they attempt to dislodge a disciplined Tampa team. Being creative on defense is essential, as finding ways to get past a strong OL will be difficult. I expect to see plenty of unique blitzes, notably from Logan Ryan and the cornerback position.
Linebacker Blake Martinez will also have an active afternoon, tracking down running back Ronald Jones and attempting to factor out the Tampa running game.
Offensively, the Giants need to get the ball into tight end Evan Engram’s hands. If they are still committed to throwing the ball downfield to their most “explosive playmaker,†they cannot be afraid to do so against Tampa, who will try to squeeze the field and suffocate the offense at the line of scrimmage.