The 4-6 Tampa Bay Buccaneers and 2-8 New York Giants both enjoyed their 2024 byes in Week 11, and when the two teams return to action against each other on Sunday at MetLife Stadium, they will both be looking for fresh starts.

On the most basic level, both the Buccaneers and Giants will be trying to get back into the win column after riding four and five-game losing streaks, respectively, into the bye. Beyond that, though, there are reasons to expect substantive changes in each team's season.

The Buccaneers are hoping to get the likes of Mike Evans, Jamel Dean, Tristan Wirfs, Zyon McCollum, Tykee Smith and Jalen McMillan back from injuries, with the chance that a healthier roster will fuel a seven-game playoff stretch run. The Giants, meanwhile, are making the most dramatic onfield change an NFL team can make, replacing one starting cornerback with another. Daniel Jones was benched and then granted his release; Tommy DeVito, briefly a Giants sensation last season, will be taking over the offense.

DeVito, an undrafted free agent in 2023, started six games for the Giants last season and won three of them, and the three-game win streak he helped engineer made him something of a folk hero among the team's fans. The Buccaneers know that there is substance behind the "Tommy Cutlets" nickname and the living-at-home-with his parents' charm.

"He's very good in the pocket, as far as escaping blitzes and pressures," said Buccaneers Head Coach Todd Bowles. "He can run around, he can throw the deep ball, he's very good at seeing the short stuff, seeing blitzes come and he's very good at getting out of harms' way. He's going to be something to deal with."

New York has scored the fewest points in the league, averaging 15.6 per game, and has struggled to do much in the passing game or succeed in the red zone. However, the cupboard isn't bare for DeVito, who will be throwing and handing off to a pair of promising rookies in wideout Malik Nabers and running back Tyrone Tracy. The Buccaneers hope to counter with a pass defense that, while currently ranked 30th in the league, would be closer to full strength with Dean and McCollum on the field.

The health of Wirfs, who suffered a knee injury against San Francisco right before the bye week and was a limited participant in practice to start Week 12, could be critical. That's because the Giants' clear greatest strength is its pass rush. With nose tackle Dexter Lawrence dominating in the middle and trade acquisition Brian Burns leading the charge from the edges, the Giants are leading the league with a 13.09% sacks-per-pass play rate.

"They have a great defensive line," said Buccaneers rookie center Graham Barton. "There in the interior with Dexter and then on the edge – those guys are really talented as well. It's a good challenge for us up front. You know, they're all playing at a really high level right now and so we have to be ready. We just have to prepare like we do for every opponent, worry about our technique, our fundamentals, and then some more specific things for what they do."

The Giants' defense ranks 17th in yards and points allowed and has been particularly good against the pass, allowing just 184.2 yards per game. Tampa Bay's offense, meanwhile, ranks fifth in the NFL in points scored and 10th in both rushing and passing yards, but has had trouble finding explosive plays without Evans and Chris Godwin. Getting back to its 30-points-a-game capacity will depend on the Bucs' pass protection giving Baker Mayfield time to operate.

"They've got great players up front and they allow their whole defense to play free," said Mayfield. "It's a big matchup for our guys up front, and our tight ends and our backs. They present their own issues. They have individuals up there that can ruin a game all over. We've just got to be ready for that."

Barring the rare tie, either the Buccaneers or Giants are going to break their unfortunate losing streaks on Sunday in East Rutherford, New Jersey. A win for the Buccaneers could spark a post-bye run like the one that led to playoff glory in 2020. A win for the Giants would grow the legend of Tommy Cutlets. It will all be decided on Sunday afternoon.

GAME AND BROADCAST DETAILS

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-6) at New York Giants (2-8)

Sunday, November 24, 1:00 p.m. ET

MetLife Stadium (capacity: 82,500)

East Rutherford, New Jersey

Television: CBS

TV Broadcast Team: Andrew Catalon (play-by-play), Tiki Barber and Jason McCourty (analysts), AJ Ross (reporter)

Radio: 98Rock (WXTB, 97.9 FM), Flagship Station

Radio Broadcast Team: Gene Deckerhoff (play-by-play), Dave Moore (analyst), T.J. Rives (reporter)

Spanish Radio: 96.1 Caliente

Spanish Radio Broadcast Team: Carlos Bohorquez (play-by-play), Martin Gramática (analyst), Santiago Gramática (reporter)

ALL-TIME HEAD-TO-HEAD SERIES

The Buccaneers and Giants will meet in Week 12 for the first time since 2021, but before that three-year gap they had become very frequent game partners. In fact, the two teams met each other in five straight seasons from 2017 to 2021, which is a very unusual run between two teams in separate divisions. Tampa Bay won three of those five games to slightly close the gap on the all-time series; the Giants still hold an overall 15-9 lead, and they also won the only postseason meetings between the teams. Despite six more wins, the Giants have only outscored the Bucs by 10 points, 460-450.

The Bucs won that most recent contest in 2021 by a 30-10 margin at Raymond James Stadium on Monday Night Football in November, kicking off a four-game winning streak. The game was close in the first half, eventually tied at 10-10 midway through the second period, but the visitors pulled away with a six-yard Ronald Jones touchdown run before halftime an da five-yard Tom Brady pass to Mike Evans in the third quarter. Steve McLendon and Mike Edwards both intercepted Daniel Jones to help pull off a second-half shutout.

Prior to that, the five-season stretch produced one nail-biter after another. Each team won twice and the combined margin of victory of those four games was, incredibly, just eight points.

The matchup is historically a lot closer when the Giants have to make the trip down to Florida, as those 14 games have been played to a 7-7 tie. Strangely, even though they have never been division mates, the Bucs and Giants have thrice played a pair of games together in the same season – 1978, 1979 and 1984. The first one was a Giants sweep but the other two ended in splits. Tampa Bay's best run in the series unsurprisingly came during its Super Bowl era, as they beat the Giants three out of four times from 1997-2003. However, four years later it was the Giants who came to Raymond James Stadium for a 2007 Wild Card game and rudely ended the Bucs' postseason trip before it could get started.

Prior to that 2021 game, the previous Bucs-Giants matchup was also a Monday Night Football affair, this one in the Meadowlands. The Giants were heavy underdogs against the 5-2 Buccaneers, who would go on to win Super Bowl LV that season, but they rushed out to an early 14-3 lead, taking a 14-6 edge into halftime. The Buccaneers rallied in the second half on Brady touchdown passes to Evans and Rob Gronkowski and had an eight-point lead with four minutes to play. Jones led an impressive 70-yard drive that ended in his 19-yard touchdown pass to Golden Tate, but Bucs rookie safety Antoine Winfield, Jr. alertly broke up a pass at the goal line on the ensuing two-point conversion attempt and the Bucs escaped with a 25-23 win.

New York won in Tampa in 2019, a 32-31 decision in 2019 that turned on a missed 34-yard field goal by Matt Gay at the end of regulation. Jones made his first career start and was impressive, with 336 passing yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions, and he also ran in the game-winning score from seven yards out with 1:16 remaining in regulation. The Giants won a 38-35 shootout at the Meadowlands in 2018, in which the Bucs rallied from 17 points down but couldn't get an onside kick after Jameis Winston's 41-yard touchdown pass to Evans. The Buccaneers got their first taste of Saquon Barkley, who rank for 142 yards and two scores in that contest. In 2017, Tampa Bay won by a familiar 25-23 score when Winston threw for 332 yards and three touchdowns – one each to Evans, O.J. Howard and Cam Brate – and Nick Folk kicked a 34-yard field goal to make it 25-23 as time expired.

NOTABLE CONNECTIONS

• Giants Offensive Coordinator Mike Kafka, who spent six seasons as a quarterback in the NFL, split the 2014 campaign between the practice squad and active roster with the Buccaneers. He did not appear in a game during the four weeks he was on the active roster.
• Thomas McGaughey, who is in his first season as the Buccaneers' special teams coordinator, held the same position with the Giants from 2018-23. That was his second stint on New York's coaching staff, as he was also an assistant special teams coach from 2007-10.
• Ben Bredeson, the Buccaneers' starting left guard, was originally a fourth-round draft pick by the Ravens in 2020 but he was traded to the Giants just before the start of the 2021 season. Bredeson played three seasons for the Giants, starting 35 of the 55 games in which he played before signing with the Buccaneers as an unrestricted free agent this past offseason.
• Tampa Bay wide receiver Sterling Shepard was a second-round pick by the Giants in the 2016 draft and he played nine seasons in New York before signing with the Buccaneers in June. Shepard played in 98 games with 76 starts for the Giants, recording 372 receptions for 4,095 yards and 23 touchdowns.
• Giants Assistant Defensive Line Coach Bryan Cox was on the Buccaneers' staff in 2012 and 2013, serving as a pass rush specialist.
• New York defensive lineman Rakeem Nuñez-Roches played appeared in 68 games with 22 starts for the Buccaneers from 2018-22. He started 11 regular-season games in 2020 after an injury to nose tackle Vita Vea, then all four postseason contests as the Buccaneers advanced to and won Super Bowl LV.
• Guard Aaron Stinnie signed with the Giants as an unrestricted free agent this past offseason after playing three full seasons and part of a fourth with the Buccaneers from 2019-23 (he spent the 2022 season on injured reserve). Stinnie played in 27 games for Tampa Bay, drawing 12 starts.

SENIOR COACHING STAFFS

Tampa Bay:

• Head Coach Todd Bowles

• Offensive Coordinator Liam Coen

• Run Game Coordinator/Defensive Line Coach Kacy Rodgers

• Pass Game Coordinator/Inside Linebackers Coach Larry Foote
• Special Teams Coordinator Thomas McGaughey

New York:

• Head Coach Brian Daboll

• Offensive Coordinator Mike Kafka

• Defensive Coordinator Shane Bowen

• Special Teams Coordinator Michael Ghobrial

KEY 2024 ROSTER ADDITIONS

Buccaneers:

• C Graham Barton (1st-round draft pick)
• OLB Chris Braswell (2nd-round draft pick)
• G Ben Bredeson (UFA)
• TE Devin Culp (7th-round draft pick)
• S Mike Edwards (W-TEN)
• P Trenton Gill (FA)
• CB Bryce Hall (UFA…currently on injured reserve)
• CB Troy Hill (FA)
• RB Bucky Irving (4th-round draft pick)
• WR Kameron Johnson (UDFA…currently on injured reserve)
• G Elijah Klein (6th-round draft pick)
• WR Jalen McMillan (3rd-round draft pick)
• G Royce Newman (W-GB)
• S Tykee Smith (3rd-round draft pick)
• CB Tavierre Thomas (UFA)
• S Jordan Whitehead (UFA)

Giants:

• LB Matthew Adams
• OLB Brian Burns (T-CAR)
• T Jermaine Eluemunor (UFA)
• S Art Green (FA)
• S Anthony Johnson (W-GB)
• LB Patrick Johnson (W-PHI)
• TE Theo Johnson (4th-round draft pick)
• G Jake Kubas (UDFA)
• QB Drew Lock (UFA)
• TE Chris Manhertz (UFA)
• LB Darius Muasau (6th-round draft pick)
• WR Malik Nabers (1st-round draft pick)
• S Tyler Nubin (2nd-round draft pick)
• CB Dru Phillips (3rd-round draft pick)
• S Elijah Riley (UFA…currently on injured reserve)
• G Jon Runyan (UFA)
• RB Devin Singletary (UFA)
• G Austin Schlottmann (UFA…currently on injured reserve)
• WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette (FA)
• G Aaron Stinnie (UFA)
• LB Ty Summers (FA)
• G Greg Van Roten (UFA)
• RB Tyrone Tracy (5th-round draft pick)

ADDITIONAL 2024 CHANGES/DEVELOPMENTS OF NOTE

Buccaneers:

• As Todd Bowles enters his third season as the Bucs' head coach he'll be working with his third offensive coordinator in as many seasons. Last year, Bowles picked former Seattle Quarterbacks Coach Dave Canales to replace Byron Leftwich, but Canales departed this offseason to take over as the head coach of the Panthers. Bowles then turned to Liam Coen, who comes from the Sean McVay coaching tree with the Rams and most recently was the offensive coordinator at the University of Kentucky. Three members of the Bucs' 2023 staff followed Canales to Carolina – Brad Idzik, Harold Goodwin and Joe Gilbert, which led to some other new additions on Bowles staff in 2024. Those include Offensive Line Coach Kevin Carberry, Pass Game Coordinator Josh Grizzard, Wide Receivers Coach Bryan McClendon and Assistant Offensive Line Coach Brian Picucci. In addition, long-time Special Teams Coordinator Keith Armstrong retired in the offseason, so the Bucs brought in Thomas McGaughey as his replacement.
• Under Coen, the Buccaneers' offense employs quite a bit more pre-snap shifts and movement than it had in 2023, and Coen also has widened the variety of the types of runs the ground game employees. One of Coen's other key initiatives in an attempt to get a moribund rushing attack going is to give quarterback Baker Mayfield multiple plays to choose from in the huddle and at the line so that the offense runs into unfavorable looks less often.
• Despite having tight salary cap restrictions, the Buccaneers made it a priority to retain key players from the 2023 season who were scheduled to hit free agency. General Manager Jason Licht and his staff successfully checked off every item on their list of priorities, beginning with a new two-year deal for franchise icon Mike Evans. That helped bring the team's negotiations with quarterback Baker Mayfield to a conclusion. After Mayfield played the 2023 season on a one-year prove-it deal, his resurgence landed him a lucrative new multi-year contract. The Bucs were also able to re-sign linebacker Lavonte David and kicker Chase McLaughlin. With the other deals in the works, the Bucs used the franchise tag on safety Antoine Winfield Jr. and later inking him to a new contract making him the highest-paid defensive back in the NFL.
• All-Pro tackle Tristan Wirfs didn't need a new contract for 2024 but he was entering the final year of his rookie deal and the Buccaneers were highly motivated to lock him in to a new long-term pact. That lengthy process came to a head on August 1, when the two sides agreed on a five-year extension that runs through the 2029 campaign and makes him the highest paid offensive lineman in the NFL.
• In March, the Buccaneers traded cornerback Carlton Davis, who had started 75 games over six seasons with the team, to the Detroit Lions for a third-round pick in this year's draft. The Buccaneers eventually used that pick to select Washington wide receiver Jalen McMillan.
• In a Week Seven Monday Night Football game against Baltimore, the Buccaneers' offense took several serious blows when both Chris Godwin and Mike Evans suffered significant injuries. Godwin, who at the time was leading the NFL with 50 receptions, sustained a dislocated ankle that will keep him out for at least the rest of the regular season, though he has spoken of the possibility of returning for the postseason if the Buccaneers make it into the field. Evans, who caught his 100th career touchdown pass earlier in the Ravens game, incurred a hamstring injury that so far has caused him to miss three games.

Giants:

• After getting dreadful results from their offensive line in 2023 – 85 sacks and a league-worst 16.4% sacks-per-pass-play rate, the Giants set about overhauling that unit in 2024. Of the five players who started the most games on the New York O-Line last season, only two are still with the team this year and one, left tackle Andrew Thomas, had season-ending foot surgery in October. Offseason addition Jermaine Eluemunor (originally signed to play guard) has recently switched from right tackle to take over for Thomas on the left edge and former seventh-overall pick Evan Neal, who had been pushed into a reserve role, started his first game of the season in Week 10 at right tackle. Starting guards Jon Runyan and Greg Van Roten were also free agent additions in the offseason. The Giants also made a coaching change in their O-Line room, parting ways with Bobby Johnson and bringing in former Raiders assistant Carmen Bricillo. New York ranks 29th in the NFL in sacks per pass play (10.36%) after finishing last in that category in 2023.
• Tight end Darren Waller elected to retire in June, a decision he had publicly been mulling over since March. Waller played his eighth and final NFL season in New York after coming over in a 2023 trade with the Raiders, at the cost of a 2023 third-round draft pick. He had 52 catches for 552 yards and one touchdown last season. The Giants used a fourth-round pick in this year's draft on Penn State Theo Johnson and he quickly moved into a starting role in Waller's place.
• Injuries have forced the Giants to use five different players at their two kicking spots, though in Week 10 they were back to their Week One duo of punter Jamie Gillan and kicker Graham Gano. Both Gillan and Gano missed significant time due to injuries and the team used Matt Hack at punter for four games and Greg Joseph at placekicker for six. New York also promoted Irish kicker Jude McAtamney, a participant in the NFL's International Player Pathway Program, for one game, in which he made his only field goal try and his only extra point attempt.
• The Giants parted ways with one of their most popular players in the offseason when running back Saquon Barkley jumped to the division-rival Philadelphia Eagles in free agency. The second-overall pick in the 2018 draft, Barkley played six seasons in New York and piled up 7,311 yards from scrimmage and four touchdowns. The Giants also lost a key defender when safety Xavier McKinney left in free agency for the Packers. McKinney had 116 tackles and three interceptions for New York in 2023.
• Head Coach Brian Daboll made a significant change on his coaching staff as the Giants and Defensive Coordinator Don "Wink" Martindale chose to mutually part ways after Daboll had dismissed two defensive assistants. Taking Martindale's place was Shane Bowen, who had held the same job with the Tennessee Titans under Mike Vrabel for three seasons. Martindale was one of the NFL's most aggressive defensive coordinators, utilizing a very high blitz rate.

INJURY REPORT

Key:

DNP: Did not participate in practice

LP: Limited participation in practice

FP: Full participation in practice

NL: Not listed

Buccaneers:

• G Ben Bredeson (shoulder) – WEDS: FP; THURS: FP; FRI: FP. Game Status: Not listed.
• LB Lavonte David (rest) – WEDS: NL; THURS: NL; FRI: DNP. Game Status: Not listed.
• CB Jamel Dean* (hamstring) – WEDS: FP; THURS: FP; FRI: FP. Game Status: Questionable.
• WR Mike Evans (hamstring) – WEDS: LP; THURS: FP; FRI: LP. Game Status: Questionable.
• DL Greg Gaines (foot) – WEDS: DNP; THURS: LP; FRI: LP. Game Status: Questionable.
• DL Will Gholston (knee/rest) – WEDS: FP; THURS: FP; FRI: DNP. Game Status: Not listed.
• CB Troy Hill (toe) – WEDS: DNP; THURS: LP; FRI: LP. Game Status: Questionable.
• RB Bucky Irving (toe) – WEDS: FP; THURS: FP; FRI: FP. Game Status: Not listed.
• CB Zyon McCollum (hamstring) – WEDS: DNP; THURS: DNP; FRI: FP. Game Status: Questionable.
• WR Jalen McMillan (hamstring) – WEDS: FP; THURS: FP; FRI: FP. Game Status: Not listed.
• S Tykee Smith (knee) – WEDS: LP; THURS: DNP; FRI: DNP. Game Status: Doubtful.
• T Tristan Wirfs (knee) – THURS: LP; THURS: LP; FRI: LP. Game Status: Questionable.

* Dean is in his 21-day practice window for return from injured reserve.

Giants:

• LB Matt Adams (knee) – WEDS: LP; THURS: FP; FRI: FP. Game Status: Not listed.
• WR Bryce Ford-Wheaton (Achilles) – WEDS: LP; THURS: LP; FRI: LP. Game Status: Questionable.
• TE Theo Johnson (back) – WEDS: LP; THURS: FP; FRI: FP. Game Status: Not listed.
• DL Dexter Lawrence (knee) – WEDS: LP; THURS: LP; FRI: LP. Game Status: Not listed.
• LB Darius Muasau (hamstring) – WEDS: LP; THURS: LP; FRI: LP. Game Status: Questionable.
• LB Micah McFadden (heel) – WEDS: NL; THURS: NL; FRI: DNP. Game Status: Questionable.
• WR Malik Nabers (groin) – WEDS: NL; THURS: NL; FRI: DNP. Game Status: Questionable.
• DB Tyler Nubin (back) – WEDS: LP; THURS: LP; FRI: LP. Game Status: Not listed.
• CB Dru Phillips (hip) – WEDS: NL; THURS: FP; FRI: FP. Game Status: Not listed.
• LB Kayvon Thibodeaux* (wrist) – WEDS: LP; THURS: FP; FRI: FP. Game Status: Questionable.
• OL Greg Van Roten (abdomen) – WEDS: LP; THURS: FP; FRI: FP. Game Status: Not listed.
• WR Darius Slayton (concussion) – WEDS: FP; THURS: FP; FRI: FP. Game Status: Not listed.

* Thibodeaux is in his 21-day practice window for return from injured reserve.

WEATHER FORECAST

Partly cloudy. High of 53, low of 36, 4% chance of rain, 50% humidity, winds out of the WNW at 15 mph.

GAME REFEREE

Head referee: Adrian Hill (15th season, 6th as referee)

BETTING LINE

• Favorite: Buccaneers (-5.0)
• Over/Under: 41.5

INDIVIDUAL STAT LEADERS IN 2024

Buccaneers-

Points Scored: K Chase McLauglin, 77

Touchdowns: WR Mike Evans, 6

Passing Yards: QB Baker Mayfield, 2,505

Passer Rating: QB Baker Mayfield, 103.6

Rushing Yards: RB Bucky Irving, 492

Receptions: WR Chris Godwin, 50

Receiving Yards: WR Chris Godwin, 576

Interceptions: CB Zyon McCollum, 2

Sacks: DL Vita Vea, 5.0

Tackles: LB Lavonte David, 72

Giants-

Points Scored: K Greg Joseph, 45

Touchdowns: WR Malik Nabers/RB Tyrone Tracy, 3

Passing Yards: QB Daniel Jones, 2,070

Passer Rating: QB Daniel Jones, 79.4

Rushing Yards: RB Tyrone Tracy, 545

Receptions: WR Malik Nabers, 61

Receiving Yards: WR Malik Nabers, 607

Interceptions: LB Darius Muasau, 1

Sacks: DT Dexter Lawrence, 9.0

Tackles: LB Bobby Okereke, 75

TEAM STAT RANKINGS IN 2024

Buccaneers-

Scoring Offense: 5th (27.9 ppg)

Total Offense: 8th (361.5 ypg)

Rushing Offense: 10th (125.3 ypg)

Passing Offense: 10th (236.2 ypg)

First Downs Per Game: 3rd (22.1)

Third-Down Pct.: 2nd (50.0%)

Sacks Per Pass Attempt Allowed: 15th (6.98%)

Red Zone TD Pct.: 3rd (68.4%)

Scoring Defense: 27th (26.6 ppg)

Total Defense: 30th (389.3 ypg)

Rushing Defense: 16th (125.2 ypg)

Passing Defense: 30th (264.1 ypg)

First Downs Allowed Per Game: 30th (22.3)

Third-Down Pct. Allowed: 24th (43.3%)

Sacks Per Pass Attempt: 17th (7.45%)

Red Zone TD Pct. Allowed: 16th (57.9%)

Turnover Margin: t-16th (0)

Giants-

Scoring Offense: 32nd (15.6 ppg)

Total Offense: 24th (309.7 ypg)

Rushing Offense: 14th (119.9 ypg)

Passing Offense: 26th (189.8 ypg)

First Downs Per Game: 18th (19.3)

Third-Down Pct.: 19th (37.3%)

Sacks Per Pass Attempt Allowed: 22nd (8.57%)

Red Zone TD Pct.: 32nd (39.3)

Scoring Defense: 17th (22.2 ppg)

Total Defense: 17th (331.3 ypg)

Rushing Defense: 29th (147.1 ypg)

Passing Defense: 4th (184.2 ypg)

First Downs Allowed Per Game: t-4th (17.5)

Third-Down Pct. Allowed: 6th (34.2%)

Sacks Per Pass Attempt: 1st (13.09%)

Red Zone TD Pct. Allowed: t-5th (46.4%)

Turnover Margin: t-26th (-6)

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

• LB Lavonte David has 36.5 career sacks and needs 2.5 more to tie David Logan for sixth place in Buccaneers history.
• WR Mike Evans caught his 100th career touchdown pass against Baltimore in Week Seven, becoming just the 11th player in NFL history to reach triple digits in that category. One more would move him out of a tie with Steve Largent and Tim Brown and into sole possession of ninth place all-time in that category.
• QB Baker Mayfield has 24 touchdown passes and one more would put him at 25 in 2024, just three below the career high of 28 he threw last season. That would also allow him to join Tom Brady as the only quarterbacks in team history to have consecutive seasons with 25-plus touchdown passes.
• Mayfield's next game will be the 100th of his NFL career.
• Rachaad White has caught four touchdown passes in the past four games and now has nine scoring grabs in his career. One more would break a tie with Warrick Dunn and James Wilder for the second most receiving touchdowns by a running back in franchise history.

NOTABLY QUOTABLE

• Head Coach Todd Bowles on what he saw when he reviewed film of the team over the Bye Week: "It's just everybody needing to do their job. If we take care of us and everybody has their responsibility, not trying to do too much, we'll be fine. [We're] focusing on fundamentals and technique and that's at every level of the defense – offensively, as well. We went over the Giants' film, we went over our film. We need to take care of us. We need to get back to playing how we want to play. If we can do that, we'll be okay.
• Pass Game Coordinator/Inside Linebackers Coach Larry Foote on Todd Bowles and the willingness of his staff to continue evolving the Bucs' defense: "I want to start with Bowles – the mastermind. If you can do a job for us, we're going to throw you in there. It doesn't matter what position. We've got a lot of different packages and we come together during the week and see what can help us win. We'll put guys anywhere. We'll figure out what we're trying to stop, who can use their strengths and help us win on Sunday.
• Quarterback Baker Mayfield on if the fact that many of the Bucs' losses came down to the wire gives the team confidence going forward: "Yes and no. You always want to be on the other side of those games. But then you look at the film and look at what we can still improve on. Offensively, we've been playing okay, but there's still things that we can do better to where those games won't be that close. That's the positive thing: A lot of that is still in our control, and that's how we're trying to handle it now. Continue to improve. November, December ball is when real things happen, so we just have to take it one game at a time."
• Center Graham Barton on if it feels like a new start following the Bye Week: "Yeah, I think we all know how the standings are and where we stand so this is the time we have to make the push. There's not like, 'Well, it's early in the season,' anymore. It's now or never so we're going to obviously – obviously we want to win every game but like playoffs for us really starts now. We have to win and we have to win now. That's our goal every week. That's how we're going to approach each day at practice and in the building. We're well aware of where we're at and what we need to do to get in the dance."
• Bowles on what he sees from Giants rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers: "He's a talented guy. He's got moves, he's got speed, he's got hands, he's got YAC (yards after catch) ability. He's a special talent. He's a great receiver. You'll see in about two or three years from now, you'll probably be talking about him as probably one of the best in the league right now. He's there now – he doesn't have the stats yet, but you can see all the talent that he has."