In a battle between two teams coming off a Week 11 bye, the Buccaneers and Giants will square off at MetLife Stadium. Both clubs will return to the gridiron after a rest-and-refresh period as the 4-6 Bucs look to get back on track against the 2-8 Giants. Tampa Bay is coming off a four-game losing streak, and the team is expected to get some integral players back from injury including Mike Evans, Jamel Dean and Jalen McMillan. The Giants will be turning to Tommy DeVito at quarterback after officially releasing Daniel Jones. Following kickoff, here are five Buccaneers to keep an eye on during the NFC clash:
Graham Barton
Nose tackle Dexter Lawrence is the disruptor in the Giants' front. He has set a new career-high this season with 9.0 sacks and has 28 pressures. Lawrence is routinely double-teamed, yet he still manages to collapse the pocket. With intimidating traits including size, power, length and agility, Lawrence quickly dislodges blockers. Bucs' center Graham Barton will see a heavy dose of Lawrence on Sunday. Barton, the team's 2024 first-round pick, made a smooth transition to the interior after manning the left tackle spot for three seasons at Duke. He explodes into blocks and is athletic in space as a climber. The technician gives high-effort every play and this will be a critical battle at the line of scrimmage at MetLife Stadium.
Luke Goedeke
Brian Burns floats to both sides of the formation to maximize destruction. He leads the NFL in average time to pressure among qualified edge rushers (2.57) according to ESPN Next Gen Stats and Burns has made an immediate impact off the edge for the Giants since his acquisition. He has accumulated 6.0 sacks, 46 combined tackles, nine tackles for loss and 12 quarterback hits in 2024. Burns has an elite get-off and sensational bend around the edge. He is able to alter the speed of his rushes to gain leverage and he will go up against Luke Goedeke on Sunday. In 2023, Goedeke made the transition back from left guard to right tackle, where he played at the collegiate level, and he has solidified the right side of Tampa Bay's line. Goedeke is able to uproot defenders in the run game and succeeds with quickness to extend rush lanes. He is adept on pulls with smooth footwork and plays with a fiery disposition at the line of scrimmage. This game will likely hinge on the trenches and Goedeke will play a key role for the Buccaneers.
Bucky Irving
The Giants rank 29th in run defense, allowing an average of 147.1 rushing yards to opposing teams in 2024. Sunday could present opportunities for Bucky Irving in the Bucs' reinvigorated ground attack. Irving leads the NFL in forced missed tackle percentage (47.1%) and has posted a team-best 492 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns. Tampa Bay currently ranks fifth in the league in yards per rush (5.0) and Irving has been the catalyst. He fights through tackles with a powerful leg drive, and he possesses effective lateral cuts. Irving's decisiveness downhill fits the Bucs' scheme and his twitchiness brings fans to their feet.
Cade Otton
The Giants have generated one of the most proficient pass rushes in the league this season and the group currently ranks second in the NFL in sacks with 36.0. With both Brian Burns and Dexter Lawrence causing fits in the trenches, the Bucs could operate out of a quick passing attack to try and mitigate their rushers by getting the ball to the short-to-intermediate area of the field. That happens to be Cade Otton's specialty and the Bucs' durable tight end has put coverage on notice at all three levels in 2024. Otton has stepped in as Baker Mayfield's go-to target following injuries to both Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, hauling in 30 receptions for 293 yards and three touchdowns over his last four games. He is averaging 73.3 receiving yards per game over his past four outings, which ranks third in the NFL since Week Seven. He leads all tight ends with 1,583 offensive snaps played since the start of the 2023 season - 207 more than the next closest tight end. Otton has showed his expansive route tree on option, out-breakers and wheel routes since Godwin moved to injured reserve. In addition to his ability as a pass-catcher, Otton has bolstered the ground game by sealing the edge with effective blocks against both defensive ends, who make it their life's mission to destroy tight ends on chips, and incoming linebackers.
Yaya Diaby
Evan Neal was moved back into the starting lineup at right tackle in Week 10 due to a rash of injuries and movement along New York's line. He played just two offensive snaps before Week 10 but the former Alabama product plays with fluidity and good body control. Neal strikes with above-average hand placement at the point of attack and will strive to take advantage of his newfound role against the Bucs. Yaya Diaby rushes off both edges so he will get some action against Neal on Sunday. Diaby may not 'wow' on the stat sheet with two sacks in 2024 but his 20.6% pass rush win rate ranks fourth among qualified edge rushers (PFF) and his 2.61 average time to pressure comes in second among qualified edge rushers (ESPN Next Gen Stats). Diaby leads the Bucs with eight quarterback hits and is a menacing power rusher. His short-area quickness makes him the perfect fit for Todd Bowles' exotic blitzes and pressure packages. Diaby has a strong punch to separate at the point of attack and he has added rush moves into his repertoire.
