In an absolutely clinical drive to start the game, quarterback Tom Brady was a perfect 5-of-5 for 49 yards and a touchdown as the Buccaneers struck an early 7-0 lead with 11:03 left in the first quarter.
The Giants would get as close as the Buccaneers' 15-yard line before a convenient false start would back them up into a third-and-14 situation. Quarterback Daniel Jones was hurried by rookie outside linebacker Joe Tryon-Shoyinka and New York would have to settle for a field goal as their answer to the Bucs' opening score. Tampa Bay maintained their 7-3 lead with 4:04 to go in the first quarter.
The next Buccaneer drive would span 79 yards thanks in part to a 10-yard swaggy scramble by none other than Brady himself, but it would unfortunately not end in the end zone. On third down from the New York seven-yard line, the Bucs wouldn't convert and therefore settle for a 25-yard kick by Ryan Succop. It made the score 10-3 with 11:16 left in the second quarter.
It was a fluke play on the next drive that would see Brady's pass bounce off wide receiver Mike Evans' hands and into the hands of New York's Adoree Jackson. The Giants would take over at the Bucs' five-yard line as a result of the turnover and it would take just two plays for offensive lineman Andrew Thomas to be reported as eligible and score a 'thicc six' for New York that tied the game up.
The good news is that the Bucs immediately answered thanks to an appearance from vintage Brady and Rob Gronkowski. With all kinds of time, Brady hit Gronk 35 yards down the field and a few plays later, a handoff to running back Ronald Jones would put the Bucs back on top, 17-10, with 5:06 remaining in the half. It was an eight-play, 71 yard drive that took just over four minutes off the clock.
The defense would allow the Giants to get to midfield but on third and five, safety Antoine Winfield Jr. broke up what was initially called a catch by Kadarius Toney. Head Coach Bruce Arians had to throw the challenge flag but the call was overturned and New York punted the ball away with 3:25 left in the half.
The Buccaneers' next drive looked promising as Brady and the Tampa Bay offense moved quickly inside Giants' territory. A screen to Godwin from the New York 35 ended up going the distance but was then called back on a questionable holding call. It resulted in the Bucs having to punt instead.
But the football Gods giveth and the football gods taketh away. The Giants would fumble their last possession of the half and after being recovered by the Bucs, the two teams would go into halftime with Tampa Bay holding a 17-10 lead.
The first possession for the Giants ended in what might as well have been a turnover. On third down right past midfield, the Bucs' defense held, forcing the Giants into a fourth and one try. It was inside linebacker Devin White who was all in Jones' face, forcing him to throw the ball into the dirt and New York to turn the ball over on downs.
The Bucs would then capitalize, as Brady engineered another well-balanced drive in which five different receivers caught the ball. It ended with a five-yard touchdown pass to Evans to give him the 72nd touchdown of his career. That surpasses Mike Alstott's previous franchise record, making Evans the Bucs' all-time touchdown leader. It also made the score 24-10 with just under seven and half minutes in the third.
The next drive was cut short for New York as Jones was hurried into a throw by White yet again. This time the ball was caught but by Bucs' defensive tackle Steve McLendon, giving the big man the first interception of his career. The Bucs took back over at the Giants' 37.
It was a short series for the Buccaneers, but one that still ended in points. Kicker Ryan Succop was tapped for the 40-yard field goal try and the ball sailed right down the middle. It pushed the Bucs' lead to 27-10 with 3:53 to go in the third quarter.
The Giants would have to go for it on fourth down on their next drive but were hit with multiple penalties that ultimately doomed them. After not converting on third and 26, New York punted, giving the ball back to the Bucs at the beginning of the fourth quarter.
It wasn't a productive drive for the Bucs offense, though. They wouldn't get past midfield and ended up punting for the first time since the second quarter.
The Tampa Bay offense would get the ball right back thanks to an interception by defensive back Mike Edwards playing the slot corner spot. The ball was tipped by White and fell into Edwards' hands, giving the Bucs' the ball back at the New York 39.
The Bucs wouldn't get into the end zone on their next drive but they would get a field goal after Succop was good from 30 yards. It pushed their lead to 30-10 with 7:44 left in the game.
Tampa Bay would force yet another Giants punt and upon giving the ball back to the Bucs' offense, it was quarterback Blaine Gabbert that came in as the signal caller. Brady was done for the night after completing 30 of 46 pass attempts for 207 yards and two touchdowns against one interception. Tampa Bay would surrender another punt right back with Gabbert under center and the Giants would start at midfield with just over four minutes to play.
Another punt would come from the Giants after back to back sacks, by Anthony Nelson and Cam Gill no less, and the Bucs got the ball back inside the three-minute mark. They took it down to the two-minute warning and with the game far out of reach of the Giants, the Bucs were able to retain possession and their lead as they sealed the 30-10 victory to improve to 7-3 on the season.
