Coming off their Week 11 bye after losing four straight games, the Buccaneers came out energized against the Giants in an NFC showdown at MetLife Stadium. Tampa Bay improved to 5-6 on the season, moving the club to within one game of the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC South hunt. The Bucs came out firing on all cylinders, dropping the Giants to 2-9. En route to their rousing win, the Bucs hit several milestones on the gridiron. Tampa Bay rushed for 156 yards collectively – the team's third most in a game this season. The Buccaneers have rushed for 100-or-more yards in eight-of-11 games played this season. Through Sunday's games, the Buccaneers rank 10th in the NFL in rushing yards per game (128.1) and fourth in yards per rush attempt (4.9).

Offensive Onslaught

The Buccaneers had four different players rush for a touchdown on Sunday (Bucky Irving, Baker Mayfield, Sean Tucker and Rachaad White), marking the first such occurrence in franchise history. Tampa Bay is the first team to record such a game during the 2024 slate and the first since the New York Jets accomplished the feat on Oct. 9, 2022. Mayfield was methodical in Week 12 with on-the-money accuracy and five different players recorded an explosive play of over 25 yards in the passing game, including Mike Evans (26), Irving (32), Cade Otton (30), Rakim Jarrett (30) and Payne Durham (26).

Tampa Bay had 11 different players record a reception in Sunday's game, which tied for the team's most ever in a single game. The Bucs totaled 450 yards of offense – the team's third most in a game this season. Tampa Bay has amassed 400-plus yards of offense five times this season, which is tied for the fourth-most such occurrences across the NFL in 2024.

Baker Mayfield completed 24 of 30 passes for 294 yards, with no interceptions, earning a 107.5 passer rating. Mayfield's rushing touchdown was his third of the season and the 10th of his NFL career. He got to his back foot quickly and delivered precise throws. He found ways to extend plays using his legs to move the chains in order to sustain drives. Once weapons worked behind zone coverage and found the vacancy, Mayfield hit his targets with ease. Mayfield is the epitome of the old term 'gamer,' and he put it all on the line against the Giants, rallying the offense.

Irving contributed a season-best 151 yards from scrimmage on Sunday, rushing 12 times for 87 yards (7.3 average) and a touchdown and hauling in six receptions for 64 yards. His 56-yard rush in the fourth quarter off an outside zone look matched the longest run of the season for Tampa Bay. He made guys miss at the point of attack and showcased his cutback ability, along with elite leg drive to fight for yardage. In addition, Mike Evans caught five passes for 68 yards in his return from a hamstring injury and drew a defensive pass interference call (22-yard penalty) that spotted the ball at the one and led to White's touchdown off the pitch.

Defensive Surge in East Rutherford

Tampa Bay's defense limited the Giants to just 45 yards of offense in the first half – the fewest allowed by Tampa Bay in any half this season, and its fewest allowed in any half since Nov. 15, 2020 against Carolina. The Bucs surrendered only three first downs in the opening half, zero points and zero third or fourth down conversions. In the first half, DeVito only had three completions.

The seven points allowed by Tampa Bay on Sunday were its fewest of the season and the fewest since the team's 9-0 shutout win over the Carolina Panthers in Week 18 of the 2023 campaign.

The Buccaneers limited the Giants to 245 yards of offense in the Week 12 contest, marking the second-lowest output by an opponent against Tampa Bay this season (227 against Philadelphia, 9/29/24). The Buccaneers tallied 4.0 sacks against New York, marking the fifth time this season in which the team recorded 4.0-plus sacks in a game, which is tied for the third most such games in the NFL through Sunday's 1 p.m. games. During the matchup, Calijah Kancey, Vita Vea, Anthony Nelson and Antoine Winfield Jr. all posted sacks against Tommy DeVito, shifting the momentum. Following Nelson's sack in the second quarter, the Giants had -8 yards passing.

Vea made a cameo as a fullback in the first quarter which led to Sean Tucker's touchdown rush on the opening possession. On his sack in the second quarter, Vea bulldozed the center and pushed him back with power to bring down DeVito. Throughout the clash, Todd Bowles' loaded the line with various defensive backs bringing pressure and on Kancey's takedown, Christian Izien came off the left edge, which forced DeVito to step up in the pocket and Kancey was waiting.

Lavonte David forced a fumble inside the red zone that was recovered by Kancey. David now has 31 career forced fumbles, tying T.J. Watt for the second-most among active players and trailing only Khalil Mack (32). He also notched the 69th pass defensed of his career, tying Bobby Wagner for the most among all active linebackers.

Jordan Whitehead finished the game with five tackles, routinely taking down Tyrone Tracy before he could get a head of steam post-cut. He displayed his patented physicality and early in the fourth quarter from third-and-four at the 18, DeVito saw the middle of the field open up and took off towards the end zone. Whitehead came flying in to make the tackle and stopped DeVito a yard short but injured his pectoral muscle on the play. Devin Singletary ran it in on the next play to put the Giants on the board with their lone touchdown of the day.