The New York Giants wore their 1990 throwback white uniforms for their Monday night game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and for most of the game, they played as if it were 1990.
The Giants pushed the heavily favored Bucs around in the trenches in the first half and took a 14-6 lead into the locker room at halftime by playing error-free, opportunistic football.
Big Blue put up two touchdowns in the first half, one on a spectacular diving catch by running back Dion Lewis and the other on a Wayne Gallman two-yard run.
But there are two halves to football games. After a clean first half, Giants quarterback Daniel Jones was picked off on the Giants’ first series of the second half which led to a Tampa field goal. Then, Tampa Bay scored again to take a 15-14 lead on a Tom Brady-to-Rob Gronkowski three-yard TD strike.
The Giants led, 17-15, after three quarters in what was an even game statistically to that point. Jones, who was accurate with his midrange and short passes in the game, tried to force one into Golden Tate early in the fourth quarter while under duress and was picked off again. This time it stopped a rally on the Tampa Bay 34-yard-line.
The Bucs built a 25-17 lead with 3:41 remaining. The Giants took possession on their own 30 with no time outs left. With 28 seconds left on the clock, Jones found Golden Tate in the end zone for a 19-yard touchdown to narrow the score to 25-23.
The two-point conversion pass to Lewis was incomplete. The officials initially threw a flag on Bucs cornerback Antoine Winfield, Jr but picked it up after conferring there was no foul.
Notes
For the fourth straight week, the Giants lost a game by three points or less.
The loss dropped the Giants to 1-7 which puts them last in the NFC and second to the 0-8 Jets in the NFL Draft lottery.
Offensive coordinator Jason Garrett finally unleashed the passing game by taking some shots downfield. Unfortunately, Jones could not find his touch, overthrowing Darius Slayton three times (one in the end zone) and also could not connect with Sterling Shepard on what would have been a huge play, possibly a touchdown.
Before the game, the Giants promoted defensive back Montre Hartage, running back Alfred Morris and linebacker Chad Slade from the practice squad. Yes, that is the same Alfred Morris who went to two Pro Bowls for the Washington Redskins.
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