Many Tampa Bay fans they came away from Sunday’s 41-34 loss to the reigning Super Bowl Champions at the Meadowlands considering it a moral victory.
Monday morning, the Buccaneer locker room disagreed.
The Buccaneers came out of New York with a heartbreaking 41-34 loss to the Super Bowl Champions. Ahead 24-13 heading into halftime, Tampa Bay was outscored 28-11 in the final two quarters as Eli Manning threw all over the field in the second half.
Looking at the final statistics from Sunday’s match up, New York won the battle in first downs (31 to 14), total yards (604 to 307), and time of possession (33:29-26:31). The fact that the Bucs were up by two touchdowns on the Giants could be solely attributed to the Tampa Bay defense forcing three turnovers – and capitalizing on each one.
All turnovers came via interceptions, with CB Eric Wright returning his pick 60 yards for six points to extend the Buccaneer lead right as halftime approached.
When the Bucs stepped back onto the field at MetLife Stadium to start the second half, it seemed as if the Giants made adjustments, while the Bucs did not.
New York’s game plan was to keep stretching the field during blitzes, which left Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz in one-on-on situations in zone coverage. The Bucs front four couldn’t get much pressure on Eli Manning past the first quarter, and had a combined seven tackles between DE Michael Bennett (1) and DTs Gerald McCoy (2), Roy Miller (2), and Gary Gibson (2). Gibson, who was signed by the Bucs in May, was on the field for less than a handful of plays. Last year’s sack leader, Adrian Clayborn, has been held to zero sacks and only one tackle in two games.
Monday in the Buccaneers locker room, Miller was asked if he agreed with the fanbase that Sunday was a moral victory.
“No.” Miller said. “No, we got a standard - our standards of play, our best as individuals, and as a team – so there’s no such thing as a moral victory. We always look at ourselves as seeing what the best that we can do at individually and we didn’t do that. So, it’s definitely disappointing.”
Opting to classify each week as seasons, not games, head coach Greg Schiano has his players focused on each approaching opponent without focusing ahead or behind. Linebacker Adam Hayward said the Bucs are moving ahead into Cowboys Season, but they can take things away from the Giants came, considering they saw many different scenarios reflected on the scoreboard.
“We get games like that, they’re important.” Hayward said. “You get to see every aspect and just kind of work on it and get to correct things and just kind of fix things that went wrong.
“That game is over, so now we’re on to Dallas. So it’s a new situation, we’re just worried about Dallas. I know this defense and I know the players we have and we’re going to be fine. We’re going to go out there and take care of business.”
Considering the Giants and Cowboys met in the NFL opener and the Bucs used the film from that game to prepare for the Week 2 contest, it would be a safe bet that the Bucs have already gotten a glimpse of Dallas, but according to Demar Dotson, who got his first start at right tackle for the injured Jeremy Trueblood, the Giants are too good not to be focused on 100 percent.
“We were so focused on the Giants we didn’t pay attention to the Cowboys.” Dotson said. “It was Giants week. Now that that week is over with, we can focus on the Cowboys.”
With the Giants now in the rear view mirror, the Bucs still have three more opponents from the NFC East ahead of them; two will come in as many weeks.
The NFC East is considered the toughest division in the NFL and when the league schedules were released, seeing the back-to-back-to-back East Division team names made many Tampa Bay residents cringe. The close loss against the defending World Champions may have given those same fans hope.
Monday morning, the Buccaneer locker room disagreed.
The Buccaneers came out of New York with a heartbreaking 41-34 loss to the Super Bowl Champions. Ahead 24-13 heading into halftime, Tampa Bay was outscored 28-11 in the final two quarters as Eli Manning threw all over the field in the second half.
Looking at the final statistics from Sunday’s match up, New York won the battle in first downs (31 to 14), total yards (604 to 307), and time of possession (33:29-26:31). The fact that the Bucs were up by two touchdowns on the Giants could be solely attributed to the Tampa Bay defense forcing three turnovers – and capitalizing on each one.
All turnovers came via interceptions, with CB Eric Wright returning his pick 60 yards for six points to extend the Buccaneer lead right as halftime approached.
When the Bucs stepped back onto the field at MetLife Stadium to start the second half, it seemed as if the Giants made adjustments, while the Bucs did not.
New York’s game plan was to keep stretching the field during blitzes, which left Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz in one-on-on situations in zone coverage. The Bucs front four couldn’t get much pressure on Eli Manning past the first quarter, and had a combined seven tackles between DE Michael Bennett (1) and DTs Gerald McCoy (2), Roy Miller (2), and Gary Gibson (2). Gibson, who was signed by the Bucs in May, was on the field for less than a handful of plays. Last year’s sack leader, Adrian Clayborn, has been held to zero sacks and only one tackle in two games.
Monday in the Buccaneers locker room, Miller was asked if he agreed with the fanbase that Sunday was a moral victory.
“No.” Miller said. “No, we got a standard - our standards of play, our best as individuals, and as a team – so there’s no such thing as a moral victory. We always look at ourselves as seeing what the best that we can do at individually and we didn’t do that. So, it’s definitely disappointing.”
Opting to classify each week as seasons, not games, head coach Greg Schiano has his players focused on each approaching opponent without focusing ahead or behind. Linebacker Adam Hayward said the Bucs are moving ahead into Cowboys Season, but they can take things away from the Giants came, considering they saw many different scenarios reflected on the scoreboard.
“We get games like that, they’re important.” Hayward said. “You get to see every aspect and just kind of work on it and get to correct things and just kind of fix things that went wrong.
“That game is over, so now we’re on to Dallas. So it’s a new situation, we’re just worried about Dallas. I know this defense and I know the players we have and we’re going to be fine. We’re going to go out there and take care of business.”
Considering the Giants and Cowboys met in the NFL opener and the Bucs used the film from that game to prepare for the Week 2 contest, it would be a safe bet that the Bucs have already gotten a glimpse of Dallas, but according to Demar Dotson, who got his first start at right tackle for the injured Jeremy Trueblood, the Giants are too good not to be focused on 100 percent.
“We were so focused on the Giants we didn’t pay attention to the Cowboys.” Dotson said. “It was Giants week. Now that that week is over with, we can focus on the Cowboys.”
With the Giants now in the rear view mirror, the Bucs still have three more opponents from the NFC East ahead of them; two will come in as many weeks.
The NFC East is considered the toughest division in the NFL and when the league schedules were released, seeing the back-to-back-to-back East Division team names made many Tampa Bay residents cringe. The close loss against the defending World Champions may have given those same fans hope.
For the players, it’s back to One Buc for business.
“All I know is that we’re playing Dallas next to be quite honest.” Hayward said. “That’s how we look at it. We just go one game at a time and Dallas is next and the game we just played is over.”
“All I know is that we’re playing Dallas next to be quite honest.” Hayward said. “That’s how we look at it. We just go one game at a time and Dallas is next and the game we just played is over.”
COMMENTS
September 18, 2012
8:42 am
September 17, 2012
11:02 pm
September 17, 2012
6:46 pm
September 17, 2012
6:46 pm
September 17, 2012
4:09 pm
September 17, 2012
4:06 pm