The Bucs shellacked the Giants 30-7 to raise their record to 5-6 and their playoff chances to 54% on Sunday. It was a team performance as Tampa Bay dominated on both sides of the ball.

The defense held the Giants offense to -0.23 expected points added per play and just a 40% success rate. Baker Mayfield completed 80% of his passes while averaging just under 10 yards per attempt. Bucky Irving solidified himself as RB1.

Bucky Irving totaled 151 yards on 18 total touches in Week 12 against the Giants, including career highs in both rushing yards over expected (+48) and YAC over expected (+34).

Irving also forced 6 missed tackles across his 18 touches, giving him 55 missed tackles forced this… pic.twitter.com/vwHFDlD112

— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) November 24, 2024

But the most impressive performance of the day came from the Bucs offensive line. This group has fully ascended into the “special” category and is making a run at best offensive line in the NFL.

Bucs Offensive Line Shut Down New York’s Pass Rush

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by: USA Today

Through the first two drives of the game the Giants failed to record a single quarterback pressure. By midway through the fourth quarter, they had just two. Both of those came from second or third level defenders off of blitzes. The Giants ended up pressuring Mayfield on just seven of his 33 drop backs per Next Gen Stats. That’s an absurd 21.2%.

Yes, offensive coordinator Liam Coen drew up tons of screens, play action and quick game to lessen the burden on the line. But there were still times where the Bucs had to run a traditional drop back game. And when they did the offensive line still kept Mayfield clean.

How to take down a good pass rush? Start with the OC getting creative with:

Play Action: 27% of DB
Screen/Escort/Quick Game: 39%

But when you have to go to traditional drop back/shotgun it really helps to have an OL that can do THIS. pic.twitter.com/RtLPj2vHIV

— Joshua Queipo (@josh_queipo) November 25, 2024

Bucs Offensive Line Shut Down Two Elite Pass Rushers

The strength of the Giants entire roster is their pass rush. Brian Burns and Dexter Lawrence are two of the best in the league at getting to the quarterback. If New York had any chance of winning on Sunday those two would have to lead the charge with other quality defensive linemen like Azeez Ojulari and Kayvon Thibodeaux helping along the way.

The Bucs had other plans. Lawrence failed to record a pressure on 21 pass rushes. Burns earned one pressure on 27 rushes. Combined they accounted for a 2.1% pressure rate. From the tape it looks like Liam Coen built an entire gameplan around neutralizing those two players and challenging the rest of the Giants defense to beat them.

New York was not up for the challenge.

Baker wants to go to the dig, but Okereke falls back under it brilliantly. He has the swing to Bucky, but pulls it down, gets out and lofts a beauty for Durham.

•Triple teaming Dex bc your TE3 can handle Thibodeaux 1v1
• Goedeke dominating Burns was a theme pic.twitter.com/cHh2NdOmtH

— Jon Ledyard (@LedyardNFLDraft) November 25, 2024

Bucs O-Line Worked Well In Run Game

Bucs running backs averaged 4.5 yards per carry and totaled 128 yards on the ground with three touchdowns. Add in quarterback Baker Mayfield’s designed run for nine yards and the team ran for 137 yards on 29 carries. The backs, outside of Sean Tucker, had a good game running the ball. But the line did some impressive things to give them those opportunities.

Graham Barton certified freight train. pic.twitter.com/o1QhUUdYPK

— Joshua Queipo (@josh_queipo) November 25, 2024

Bucs RB Bucky Irving – Photo by: USA Today

This may have been left guard Ben Bredeson’s best game of the season.

The Bucs rotated him help, especially when Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence was shaded to his side. Fill-in swing tackle Justin Skule’s name wasn’t called all day as he subbed successfully for Tristan Wirfs. That’s wonderful news for an offense.

Tampa Bay continues to put more on right guard Cody Mauch’s plate. He has responded with the best stretch of play of his young career as his arrow is decidedly pointing up.

And right tackle Luke Goedeke put Giants outside linebacker Brian Burns in jail for large swaths of this game.

Luke Goedeke vs. Brian Burns didn’t go the way NYG hoped it would. pic.twitter.com/0XPkBkEEyw

— Joshua Queipo (@josh_queipo) November 25, 2024

The Bucs dominated the Giants on Sunday because in a matchup of strength on strength the Bucs offensive line handled business. The team has talent all over the roster.

But it is perhaps most concentrated along the Bucs offensive line. That bodes well for this Tampa Bay team for the rest of 2024 and long into the future.