Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs New York Giants Match Player Stats On Sep 16, 2012

SportsDirect Inc. staff
Sep 16, 2012

Giants 41, Buccaneers 34: Eli Manning recovered from a terrible first half to pass for a career-high 510 yards and three touchdowns as host New York came from behind to top Tampa Bay.

Andre Brown ran for his first career touchdown with 31 seconds left and finished with 71 yards on 13 carries. Brown’s 2-yard burst capped a 25-point fourth quarter for the Giants and was set up by a 50-yard pass down the right sideline from Manning to Hakeem Nicks.

Manning threw three interceptions in the first half but completed 31 of 51 passes. Nicks finished with 10 catches for 199 yards and a score and Victor Cruz pulled down 11 receptions for 179 yards and a touchdown for New York (1-1), which avoided its first 0-2 start since 2007.

The Buccaneers fell behind for the first time with just under four minutes left and looked content to march down the field with runs and short passes until they got into New York territory. Josh Freeman then went up top, firing a 41-yard pass to Mike Williams in the end zone that slipped through his arms before bouncing off the helmet of a defender and back into his hands for the tying score.

Tampa Bay built a 27-13 lead by forcing three first half interceptions, including a pick by Eric Wright at the end of the first half that he ran back 60 yards for a score. But the red zone troubles that the Giants had in the first half disappeared in the fourth quarter, as Manning started to connect on a series of long passes.

GAME NOTEBOOK: New York RB Ahmad Bradshaw (neck), LT David Diehl (knee) and WR Domenik Hixon (concussion) all left the game in the first half and did not return. … Manning threw three interceptions in the first half for the second time in his career (Sept. 24, 2006, at Seattle). … Freeman finished 15 of 28 for 243 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Vincent Jackson caught five passes for 128 yards and a score.