New York Giants vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers Match Player Stats On Nov 08, 2015

The Sports Xchange
Nov 8, 2015

TAMPA, Fla. -- Quarterback Eli Manning threw two touchdown passes, and the New York Giants earned a 32-18 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium.

Wide receiver Rueben Randle and running back Shane Vereen caught scoring passes, leading the Giants (5-4) to a 17-9 halftime lead.

The Bucs (3-5) had a chance to tie the game in the fourth quarter, but a two-point conversion failed. The Giants added a field goal with 28 seconds remaining, then scored a defensive touchdown on the game's final play when the Bucs attempted a lateral and New York cornerback Trevin Wade picked up the loose ball and went 5 yards to seal the outcome.

Manning was intercepted on the first play of the game -- off the hands of wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and to Bucs cornerback Sterling Moore, setting Tampa Bay up at the New York 13-yard line. The Bucs got only a short field goal, however. Three times in the first half, Tampa Bay reached the New York 10-yard line but couldn't get a touchdown.

Two fumbles by Bucs running backs led to 10 Giants points. Doug Martin's fumble set up Manning's second touchdown, and Charles Sims' fumble in the third quarter led to a field goal and a 20-9 New York lead.

The Bucs pulled close in the fourth quarter as quarterback Jameis Winston scrambled 10 yards for a touchdown, cutting the Giants' lead to 20-18. The two-point conversion failed, however, as wide receiver Russell Shepard couldn't get both feet in on a high throw at the back of the end zone.

The Giants answered with a 53-yard field goal from Josh Brown, extending the advantage to 23-18 with 7:18 left in the game.

The Bucs opted to punt with 5:05 left on fourth-and-10 from midfield, but their defense couldn't get a stop to get the ball back. The Giants went 9-for-15 on third downs, including a key catch by Beckham on the final drive to salt away the remaining minutes. Josh Brown kicked a fourth field goal in the last minute.

In a battle of two of the league's top second-year receivers, Tampa Bay's Mike Evans had a 68-yard catch in the first half and finished with eight receptions for 152 yards. Beckham caught nine passes for 105 yards. Neither scored a touchdown.

Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul made his season debut, playing for the first time since severely injuring his right hand in a July 4 fireworks accident. He was credited with two tackles.

NOTES: Several key Giants players did not dress due to injuries, most notably CB Prince Amukamara (pectoral), TE Larry Donnell (neck) and WR Victor Cruz (calf). ... The Bucs played a sixth consecutive game without TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins (shoulder). The Bucs are also without WR Vincent Jackson (knee), DE Jacquies Smith (ankle), S Major Wright (hamstring) and S D.J. Swearinger (toe) with lingering injuries. ... Tampa Bay started promising first-year player Howard Jones at defensive end in Smith's place. Jones had three sacks in his first three NFL games but had none Sunday. Bucs DT Akeem Spence started in place of Clinton McDonald, who went on injured reserve this week due to a pectoral injury. ... The other Giants inactives were LB J.T. Thomas (ankle), CB Leon McFadden (groin), LB Uani 'Unga (neck) and OT Bobby Hart. ... The Bucs made No. 3 QB Ryan Griffin and newly signed DE Lawrence Sidbury inactive as well.