New York @ Tampa Bay preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 18, 2018 ) Tampa Bay 35, N.Y. Giants 38

There will be a changing of the guard for the New York Giants on Sunday after they benched longtime quarterback Eli Manning ahead of a visit to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Rookie Daniel Jones will take the place of Manning, a two-time Super Bowl MVP who has started all but one game for the Giants since the start of the 2005 season but is 8-25 over the past three years.

"I'm not dying and the season's not over," Manning told reporters this week when asked if this was the beginning of the end for the 38-year-old. "There's a lot to be positive about, a lot to be grateful for. I just have to accept my new role and make the best of it." Jones has shown an ability to throw the deep ball - likely better than Manning at this point - and should do more with his legs, but the Buccaneers are primarily focused elsewhere when putting together their game plan. "It will be the same offense, we still have to stop Saquon (Barkley)," Tampa Bay coach Bruce Arians told the media of New York's star running back. "(Jones is) a more mobile guy, so you have to be a little more cautious of rush lanes and things like that. Expect a little bit more movement passes, but he's still a rookie." The Buccaneers will be well-rested and coming in on a high note after winning 20-14 at Carolina in the Week 2 Thursday night affair Sept. 12.

TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Buccaneers -6.5. O/U: 47.5

ABOUT THE GIANTS (0-2): Jones, drafted sixth overall out of Duke this spring, completed 29-of-34 passes for 416 yards and two touchdowns during some impressive preseason play. As Arians indicated, Jones will likely lean on Barkley, who enters Week 3 ranked second in the NFL with 227 rushing yards at an eye-popping 7.8 yards per attempt. The top target has been tight end Evan Engram (22 catches, 164 yards), who has 128 yards on eight grabs in two previous meetings with Tampa Bay.

ABOUT THE BUCCANEERS (1-1): Tampa Bay can't afford a letdown Sunday, which constitutes the team's last true home game until Nov. 10, with four challenging road games, one bye and one "home" game in London over the following six weeks. Jameis Winston threw for 208 yards and a TD in the win over the Panthers while a defense led by linebacker Shaquil Barrett (four sacks on the year), authored a goal-line stand in the closing moments to preserve the victory. Chris Godwin has been a go-to guy for Winston with 11 catches for 174 yards and two touchdowns, while two-time Pro Bowler Mike Evans has been slow to get going with six grabs and 89 yards.

EXTRA POINTS

1. The Giants enter Week 3 sixth in the NFL in total offense (420 yards per game) while the Buccaneers are 26th (292).

2. Winston passed the 15,000-yard mark last week and did not throw an interception after doing so three times in a season-opening loss to San Francisco.

3. New York has won four of the past five meetings in the regular season, including a 38-35 triumph at home last year in which Barkley ran for 142 yards and scored three times.

PREDICTION: Buccaneers 22, Giants 17