SERIES HISTORY
The Giants and Buccaneers will meet for the fourth year in a row and the fifth time in six seasons. The last three games between the teams were decided by a total of six points. On Sept. 22, 2019, the Giants edged the Bucs in Raymond James Stadium, 32-31. Daniel Jones started his first game at quarterback and threw for 336 yards and two touchdowns and ran for two more scores, including the seven-yard game-winner with 1:16 remaining in the game. The Giants lead the regular-season series, 15-7. Big Blue won their only postseason matchup to kick off the Super Bowl XLII run.
LAST TIME OUT
The Giants (1-6) lost by one point to a divisional rival (Philadelphia) four days after defeating another (Washington) by a single point. In the victory, the Giants finished with 108 net passing yards, their lowest total regardless of outcome since 2017 and their lowest net passing yardage total in a victory since 2007. In last Thursday's loss to the Eagles, they had season-high totals of 325 yards and 160 rushing yards.
In Week 7, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers improved to 5-2 with a 45-20 road win against the Las Vegas Raiders. Tom Brady passed for 369 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions. He now has 94 career games with 300 pass yards, second-most in NFL history.
INJURY REPORT
New York Giants
- Out: RB Devonta Freeman (ankle), DB Adrian Colbert (shoulder)
- Doubtful: CB Ryan Lewis (hamstring)
- Questionable: WR C.J. Board (concussion)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Out: WR Chris Godwin (finger)
WILL HERNANDEZ PLACED ON RESERVE/COVID-19 LIST
The Giants placed starting left guard Will Hernandez on the Reserve/COVID-19 list on Thursday. In addition, the team instructed eight players and two coaches to remain home that day. On Friday, the Giants announced that the close contacts were able to return to the team.
"There's always some kind of adversity we're going to have to deal with," Judge said. "To us, this is just a sudden change. We just keep on moving forward. We emphasize working on what we can really accomplish as a team. We get everyone ready who may be part of the game plan."
NEW TEAM, SAME OLD TOM
Tom Brady is 4-3 (0.571 winning percentage) against the Giants as a starter, including the postseason. Against everyone else, he is 249-74 (.771). Meanwhile, the all-time passing touchdowns record is going to come down to the wire. Brady moved ahead to No. 1 last week with 559. Right behind him is Drew Brees (558), who originally broke Peyton Manning's all-time record of 539.
GRONK IS BACK
Including the postseason, Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski have connected for 92 touchdowns, tied with the Pro Football Hall of Fame combination of Steve Young and Jerry Rice (92) for the second-most touchdowns by a quarterback-receiver pairing in NFL history. Only Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison (114 touchdowns) had more.
FAMILIAR FACES
A few members of the Giants' coaching staff witnessed Brady up close in New England. Judge was the Patriots' assistant special teams coach and then coordinator for eight years, and also served as wide receivers coach last season. Additionally, assistant head coach/defensive coordinator Patrick Graham began his NFL coaching career with the Patriots (2009-15). He was a coaching assistant in 2009 before being promoted to defensive assistant in 2010 and linebackers coach in 2011. Graham moved to defensive line from 2012-13 before returning to the linebackers in 2014-15.
JPP BACK AT METLIFE
Veteran defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul has 5.5 sacks through seven games this year with the Buccaneers. He now has 85.0 career sacks, 58.5 of which were accumulated in eight seasons with the Giants (seventh all-time in franchise history). The former 15th overall draft pick recorded 1.5 sacks in his first and only meeting against the Giants in 2018.
STATS TO IMPRESS YOUR FRIENDS
Entering Week 8, scoring continues to trend at an unprecedented level across the league. The 5,329 points scored are the most in NFL history through seven weeks, while the 50.8 total points per game (both teams combined) is the highest through Week 7 since at least 1970. Overall, seven teams are averaging at least 30 points per game, the most at this point of a season since 1970.
GIANTS DON CLASSIC UNIFORMS
Coinciding with the franchise's on-going 30th anniversary celebration of the 1990 championship team, the New York Giants will hearken back to that era with special classic uniforms. The team will wear them during this week's Monday night meeting with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at MetLife Stadium.
Similar to what they wore from 1980-99, the uniforms consist of white jerseys and pants with blue and red stripes, a "GIANTS" helmet decal instead of the familiar "ny," and white facemasks replacing the customary gray. The Giants first donned the classics in 2016. A year later, they wore white at home for the first time since their 2000 opener.
The Giants last wore the classic uniforms last season in their Monday Night Football game against the Dallas Cowboys.
This will be the fifth time the Giants wear the Super Bowl XXV-Era uniforms.
On the other sideline, the Buccaneers took to Twitter Wednesday to announce that they will be donning their red jerseys.
Check out the evolution of the New York Giants' uniforms through the years.
The 1934 N.Y. Giants pose for a team photo. The Giants won the 1934 NFL Championship Game over the Chicago Bears in what's known as "The Sneakers Game" after their players switched from cleats to sneakers to help with their footing in their upset win. (AP Photo/Pro Football Hall of Fame)
1927 New York Giants team photo (Pro Football Hall of Fame via AP Images)
New York Giants' center Mel Hein is seen Oct. 11, 1945, in New York. (AP Photo/John Lindsay)
RB Ward Cuff is shown in this 1945 photo. (AP Photo)
Kyle Rote, halfback for the New York Giants Oct. 24, 1951 at the Polo Grounds in New York. (AP Photo)
Arnie Weinmeister, New York Giant tackle, during workout at the Polo Grounds in New York City in 1952. (AP Photo/Ray Howard)
This Dec. 11, 1956 file photo shows Andy Robustelli (81), an end for the New York Giants. (AP Photo/File)
Frank Gifford heads upfield during an NFL game on Nov. 3, 1957 (AP Photo/NFL Photos/Vernon Biever)
New York Giants halfback Frank Gifford, shown at a workout on Sept. 9, 1958 in New York. (AP Photo/Rooney)
Photo shows Dick Nolan, half back for the New York Giants on Sept. 17, 1960. (AP Photo/John Rooney)
Y.A. Tittle after leading Giants to stunning 38-21 win over the Philadelphia Eagles on Nov. 12, 1961. (AP Photo/John Lindsay)
In this Sept. 3, 1963, file photo, New York Giants running back Alex Webster poses at the team's NFL training camp in Fairfield, Conn. (AP Photo/Harry Harris, File)
New York Giants QB Fran Tarkenton, Nov. 5, 1967 (AP Photo.Robert Walsh, File)
Fran Tarkenton, quarterback, New York Giants, (10) flanked by left Joe Morrison, and Joe Koontz (47) right, in 1968. (AP Photo)
Linebacker Pat Hughes watches play in 1972. (AP Photo / Al Messerschmidt)
Carl "Spider" Lockhart poses for a photo during training camp in Fairfield, Ct., 1974. (AP Photo/NFL Photos)
RB Doug Kotar and Joe Dawkins clutch hands during an NFL game against the Green Bay Packers, Nov. 23, 1975. (AP Photo/Vernon Biever)
New York Giants linebacker Brad Van Pelt (10) during a 24 to 10 Giants win over the Los Angeles Rams on Sept. 26, 1976 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles.(AP Photo/NFL Photos)
Hall of Fame RB Larry Csonka watches from the sideline against the Los Angeles Rams at the Los Angeles Coliseum on September 26, 1976. (Peter Read Miller via AP)
QB Phil Simms throws a pass during the NFL football game against the New York Jets in East Rutherford, New Jersey on August 28, 1982. (AP Photo/Paul Spinelli)
New York Giants linebacker Harry Carson (53) looks on during the NFL football game against the St. Louis Cardinals on September 22, 1985 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Giants won the game 27-17. (AP Photo/Paul Spinelli)
New York Giants' quarterback Phil Simms is seen in action, 1984. (AP Photo)
Lawrence Taylor is congregated by Mark Collins and Carl Banks after his interception and touchdown run on a Joe Montana pass on Sunday, Jan. 4, 1986 in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Ray Stubblebine)
New York Giants running back Ottis Anderson (24) catches a pregame pass during the NFL game against the Philadelphia Eagles on October 12, 1986 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Giants won the game 35-3. (AP Photo/Paul Spinelli)
Mark Collins watches pre-game warm-ups before the 1986 NFC Championship NFL game against the Washington Redskins, Jan. 11, 1987. (AP Photo/Paul Spinelli)
Phil Simms vs. San Francisco 49ers at Candlestick Park Monday, November 27, 1989. (AP Photo/Al Golub)
Giants running back Ottis Anderson (24) on Monday, December 3, 1990. (AP Photo/Al Golub)
Jeff Hostetler celebrates after throwing a first quarter touchdown pass against the Chicago Bears at Giants Stadium, Jan. 13, 1991. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)
Jessie Armstead (98) during a game from his 1993 season with the New York Giants. (David Durochik via AP)
New York Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor (56) pressures Minnesota Vikings quarterback Jim McMahon Jan. 9, 1994 in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)
Rodney Hampton during a game from his 1995 season with the New York Giants. (David Durochik via AP)
Phillippi Sparkes holds his second interception of the night with teammates Tito Wooten (29) and Corey Widmer (90) during overtime against the Washington Redskins, Nov. 23, 1997. (AP/Doug Mills)
Keith Hamilton against the Oakland Raiders on September 13, 1998 in Oakland. (AP Photo/G. Newman Lowrance)
Amani Toomer celebrates after catching a 17 yard touchdown pass against the Cleveland Browns, Nov. 5, 2000 (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)
Cedrick Jones (94) and Thabiti Davis (82) celebrate their 17-13 win over the Dallas Cowboys in Irving, Texas, Sunday, Dec. 17, 2000. With the win the Giants are NFC East champions. (AP Photo/Donna McWilliam)
Kerry Collins sets to pass against the St. Louis Rams during their football game in St. Louis Sunday, Sept. 15, 2002. (AP Photo/James A. Finley)
Eli Manning (10) throws a pass during the first quarter Sunday, Oct. 23, 2005 at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)
Tiki Barber breaks through the Oakland Raiders' defense on his way to 95-yard rushing touchdown in the first half of NFL football on Saturday, Dec. 31, 2005 (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Michael Strahan celebrates after sacking Dallas Cowboys quarterback Drew Bledsoe during the third quarter Sunday, Dec. 4, 2005 at Giants Stadium (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)
Lawrence Tynes celebrates after kicking the game-winning field goal in overtime during the NFC Championship football game against the Green Bay Packers, Sunday, Jan. 20, 2008, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
New York Giants QB Eli Manning (10) celebrates after his 13-yard touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress in the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl XLII football game against the New England Patriots at University of Phoenix Stadium on Sunday, Feb. 3, 2008 in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
New York Giants defensive end Justin Tuck (91) looks on before an NFL football game against the Carolina Panthers Sunday, Dec. 27, 2009, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)
The Giants introduce their alternative uniforms with white pants vs. the Raiders November 10th, 2013
David Diehl (66) blocks during a week 10 football game against the Oakland Raiders on November 10, 2013 in East Rutherford, New Jersey (AP Photo/Evan Pinkus)
Sterling Shepard (87) during an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, Dec. 24, 2017, in Glendale, Ariz.(AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Saquon Barkley scores a 1st quarter touchdown during a week 16 game against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday December 23, 2018 in Indianapolis. (Evan Pinkus via AP)
Saquon Barkley hurdles Philadelphia Eagles' Malcolm Jenkins (27) during the first half of an NFL football game Thursday, Oct. 11, 2018, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Leonard Williams and Dexter Lawrence react during the second quarter of an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys, Monday, Nov. 4, 2019, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)
Azeez Ojulari (51) Jason Pinnock (27)
Daniel Jones (8)
New York Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton (86) during a game against the Washington Commanders on Sunday December 4, 2022 in East Rutherford, New Jersey (Jerry Pinkus/ New York Giants)
New York Giants place kicker Graham Gano (9) during a game against the Washington Commanders on Sunday December 4, 2022 in East Rutherford, New Jersey (Jerry Pinkus/ New York Giants)
Azeez Ojulari (51)
Kayvon Thibodeaux (5) Azeez Ojulari (51)
Darius Slayton
New York Giants linebacker Azeez Ojulari (51) during a game against the Washington Commanders on Sunday December 4, 2022 in East Rutherford, New Jersey (Jerry Pinkus/ New York Giants)
Jon Feliciano (76)
Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)
Graham Gano (9)
Isaiah Hodgins (18)
Darius Slayton (86)
Isaiah Hodgins (18)
Daniel Jones
Daniel Jones, Saquon Barkley
Daniel Jones
Daniel Jones
Jihad Ward (55)
Dexter Lawrence (97)
Daniel Jones (8)
Daniel Jones (8), Saquon Barkley (26)
Darius Slayton (86), Daniel Jones (8)
Saquon Barkley (26)
Jihad Ward (55)
Daniel Jones (8)
Azeez Ojulari (51)
Jihad Ward (55)
Daniel Jones (8)
Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)
Daniel Jones (8), Daniel Bellinger (82)
Daniel Jones (8)
Dexter Lawrence (97)
Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)
Azeez Ojulari (51)
Isaiah Hodgins (18)
Isaiah Hodgins (18)
QB Daniel Jones (8)
ILB Bobby Okereke (58)
OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)
T Andrew Thomas (78)
T Andrew Thomas (78)
WR Jalin Hyatt (13), CB Deonte Banks (3)
WR Jalin Hyatt (13)
CB Deonte Banks (3)
OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5), CB Deonte Banks (3)
WR Jalin Hyatt (13)
CB Deonte Banks (3)
CB Deonte Banks (3), OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)
CB Deonte Banks (3)
