| If TE Dallas Clark and the Bucs' passing attack can get going, it should help open things for RB Doug Martin. (US Presswire) |
Buccaneers at Giants -- Week 2
Where: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, N.J. (turf, outdoors)
When: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (Fox)
Spread: Giants by 7
Forecast: No chance of rain; projected kickoff temperature in the low 70s
Records: Buccaneers (Overall: 1-0, NFC South 1-0); Giants (Overall: 0-1, NFC East: 0-1)
Past results: Two most recent meetings -- 2009: Giants 24, Bucs 0; 2007 NFC wild card Playoffs: Giants 24, Bucs 14. Series record: Giants hold an 11-6 edge.
What matters: Few could have expected the Bucs, fresh off a 4-12 season in 2011, to be the team coming into Week 2 with a 1-0 record -- and not the defending Super Bowl champions. The New York Giants lost to the Cowboys to open the season in large part because of their inability to stop the pass, a direct result of injuries in the secondary. Tampa Bay spent considerable cash this offseason to add free agent WR Vincent Jackson and TE Dallas Clark to bolster its passing attack. This is an early chance to see if the money was well-spent.
Who matters: RB Doug Martin charged out of the gates in his NFL debut last week, finishing with 95 rushing yards and shouldering the workload when the passing game went stagnant in the second half and backup LeGarrette Blount was injured. If Tampa Bay is to find offensive success in this game, it will need to establish the run to keep the Giants' pass rushers -- some of the best in the NFL -- honest.
Key matchups: Giants WRs Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz versus the Bucs' secondary. New York's offense got off to a slow start in the season opener, as the team is only 28th in the NFL in passing yards (187) and 21st in rushing (82) after one week. The Bucs are a bit thin at cornerback, but feel good about the play of their safeties. If Tampa Bay can handle the Giants' deep threats, the Bucs' chances will go up considerably.
Injuries of note: Offensive lineman Jeremy Trueblood has been sidelined due to an ankle injury. He did not practice on Friday, according to Stephen F. Holder of the Tampa Bay Times, and seems unlikely to play. WR Arrelious Benn has been out since the beginning of training camp due to a knee injury but told Holder he expects to play Sunday. Blount suffered a stinger in Week 1 but was cleared to practice and play by Wednesday.
Inside stuff: If the defenses can keep the offenses out of the end zone, the Bucs have to like their chances in a battle of field goal kickers. Connor Barth made all three of his attempts in the season-opener, and including last season, has made 29 of his last 31 kicks.
Connections: First-year Bucs offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan was the Giants' quarterbacks coach for the last two seasons and worked with New York coach Tom Caughlin since 2002 when Caughlin was in Jacksonville. Tampa Bay defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan was a member of the Giants' staff for five years.
Stat you should know: Tampa Bay had the worst rushing defense in the NFL in 2011, but flipped the script completely in Week 1, holding Carolina to a mere 10 rushing yards. The Bucs, predictably, rank No. 1 in the NFL in rushing defense heading into Week 2.
Bulletin board quote: Offensive tackle Donald Penn on the challenge of facing the Giants' stout pass rush, featuring Jason Pierre-Paul, Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora: "Some of us on the line, we'll have to play our best game yet. That's part of football. … I like playing the best, so I'm excited. These guys are the best."
Looking ahead: For the Bucs, this serves as the start of a three-game tour through the NFC East. Tampa Bay has games at Dallas and vs. Washington in the next two weeks. The team started off on the right foot with a 16-10 win over Carolina in Week 1, but could truly make a statement that Greg Schiano's tenure has a chance to be successful with a win over the defending Super Bowl champions.
Prediction: Giants 27, Buccaneers 17
For more from Tampa Bay Bucs blogger Patrick Southern, follow @CBSBucs on Twitter.