Tampa Bay Buccaneers 14 New York Giants 24 Sunday 6 January 2008 at Raymond James Stadium
SCORING TB 1:49-1Q Graham 1 run (Bryant kick) NYG 10:02-2Q Jacobs 5 pass from Manning (Tynes kick) NYG 4:06-2Q Jacobs 8 run (Tynes kick) NYG 9:56-3Q Tynes FG25 NYG 8:03-4Q Toomer 4 pass from Maning (Tynes kick) TB 3:25-4Q Smith 6 pass from Garcia (Bryant kick)
The Bucs led at the end of the first quarter and all seemed to be going well. Then the Giants turned it around and wound up going all the way to Super Bowl success over the undefeated Patriots. Should Jon Gruden have rested his starters the final two games? But Joey Galloway was hurt much of the final month and was a non-factor in this game. Little did Buc fans know it would be their last post-season game for 12 years.
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING BUCS: Williams 18-49, Alstott 4-15, Simms 3-11. BUCS: Graham 18-63, Pittman 1-5, Askew 1-3, Garcia 1-2, Galloway 1-(-4). GIANTS: Bradshaw 17-66, Jacobs 13-34. PASSING BUCS: Garcia 39-23-207-2-1. GIANTS: Manning 27-20-185-0-2. RECEIVING BUCS: Pittman 5-62, Graham 4-27, Hilliard 4-27, Clayton 3-39, Smith 3-26, Askew 2-12, Galloway 1-9, Stevens 1-5. GIANTS: Toomer 7-74, Burress 4-38, Smith 3-29, Jacobs 2-16, Boss 2-14, Bradshaw 1-9, Hedgecock 1-5. INTERCEPTIONS BUCS: none. GIANTS: Webster 1-0, McQuarters 1-0. KICK RETURNS BUCS: Spurlock 5-106. GIANTS: Hixon 2-37, Droughns 1-17. PUNT RETURNS BUCS: Hillard 2-5. GIANTS: McQuarters 2-15. SACKS BUCS: Adams 1-8. GIANTS: Strahan 1-5.
STARTERS OFFENSE DEFENSE LT 70 Penn DE 93 Carter LG 78 Sears DT 71 Haye C 76 Wade DT 95 Hovan RG 75 Joseph DE 90 Adams RT 65 Trueblood WLB 55 Brooks TE 81 Smith MLB 51 Ruud WR 80 Clayton SLB 56 Nece WR 84 Galloway LCB 20 Barber FB 35 Askew RCB 31 Buchanon RB 34 Graham SS 23 Phillips QB 7 Garcia FS 28 Jackson PLAYED 3 Bryant, 9 Bidwell, 17 Spurlock, 19 Hilliard, 25 Kelly, 26 Allen, 29 Bennett, 32 Pittman, 39 Pearson, 44 Storer, 48 Economos, 54 Chukwurah, 57 Hayward, 58 Black, 68 Lehr, 69 Davis, 86 Stevens, 88 Becht, 91 White, 94 Spires, 98 Sims DID NOT PLAY 12 McCown, 50 Trotter INACTIVES 5 Gradkowski, 15 Lucas, 18 Clark, 22 Davis, 30 Nicholson, 33 Darby, 59 June, 72 Buenning
COMMENTARY CREW Joe Buck and Troy Aikman