Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans were treated to yet another strong first quarter from the Bucs offense, jumping out to a quick 13-0 lead behind two Jameis Winston touchdowns, one to Mike Evans and another to rookie TE O.J. Howard. The New York Giants made it a game with a 10-point run on the legs of Eli Manning, yes, the legs of Eli Manning, via a 14-yard touchdown run.
The second half was more back and forth including a fourth quarter touchdowns pass from each quarterback. However, it was a Nick Folk redemption story as he made up for three missed kicks (two field goals and a PAT) with his 34-yard field goal as time expired to give the Buccaneers a 25-23 victory. With that, we give you our PFF exclusive takeaways from the contest for each team.
Top 5 Grades:
DT Gerald McCoy, 90.6 overall grade
CB Brent Grimes, 87.2 overall grade
LT Donovan Smith, 85.2 overall grade
LB Kendell Beckwith, 83.0 overall grade
RT Demar Dotson, 80.6 overall grade
Performances of Note:
QB Jameis Winston, 79.0 overall grade
Uneven at times, but clutch when it really mattered. There are question marks over the chemistry with DeSean Jackson, but no such issues when hooking up with Cameron Brate or Mike Evans and with the game on the line it was a picture perfect pass to Brate that put the team in position to move above .500. Winston made a series of big time throws as the Bucs picked up chunk plays, completing 10 passes that went over 10 yards in the air. If the team can give him protection, he can pick a defense apart and on the 29 plays he had a clean pocket he completed 64.3 percent of passes at 10.5 yards per attempt.
LT Donovan Smith, 83.0 overall grade
It's been a tough start to the year for Smith, with his first two efforts echoing issues he suffered from in his first two years. But this was a much better effort, and while the interior struggled to anchor against the Giants powerful front, Smith (and Demar Dotson) ensured Jason Pierre-Paul and Olivier Vernon had very quiet days. Smith allowed just one pressure and showed good movement skills on the running games, pulling to the second level on a number of occasions and generating good movement on contact.
DI Gerald McCoy, 90.6 overall grade
McCoy was a game-wrecker from the Giants opening snap. He opened the game by busting through the Giants line of scrimmage on the first two plays, both of which resulted in tackles for loss. McCoy finished the game with two hits and two hurries for a 84.6 pass-rush grade. And he was dominant against the run with four stops and a 90.5 run defense grade.
CB Brent Grimes, 87.2 overall grade
Grimes was again stellar for the Buccaneers on the back end of the defense. Grimes was targeted nine times on the day, allowing only three receptions for 20 yards, four of which came after the catch. When Eli Manning targeted Grimes, his passer rating was a measly 42.4. When in primary coverage against Odell Beckham, Grimes was targeted seven times, allowing only two receptions for ten yards
Top 5 Grades:
DI Damon Harrison, 86.4 overall grade
RT Justin Pugh, 85.3 overall grade
DI Dalvin Tomlinson, 84.5 overall grade
QB Eli Manning, 80.9 overall grade
CB Janoris Jenkins, 80.1 overall grade
Performances of Note:
QB Eli Manning, 80.9 overall grade
With his performance today, it appears that Eli Manning is putting together a bounce-back year for the Giants. Manning completed 30 of his 49 passes but his adjusted completion percentage was hindered by five drops from Giants’ receivers and backs. Manning was especially effective in the intermediate area of the field (10-19 yards). In that range he was 8-of-13 for 103 yards.
RT Justin Pugh, 85.3 overall grade
With the Giants’ offensive line coming under fire for their poor play, Justin Pugh was the one standout today for the Giants. On a day where the Giants threw 53 times, Pugh only allowed one hurry. That was good for a 85.2 pass blocking grade. Pugh also added a solid 81.5 run blocking grade, which was the highest run blocking grade on the Giants offensive line
DT Damon Harrison, 86.4 overall grade
The Giants may be 0-4 but the way Harrison has started the year that is not a reflection of his efforts. He was excellent again here, generating his first two pressures of the year while delivering his usual disruptive work in the run game. He hasn't appeared on the stat sheet as much as previous years, but his ability to shed blocks and redirect runners is really something to behold.
CB Janoris Jenkins, 80.1 overall grade
A busy day for Jenkins as the former Ram was targeted seven times. The end result was just three completions for 27 yards, while he was able to break up two passes for good measurement (one of which he almost picked off). He did get called for a penalty and missed a tackle but Jenkins continues to play up to his big 2016 free agent deal, no matter who he is matched against.
PFF Game Ball: Gerald McCoy, DI
*Grades are subject to change upon review
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