Giants Daily Blitz Blog

Vote for Player of the Game

With the Giants’ thrilling 41-34 victory, it’s time to vote for the Giants “Extra Effort” Player of the Game. Struggling to score in the first half, the Giants offense opened up for 28 points in the second half.

Here are this week’s candidates and a look at their performances:

QB Eli Manning

31/51 passing, 510 YDS, 3 TD, 3 INT

Manning led the Giants to 510 net passing yards — the most in franchise history – and it was the first time they won a regular season game in which they threw at least 50 passes. Manning’s 510 yards were also the second-highest total by a quarterback in Giants history, next to Phil Simms’ 513 in 1985.

WR Hakeem Nicks

10 REC, 199 YDS (19.9 AVG), 1 TD, 50 LG

Nicks put up the sixth-best yardage total in franchise history and sparked the final go-ahead drive with a 50-yard reception late in the fourth quarter.

WR Victor Cruz

11 REC, 179 YDS (16.3 AVG), 1 TD, 80 LG

Cruz had a career-high 11 receptions and along with Nicks became the first tandem in NFL history to both record 10 catches and at least 175 yards receiving.

VOTE HERE FOR THE GIANTS “EXTRA EFFORT” PLAYER OF THE GAME

Nicks’ 199 yards wow teammates

When you see the stat line of 10 catches for 199 yards, you don’t automatically think of a gritty performance. However, that’s what wide receiver Hakeem Nicks showed on Sunday as he played through the pain associated with his recuperation from a broken foot and posted a career day en route to a Giants’ victory.

Antrel Rolle, who has been Nicks’ teammate since 2010 and once faced him in 2009 when Rolle played for Arizona, thought it was his best performance. And it didn’t have anything to do with personal records.

“I think Hakeem probably played one of his best games as a Giant,” Rolle said. “Just his attitude, I saw the hunger in his eye before we even stepped out on the field today. He knew that he had something in him today – that he was going to go out there and be dominant. That’s exactly what he was. He was a dominant force for us.”

Playing alongside Nicks since they were drafted together by the Giants in 2009, Ramses Barden agreed it was one of his best performances. He also knew what the day meant for Nicks with Buccaneers offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan on the other sideline. Sullivan was their wide receivers coach when they came into the league before becoming the Giants’ quarterbacks coach (2010-11) and then taking the job in Tampa over the offseason.

“It’s hard to say ‘best,’ with that guy,” Barden, who began the final go-ahead drive on Sunday with a 24-yard catch, said of Nicks. “Because he’s talented and he’s done some special things for us in the last several years. But it’s definitely a memorable one, especially with Hakeem’s relationship with Mike…I think it holds some special weight with him, and it would anybody.”

Giants vs. Bucs Live Blog: 4th QTR

0:00 — GIANTS WIN 41-34

0:12 — LB Michael Boley intercepts Freeman, all but sealing the victory.

0:34 — TOUCHDOWN GIANTS. XP is GOOD. Andre Brown walks in for a two-yard score. NEW YORK 34, TAMPA BAY 34 (drive:

1:58 — WR Ramses Barden gets on the board with a key 24-yard catch down the right sideline.

2:08 — TOUCHDOWN BUCCANEERS. XP is GOOD. NEW YORK 34, TAMPA BAY 34 (drive: 5 plays, 80 yards in 2:01)

4:09 — TOUCHDOWN GIANTS. Martellus Bennett 33-yard touchdown from Manning. NEW YORK 34, TAMPA BAY 27 (drive: 4 plays, 67 yards in 1:44)

5:51 — Momentum on Giants’ side as they force a punt and take over on their own 33 with a tie game.

6:59 — TOUCHDOWN GIANTS. Classic Manning to Cruz for an 80-yard touchdown when the team needs it most. Andre Brown takes the handoff for a successful two-point conversion. NEW YORK 27, TAMPA BAY 27 (drive: 3 plays, 88 yards, 0:53)

7:41 — Giants force a punt and take over at their own 12, down by 8 points.

10:57 — Giants fail to get off the field on third-and-7 as Tampa converts just its second third down (2-for-8).

12:26 — FIELD GOAL GIANTS. Tynes knocks in his fourth field goal of the game, this time from 24 yards out. TAMPA BAY 27, NEW YORK 19 (drive: 9 plays, 30 yards in 2:59)

13:59 — The Giants offense converts a huge third-down on a Manning pass to Nicks for 14 yards, setting up a first-and-goal at the 5.

15:00 — Brown continues to shoulder the workload in the backfield, picking up 10 yards on a sweep to the left. He now has 62 yards on 9 carries.

*Giants will begin the final frame with the ball on Tampa’s 28.

Giants vs. Bucs Live Blog: 3rd QTR

0:00 — BUCCANEERS 27, GIANTS 16

0:34 — Kenny Phillips puts a hard hit on WR Vincent Jackson, forcing an incomplete pass. The play seemed to have energized the crowd and sideline as Corey Webster comes up with an interception on the next down.

0:44 — FIELD GOAL GIANTS. Tynes’ 36-yard attempt is GOOD. TAMPA BAY 27, NEW YORK 16 (drive: 13 plays, 64 yards in 5:40)

*Paid attendance announced: 76,964

7:09 — Giants needed a stop and the defense did exactly that as Jason Pierre-Paul and Markus Kuhn ganged up to tackle Doug Martin for a loss of 1, forcing the Buccaneers to punt.

13:14 — David Wilson spins for a 44-yard kickoff return.

*He’s averaging 28.7 yards on three returns in this game.

13:19 — FIELD GOAL BUCCANEERS (52 Yards). TAMPA BAY 27, NEW YORK 13 (drive: 5 plays, 14 yards in 1:46)

15:00 — Giants will kickoff to begin the second half.

Giants vs. Bucs Live Blog: 2nd QTR

0:00 — BUCCANEERS 24, GIANTS 13 (key stat: Giants -3 in turnover ratio)

0:23 — TOUCHDOWN BUCCANEERS on a 60-yard interception return. XP is GOOD. TAMPA BAY 24, NEW YORK 13

1:08 — Giants defense forces a quick three-and-out. Rueben Randle has a 45-yard punt return brought back on a holding penalty.

*On that drive, Eli Manning went 5 of 5 for 45 yards.

1:59 — TOUCHDOWN GIANTS. Nicks hauls in a 23-yard touchdown from Manning. XP is GOOD. TAMPA BAY 17, GIANTS 13 (drive: 8 plays, 80 yards in 4:25)

2:36 — Cruz continues to handle a physical Tampa defense and racks up his seventh catch of the half. He has 70 yards on the day.

6:19 — With Bradshaw sidelined, RB Andre Brown breaks a 23-yard run. Before this game, Brown’s career totals included two attempts for -1 yard since 2009.

6:30 — TOUCHDOWN BUCCANEERS. XP is GOOD. TAMPA BAY 17, GIANTS 6 (drive: 2 plays, 13 yards in 0:47)

9:09 — Cruz makes another grab in traffic. So far, he has four catches for 59 yards.

10:32 — Jason Pierre-Paul sacks Freeman for a loss of 8. Stressing pressure this week, JPP gets the first sack of the season by a Giants defensive end.

12:01 — Nicks spun around and makes a nice jumping catch for 5 yards. However, the Giants come up short on third down and forced to punt.

13:48 — TOUCHDOWN BUCCANEERS. XP is Good. BUCCANEERS 10, GIANTS 6 (drive: 3 plays, 28 yards in 0:56)

14:53 – Eli Manning throws his first interception since the Jan. 15 playoff game in Green Bay.

15:00 — Buccaneers will begin with the ball on 4th-and-11 from the 50.

Giants vs. Bucs Live Blog: 1st QTR

0:00 — GIANTS 6, BUCCANEERS 3 (key stat: Tampa 0-2 on third down conversions)

0:56 — LB Chase Blackburn sacks QB Josh Freeman for a loss of 7 yards, the first of the game.

2:58 — FIELD GOAL GIANTS. Tynes 24-yard FG attempt is GOOD. GIANTS 6, BUCCANEERS 3 (drive: 12 plays, 63 yards in 5:48).

*Giants fail to capitalize on a first-and-goal at the 2.

5:50 — Ahmad Bradshaw sparks the crowd with a 12-yard run after Cruz’s 20-yard catch-and-spin-and-run (broke four tackles).

7:21 — Rookie RB David Wilson gets his first carry since his fumble in Week 1 — a 4-yard counter.

8:53 — FIELD GOAL BUCS. Tampa Bay responds with a 45-yard FG. GIANTS 3, BUCCANEERS 3 (drive: 7 plays, 60 yards in 4:01)

*Tynes is 2/2 on the season after going a perfect 8/8 in the preseason.

12:48 — FIELD GOAL GIANTS. Lawrence Tynes’ 37-yard FG try is GOOD. GIANTS 3, BUCCANEERS 0 (drive: 6 plays, 51 yards in 2:17)

14:22 — WR Hakeem Nicks looking healthy as ever with a 40-yard leaping catch from Manning on the second play of the game.

15:00 — Game Day Captains: DT Linval Joseph and WR Victor Cruz in addition to season captains QB Eli Manning, DE Justin Tuck, and LS Zak DeOssie Tampa Bay wins the toss, elects to defer. Giants will defend the west goal.

This week’s game will be the 18th regular season meeting between the two teams, with the Giants leading the series, 11-6. In the last meeting, the Giants defeated the Buccaneers, 24-0, in Week 3 of the 2009 season in Tampa.

Kickoff: 1 p.m. ET

Location: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ

TV: FOX - This week’s game will be broadcast nationally with Joe Buck calling the action, Troy Aikman serving as the analyst and Pam Oliver handling sideline duties. (click here for full TV & Radio listings)

Weather: Sunny. Mild. 64 °F, Wind: 6.89 mph/NW

FLIP CARD CHANGES:

NEW YORK

» CB Jayron Hosley (start in place of Prince Amukamara)

TAMPA BAY

» RT Demar Dotson (Jeremy Trueblood)

Watch Giants vs. Bucs Online

If you are a fan living overseas, you can watch commercial-free games online and in HD with NFL Game Rewind.

If you live in the U.S., you can watch full replays of every 2012 Regular Season and Playoff game, including Super Bowl XLVII, Coaches Film for every play in 2012, and any 2009-2012 games through the entire Offseason.

Weather Update: Giants vs. Bucs

Giants choose pregame playlist

Giants players lent their musical tastes for the pregame music inside MetLife Stadium before taking on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at 1 p.m. ET. Here’s what they chose from their iPods to warm up to:

» Eli Manning: “We’re Not Gonna Take It” by Twisted Sister

» Victor Cruz: “HYFR” by Drake feat. Lil Wayne

» Osi Umenyiora: “Shimmy Shimmy Ya” by ODB

» David Diehl: “’Till I Collapse” by Eminem

» Hakeem Nicks: “I’m A Go Getta” by Lil Wayne

» Justin Tuck: “New Day” by 50 Cent feat. Dr. Dre & Alicia Keys

» Jason Pierre-Paul: “Awooga” by Calvin Harris

» Antrel Rolle: “Forget tha Otha Side” by Trick Daddy

DOWNLOAD THE GIANTS “ALL IN” PEPSI ANTHEM BY TRAVIE MCCOY 

Today’s Official Game Program