Giants' Kenny Phillips Fined $30,000 For Hit Against Bucs

New York Giants strong safety Kenny Phillips has been fined $30,000 for a hit on Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiverVincent Jackson in Sunday's game between the two teams, according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. The contact by Phillips was deemed to have been on a defenseless receiver in the head and neck area.

Phillips wasn't the only Giants player to be fined for their actions against the Buccaneers. Two players were fined for coming to the defense of Eli Manning after the Buccaneers jumped through the line and made contact with the quarterback on a kneel down play. David Baas and Kevin Boothe were fined $7,875 each for their actions at the end of the game.

That totals $45,750 in fines for the Giants in their win over the Bucs. The game was hotly contested, with the Giants scoring 25 points in the fourth quarter to prevail, 41-34.

This story originally appeared on SBNation.com.

For more on the Giants, head over to Big Blue View and continue to check out SB Nation New York.

Eli Manning: Giants' QB Told Bucs He Was Taking A Knee

Giants Sign Matt McCants To Practice Squad

Following their win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, the New York Giants made a change to their practice squad roster on Monday. The Giants terminated the contract of center Scott Wedige and signed offensive tackle Matt McCants to fill the open practice squad spot.

McCants will be making his second appearance on the practice squad this season. McCants was released during the final wave of roster cuts, then signed to the Giants practice squad a day later. He spent over a week on the roster before being released last Monday in favor of Wedige. Now, a week later, New York reversed the move, signing McCants and releasing Wedige.

The Giants selected McCants in the sixth round of the 2012 NFL Draft. Wedige spent training camp with the Arizona Cardinals.

For more news on the New York Giants, check out the blog Big Blue View. For more news and information on the rest of the NFL, check out SB Nation's NFL Hub Page.

Tom Coughlin: Giants Coach Reacts To Victory

The New York Giants pulled out a wild victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 2, winning 41-34, as Eli Manning, Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks all had monster days. Coach Tom Coughlin wasn't thrilled with how the team played, but was proud of the way his players never quit and kept battling for four quarters.

Coughlin addressed the media following Sunday's win and touched on multiple topics. SB Nation's Giants blog Big Blue View was at the press conference and grabbed a couple of key quotes.

On the controversial final play of the game, which some considered dirty:

Q: The NFL said there were no infractions on the last play of the game. Do you expect to take or request any more action?

A: It's up to the NFL. I said what I said and I believe it to be accurate with regards to the number of years that I've been in this league and I've said my piece about it.

Q: Did anybody get injured on that play?

A: I don't have anything. Sometimes the next morning, you do get some people who come in that didn't have issues the day before and so we'll wait and see on that as well.

On Ahmad Bradshaw's injury and the play of Andre Brown:

Q: If Bradshaw can't go against the Panthers, will you have Brown as the starter?

A: I don't know that yet. We'll just have to see where we are on that.

Q: What did Brown show you yesterday?

A: He did well. He did well for a guy that thought his role was basically going to be special teams. He played and played well and he was involved in some pass protection opportunities and did pretty well with that. There may have been one that wasn't quite as well done, but he ran hard, he ran fast, he really had a chance to break a couple. I thought maybe he was coming out there with one of them and he caught the ball out of the backfield well and knew to get north and south and took care of the ball and I think for the first time he's had that kind of exposure and play time, I thought he came through it well.

Finally, Coughlin discussed the significance of getting the team its first win while playing in a strong division:

Q: Can you talk about the importance of getting out of yesterday with a 1-1 record?

A: Each game is so critically important to you. If you look at our division, which is where we always go, three teams are now 1-1 and the Eagles are 2-0 and that's the primary thing, is to be able to stay right with the pack and keep yourself in the ball game in terms of that. If you win, that's a great thing. If you lose, you're scrambling, and I wouldn't go into detail on the 0-2 because we're 1-1.

For more on the Giants throughout the season, be sure to check out Big Blue View.

Buccaneers Vs. Giants 2012: Reaction As Eli And Giants Storm Back For 41-34 Victory

The New York Giants avoided an 0-2 start with a 41-34 come-from-behind victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday at MetLife Stadium.

It was a wild affair that saw the two teams combine for more than 900 yards. Eli Manning threw three interception in the first half, but bounced back to throw for 510 yards and three touchdowns as the Giants rallied for the win. Let's look at the reaction from SB Nation's Giants blog Big Blue View and Buccaneers blog Bucs Nation.

Editor of Bucs Nation, Sander, wrote today that:

Going into the fourth quarter of yesterday's crushing loss to the New York Giants, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were in the driver's seat. They were leading 27-16, had played solid football throughout the game and looked like they would be able to hold on to a win. And then, the craziest fourth quarter I've seen in a long time happened. The Bucs gave up 25 points in the fourth quarter, 6 more than they'd given up all game.

Sander asks the questions all Tampa Bay fans must have today and finds the answer in fatigue:

So what changed from the first three quarters to the final quarter of the game? Was it luck, was it poor play, was it poor coaching and playcalling? I would say all of that has something to do with the late-game collapse, but one factor stands out above all others: fatigue.

...

The Buccaneers defense played 84 snaps in this game. Only two defenses in the entire NFL have played more snaps than that in a game so far this season.

...

So why were the Bucs fatigued, and what can they do about those huge snap counts? Rotations would help, but the problem there is that the Bucs backup defensive linemen were horrible. In fact, every time the backups were in the game Tampa Bay would give up a big run or pass play.

Over at the blog of the victorious Giants, Kelsey O'Donnell wrote about five key plays from the game, including Victor Cruz's 80-yard touchdown:

Manning's 23rd career fourth-quarter comeback started with an 80-yard pass to Cruz which he ran all the way into the end zone for a touchdown. He rebounded nicely from a Week 1 disaster where he dropped three passes. Cruz ended the day with 179 yards and a touchdown on 11 receptions.

Big Blue View Editor-In-Chief Ed Valentine praised both of Manning's star receivers, among others, for their performances:

[Hakeem] Nicks, bad foot and all, caught 10 passes for 199 yards. Cruz caught 11 for 179. Both players had plenty of reasons not to perform as well as they did on Sunday, but came through when needed. Nicks, of course, has the foot issue. Cruz was coming off the three-drop game in the season opener and dealing with the death of his grandmother last week.

For highlights of the game check out the video below.

For more news on the New York Giants, check out the blog Big Blue View. For more on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, check out Bucs Nation. For more news and information on the rest of the NFL, check out SB Nation's NFL Hub Page.

David Diehl Injury Update: Giants OL Has MRI On MCL

The New York Giants right tackle David Diehl underwent an MRI on his knee Monday morning, according to NJ.com.

Diehl was injured on Sunday in the Giants' 41-34 thriller of a win against Greg Schiano's Tamba Bay Buccaneers. Head coach Tom Couhglin said Diehl went through a few different tests including an MRI.

When asked to confirm that the MRI had been taken, Coughlin was able to on Monday.

"That’s the part I do know, but I don’t know the extent and hopefully that’s it," Coughlin said. "I can't tell you anything more than what you are asking me. There’s an MCL, don’t know anything more, and I’m not going to be able to comment on anything else about the knee."

Losing Diehl for any extended amount of time would obviously be a blow to Big Blue. New York can shuffle the line if need be, with Will Beatty moving to left tackle while Sean Locklear fills in for Diehl.

"I’m sure there’s some rust there for Beatty, but I think it was a good experience to get him back in there," Coughlin said. "He played probably more than we anticipated, but seemed to respond well."

For more on the Giants, please be sure to check out our blog Big Blue View and SB Nation New York for all the latest news and updates.

POLL: Knockdown Of Eli Manning OK Or Not?

New York Giants Injury Report: Ahmad Bradshaw Heads Laundry List Of Issues

The New York Giants were hurt by injuries to David Diehl and Ahmad Bradshaw among others on Sunday.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. New York Giants: Studs and Duds

The New York Giants appeared to be headed for a brutal Week 2 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and a 0-2 start - both at MetLife Stadium - to begin the defense of their Super Bowl title. Then Eli Manning orchestrated yet another fourth-quarter comeback. Down 27-13 early in the third quarter, Manning and the Giants roared back and held on for a 41-34 victory, a wild affair that totaled a combined 911 yards of offense and controversy on what was supposed to be only a kneel-down to end the game.

(via sbnation)

STUDS
Eli Manning: Threw for three touchdowns and 510 yards, the second-highest total in franchise history behind Phil Simms' 513 set against the Cincinnati Bengals in 1985. He overcame a first half during which he threw three interceptions - the last for a pick six - to compile 295 passing yards. To put Manning's day in perspective, he threw for 243 yards in the fourth quarter. Bucs QB Josh Freeman threw 243 for the game.

Victor Cruz-Hakeem Nicks-Martellus Bennett: Cruz (11 catches, 179 yards, TD) and Nicks (10-199-1) were awesome in becoming the first duo with 150-plus receiving yards in the same game, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. But the "Black Unicorn" overcame a dropped scoring pass in the first quarter to collect five grabs for 72 yards, including the go-ahead 33-yard strike from Manning with 3:59 left to play.

Andre Brown: Became the Giant's primary running back after Ahmad Bradshaw left with a neck injury and ran for 71 yards on 13 carries and the game-winning touchdown with 31 seconds left. Brown also tied the game with a two-point conversion after Cruz hauled in an 80-yard scoring pass.

Josh Freeman: He was overshadowed by Manning, but Freeman was very good. He finished 15 of 28 for 243 yards and two touchdowns and refused to buckle under the Giants' fourth-quarter momentum. Freeman found Mike Williams for a pretty 41-yard score with 1:58 left to tie the game.

Eric Wright : Returned Manning's third interception 60 yards for a score with eight seconds left in the second quarter to give Tampa Bay a 24-13 lead.

DUDS
Greg Schiano: The former Rutgers coach was enjoying his New Jersey homecoming until the fourth quarter. Then he decided to act tough by telling his players to knock Manning to the ground while he took a knee on the game's final play. That didn't go over well with Giants head coach Tom Coughlin, who got heated with Schiano before, during and after the postgame handshake.

"I don't think you do that at this level," Coughlin said. "You don't do that in this league. You don't jeopardize the offensive line, you (don't) jeopardize the quarterback. Thank goodness we didn't get anybody hurt, that I know of, a couple of linemen were late coming in (after end of game)."

Schiano explained that he did that while at Rutgers and would do it again.

"I don't know if that's not something that's not done in the National Football League, but what I do with our football team is we fight until they tell us game over," Schiano said. "There's nothing dirty about it and there's nothing illegal about it."

Maybe it's not illegal, but certainly not moral and it's totally unnecessary. Two weeks into his first NFL season, Schiano isn't making any friends outside of the Tampa metropolitan area.

Bucs cornerbacks: The Giants targeted and toasted fifth-year corner Aqib Talib; 16-year veteran Ronde Barber was torched by Cruz's 80-yard score; Bennett beat Brandon McDonald for his TD catch.

Giants corners: More struggles for the injury-ravaged Giants secondary. Corey Wilson was handled by Vincent Jackson (5 catches, 128 yards), who beat Michael Coe for a 29-yard scoring grab in the first half. Justin Tryon was beaten on Freeman's pass to Williams that tied the game at 34.

David Wilson: Dropped a pass on the Giants' first drive and was passed over for Brown after Bradshaw left the game. Wilson (3 carries, 6 yards) was a non-factor in the running game, though he did return three kicks for 86 yards.

via cdn0.sbnation.com

via cdn0.sbnation.com

TURNING POINT

Manning to Cruz for 80 yards tied the game and electrified the Met, and Cruz honored his late grandmother, Lucy Molina, with his first touchdown salsa. The Giants later took the lead and though Bucs came back to tie the game, Big Blue had enough momentum that they were not going to be denied.

Visit Big Blue View for complete Giants coverage.

Follow Jon Lane on Twitter: @JonLaneNYC

Eli Manning: 510 Yards Passing And Other Amazing Numbers

Eli Manning passed for a career-best 510 yards Sunday in the New York Giants' 41-34 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Giants (1-0) needed every last one of them as they rallied from a 27-13 deficit.

"He hung in there. That's the best example I can tell you as he does. He made a couple of bad plays and yet didn't get discouraged," head coach Tom Coughlin said. "We got them together when we first came in at the half and talked about the character of our team would show up in the second half, how we needed to play, what we needed to do to get back in this thing. We were just down two scores but we just weren't playing very well. We just kept hanging in and believing."

Below are some numbers from Sunday's game.

Buccaneers vs. Giants 2012: Eli Manning Overcomes Shaky 1st Half, Throws 510 Yards in Wild 41-34 Win (via sbnation)

• Manning's 510 yards were the second-highest total by a quarterback in Giants history. Phil Simms threw for 513 yards at Cincinnati on Oct. 13, 1985. Y.A. Tittle's 505-yard game vs. Washington on Oct. 28, 1962 is the only other 500-yard passing game by a quarterback in Giants history.
• Manning’s previous career high was 420 yards vs. Seattle on Oct. 9, 2011.
• The 510-yard outing was Manning's 23rd career 300-yard game. The Giants are 12-11 in regular season games in which Manning throws for at least 300 yards.
• This was the 21st time Manning has rallied the Giants from a fourth-quarter deficit or tie to win a regular season game.
• The Giants gained 604 total yards vs. Tampa Bay. That is the second-highest total in franchise history. The franchise record of 609 yards was set on Dec. 3, 1950 in a 51-7 victory over the New York Yanks. It was the third 600-yard game in Giants history; they gained 602 yards in a 49-34 victory over Washington on Oct. 28, 1962.
• The Giants' 510 net passing yards were a franchise record. The previous record of 505 yards was set in that 1962 game vs. Washington. Those are the only two 500-yard passing games in Giants history.
• Victor Cruz caught 11 passes for 179 yards and Hakeem Nicks added 10 receptions for 199 yards. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Giants are the first team in NFL history with two players with at least 10 catches and at least 175 receiving yards in the same game.
• According to the NFL, Manning, Cruz and Nicks joined three Hall of Famers - quarterback Norm Van Brocklin and receivers Elroy (Crazy Legs) Hirsh and Tom Fears of the 1951 Los Angeles Rams - as the only teammates in history with 500 passing yards, plus two receivers with at least 150 yards, in the same game. The Rams' trio accomplished the feat on Sept. 28, 1951 vs. - ironically - the New York Yanks.

- Stats provided by the Giants' PR department.

Tom Coughlin Gives Greg Schiano An Earful

Giants-Buccaneers Final Score: Giants Rally For 41-34 Victory

Eli Manning, master of the fourth-quarter comeback, struck again Sunday for the New York Giants. Trailing 27-13 Manning rallied the Giants for a 41-34 victory at MetLife Stadium. Manning, who set an NFL record last season 15 fourth-quarter touchdown passes, threw two on Sunday as the Giants (1-1) rallied for their first victory of the season.

Manning completed 31-of-51 passes for a career-high 510 yards. He rallied the Giants after throwing three first-half interceptions that led to 21 Buccaneers' points as Tampa Bay took a 24-13 halftime lead.

With the score at 34-34 and 1:58 to play, Manning went to work. He hit Ramses Barden for 24 yards. After a false start penalty he hit Hakeem Nicks on a 50-yard pass down the right sideline to set the Giants up at the Tampa Bay 11-yard line with 1:20 to play.

The Bucs tried to allow Andre Brown to score on a draw play, but Brown slid down at the 2-yard line. Brown then scored from there on the next play, giving the Giants a 41-34 lead with 31 seconds to play. That capped a wild finish to the final few minutes of the game.

Michael Boley then intercepted a Josh Freeman pass in the closing seconds to seal the victory.

The wild finish to this one began with the Giants trailing, 27-19. Manning hit Victor Cruz for an 80-yard score with 6:59 to play. Andre Brown ran the ball in for the two-point conversion, tying the score at 27-27.

The Giants then forced Tampa Bay into a three-and-out and took over at their own 37-yard line following a punt.

The Giants appeared to have won it when Manning threw a 33-yarder to Martellus Bennett, who wrestled the ball away from a defensive back with 3:59 left to play. That completed a four-play, 67-yard drive that gave the Giants their first lead since the first quarter.

Tampa Bay came right back, however, with an 80-yard drive, tying the game with 1:58 left on a 41-yard pass from Josh Freeman to Mike Williams, who caught the ball over defensive back Justin Tryon.

Manning then led the Giants on their winning drive. Manning's 510-yard passing day was the second-best in terms of yardage in Giants' history and the first 500-yard game of his career. Phil Simms threw for 513 yards in 1985.

Nicks played a huge and gutty game for the Giants. He had 10 catches for 199 yards, including the 50-yarder that set up the winning score. On several occasions he had to come off the field due to issues with his foot, broken during the offseason. Cruz caught 11 passes for 179 yards and one touchdown. Bennett had five catches for 72 yards.

Brown, who carried the running load after Ahmad Bradshaw left with a neck injury, had 71 yards on 13 carries.

The Giants played an ugly first half during which quarterback Eli Manning was intercepted three times. Each of those interceptions turned into touchdowns for Tampa Bay, including one in the closing seconds of the half that Eric Wright ran back 60 yards for a touchdown.

The Giants led after the first quarter, 6-3, as New York kicker Lawrence Tynes made field goals of 37 and 24 yards, sandwiched around a 45-yarder by Buccaneers' kicker Connor Barth.

Tampa Bay then took advantage of three second-quarter interceptions to outscore the Giants in the second quarter, 21-7, taking a 24-13 lead at halftime. With the score 17-13 the Giants looked like they were about to take control of the game when Wright stepped in front of a pass for Victor Cruz then returned it 60 yards for a score.

Giants-Buccaneers Score Update: Tampa Bay Leads 24-13 At Halftime

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers lead the New York Giants 24-13 at halftime at MetLife Stadium.

The Buccaneers took the lead on a beautiful pass from Josh Freeman to Vincent Jackson from 29 yards out to make the score 10-6. They would increase the lead to 17-6 after an 8-yard run by Doug Martin following an Eli Manning interception.

The Giants would find their rhythm again late in the half, cutting the deficit to 17-13 after a 23-yard touchdown pass from Manning to Hakeem Nicks with 1:59 remaining in the half.

Manning's third interception of the first half was his most costly one, as his pass with 22 seconds remaining in the half was intercepted by Eric Wright who returned it 60 yards for a touchdown.

Manning has completed 17-of-27 passes for 215 yards, but his three interceptions are a huge blemish. Victor Cruz is having a great day receiving Manning's passes, as he has 95 yards on 9 receptions. Nicks has five receptions for 93 yards.

The Giants have been bitten by the injury bug in the first half. Running back Ahmad Bradshaw hurt his neck while Domenik Hixon suffered a concussion. Both will not return.

For more news on the New York Giants, check out the blog Big Blue View. For more on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, check out Bucs Nation. For more news and information on the rest of the NFL, check out SB Nation's NFL Hub Page.

Domenik Hixon Injury: Giants Wide Receiver Suffers Concussion

New York Giants wide receiver Domenik Hixon is done for the day after suffering a concussion in the team's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Hixon left the game early in the second quarter with a head injury, which was soon after found to be a concussion.

The injury is not only a blow to the Giants in the remainder of their game against Tampa Bay on Sunday, but it will also put his status for Thursday's game against the Carolina Panthers in great jeopardy.

Before leaving the game, Hixon had one catch for 12 yards. The Giants currently trail the Buccaneers 17-6 in the second quarter.

For more news on the New York Giants, check out the blog Big Blue View. For more on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, check out Bucs Nation. For more news and information on the rest of the NFL, check out SB Nation's NFL Hub Page.

Ahmad Bradshaw Injury: Giants RB Heads To Locker Room For Neck X-Ray

New York Giants running back Ahmad Bradshaw left the team's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second quarter with an apparent neck injury.

After taking an offensive series off, Bradshaw was taken back to the locker room to have x-rays taken on his neck to determine the extent of the injury.

Before leaving the game, Bradshaw had 16 yards on five carries. He had 78 yards on 17 carries in the Giants' Week 1 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, also scoring one touchdown. Last season, Bradshaw rushed for 659 yards in nine touchdowns in 12 games, as he dealt with a number of injuries.

For more news on the New York Giants, check out the blog Big Blue View. For more on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, check out Bucs Nation. For more news and information on the rest of the NFL, check out SB Nation's NFL Hub Page.

Giants-Buccaneers Score Update: New York Leads 6-3 After One Quarter

After one quarter at MetLife Stadium, the New York Giants lead the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 6-3.

The two teams exchanged field goals on their opening drive, with the Giants taking a 3-0 lead with a Lawrence Tynes kick from 37 yards out less than three minutes into the game. The Bucs answered a seven play, 60-yard drive that ended with a 45-yard Connor Barth field goal.

The Giants drove down the field again in the latter stages of the quarter, but missed opportunities in the red zone forced the team to settle for another Tynes field goal, this one from 24 yards away that put New York ahead 6-3 with 2:58 remaining in the quarter.

Eli Manning is playing efficiently, as he has completed 5-of-10 passes for 96 yards, however, his stats could be better if not for untimely drops from Giants receivers.

For more news on the New York Giants, check out the blog Big Blue View. For more on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, check out Bucs Nation. For more news and information on the rest of the NFL, check out SB Nation's NFL Hub Page.

Giants Week 2 Inactives: Prince Amukamara Out, Hakeem Nicks Active

The New York Giants inactives for their Week 2 contest against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers has been released, and cornerback Prince Amukamara will not play. The news is a bit shocking considering he was expected to play despite still battling an ankle injury that he suffered during the Giants' final preseason game.

Amukamara did not play in New York's season-opening loss to the Dallas Cowboys, and his absence was noticed as the Giants' struggled defending the pass.

Other defenders who will miss the game will be linebacker Keith Rivers (hamstring) and defensive end Adewale Ojomo.

Meanwhile, big-play wide receiver Hakeem Nicks will play despite still having issues with his surgically repaired foot. The Giants offense will be without wide receiver Jerrel Jernigan, runningback Da'Rel Scott, tackle James Brewer and tight end Adrien Robinson.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be without right tackle Jeremy Trueblood (ankle), cornerbacks Anthony Gaitor and E.J. Biggers, running back Michael Smith, linebacker Najee Goode, tackle Derek Hardman and defensive end George Johnson.

For more news on the New York Giants, check out the blog Big Blue View. For more on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, check out Bucs Nation. For more news and information on the rest of the NFL, check out SB Nation's NFL Hub Page.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. New York Giants: Facts, Stats And More

Sunday at MetLife Stadium, the New York Giants (0-1) commence Week 2 of the NFL season when they play host to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-0). Kickoff is at 1 p.m. with the game televised on the FOX networks. Flagship station WFAN AM-660 in New York will carry the radio broadcast.

[Related: Fantasy Football Start/Sit Week 2]

TEN DAYS AGO
The Giants began the defense of their Super Bowl championship by laying an egg in a 24-17 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. The theme entering the game was "build the bridge," except by the final whistle it was a bridge to nowhere. Tony Romo shredded the Giants secondary for 307 passing yards and three touchdowns while New York's running game picked up where it left off last season. Ranked dead last a year ago, the Giants were outrushed 143-82.

THE SERIES
The Giants have taken the last three games, including a wild card victory at Raymond James Stadium in January 2008 that launched their Super Bowl run. The teams last met on September 27, 2009, a 24-0 Giants victory in Tampa.

TEAM LEADERS
Passing
Giants: Eli Manning (213 yards)
Buccaneers: Josh Freeman (138 yards)

Rushing
Giants: Ahmad Bradshaw (17 carries, 78 yards)
Buccaneers: Doug Martin (24 carries, 95 yards)

Receiving
Giants: Victor Cruz (6 catches, 58 yards)
Buccaneers: Vincent Jackson (4 catches, 48 yards)

Tackles
Giants: Antrel Rolle (9)
Buccaneers: Mason Foster (6)

STATE OF THE G-MEN
The Giants may only be 0-1, but the pressure is already on to not fall into an early hole. The rest of Big Blue's NFC East competition enters Week 2 1-0 and every opponent expects to bring their ‘A' game against the defending Super Bowl champions.

"You can't lose a game," said Giants head coach Tom Coughlin said. "Everybody's 1-0 and we're 0-1. We have another big game this weekend. That's the great thing about our profession. We get to line up and play again."

BUCCANEER COVE
The young Buccaneers are led into MetLife Stadium by first-year head coach Greg Schiano, who returns to New Jersey as the former coach of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. Schiano's crew held the Carolina Panthers' ground game to 10 yards in a 16-10 victory at the Ray Jay. Promising quarterback Josh Freeman leads a Bucs offense that ran the ball effectively in Week 1. Schiano took a chance on starting rookie Doug Martin, picked one spot ahead of Giants RB David Wilson, and was rewarded with 95 rushing yards.

"He does a great job of preaching this is a one-game season," veteran cornerback Ronde Barber said of Schiano. "We'll play them one at a time and search for wins the best way that we can."

Visit Bucs Nation for more coverage of the pewter and white.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR
Coughlin professed that Wilson is coming out of the doghouse. As long as the rookie can hold on to the ball, he stands a good chance of giving the Giants beleaguered ground game a boost. The line must also protect Eli Manning from a Buccaneers defense that last week sacked Cam Newton three times.

Defensively, a pass rush that vanished against Romo and the Cowboys must reassert itself against Freeman, another mobile quarterback. Justin Tuck said it was "alarming" that he, Jason Pierre-Paul and Osi Umenyiora failed to sack Romo in the Week 1 loss.

Expect what's normally a ferocious front defensive line to come out motivated from the opening kickoff. They will have to rattle Freeman to help a secondary missing Terrell Thomas (knee), and possibly Prince Amukamara (high ankle sprain) and Michael Coe (hamstring). Corey Webster, the veteran of the group, is healthy, but played poorly against the Cowboys.

QUOTABLE
"I haven't slept well, so I think we all are itching to get back on the field. Definitely got a lot of work to do on the practice field." - Justin Tuck

Visit Big Blue View for complete Giants coverage.

Follow Jon Lane on Twitter: @JonLaneNYC

Buccaneers vs. Giants: Game Time, TV Schedule, Injury Updates And More

Greg Schiano will take his Tampa Bay Buccaneers to meet Tom Coughlin and the New York Giants on Sunday in MetLife Stadium.

Giants Injury Report: Hakeem Nicks, Prince Amukamara Questionable

The New York Giants released their Friday injury report ahead of Sunday's Week 2 matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. Wide receiver Hakeem Nicks and cornerback Prince Amukamara are questionable to play, according to the team's official Twitter account.

Nicks is still trying to recover fully from foot surgery. He played in the Giants' season-opener against the Dallas Cowboys, catching four passes for 38 yards. New York would like to see him return to the same level as 2011, when he caught 76 passes for 1,192 yards and seven touchdowns.

Amukamara is battling an ankle injury suffered in New York's third preseason game. The second-year corner out of Nebraska missed the Week 1 game against Dallas.

The only player listed as out for Sunday is defensive end Adewale Ojomo, who has been limited with a hamstring injury. Linebacker Keith Rivers is listed as doubtful, also with a hamstring injury.

For more news on the New York Giants, check out the blog Big Blue View. For more on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, check out Bucs Nation. For more news and information on the rest of the NFL, check out SB Nation's NFL Hub Page.

Week 2 NFL Picks: Buccaneers Vs. Giants

The New York Giants are overwhelming favorites against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, hoping they don't fall into another trap as they did against the Dallas Cowboys.

Giants Injury Report: WR Hakeem Nicks Back At Practice

New York Giants wide receiver Hakeem Nicks returned to practice on Thursday and is working to recover fully from surgery on his foot. While the fourth-year wideout did participate, his was limited.

Cornerback Prince Amukamara, defensive tackle Marvin Austin, center David Baas, cornerback Michael Coe and linebacker Keith Rivers all were kept from full participation in practice on Thursday as they were battling injuries, according to the Giants' official Twitter account.

Rookie Adewale Ojomo was the only Giant to miss practice on Thursday as he deals with a hamstring injury.

The Giants face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday at home in MetLife Stadium.

For more news on the New York Giants, check out the blog Big Blue View. For more on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, check out Bucs Nation. For more news and information on the rest of the NFL, check out SB Nation's NFL Hub Page.

Greg Schiano: Ex-Rutgers Coach Rebuilding Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Former Rutgers coach Greg Schiano brings the Tampa Bay Bucccaneers to MetLife Stadium Sunday to face the New York Giants.

NFL Odds Week 2: Buccaneers Vs. Giants

The New York Giants are favored against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for Sunday's game. According to OddsShark, the Giants opened as 9-point favorites. However, TopBet and SportsBook both list the spread at 7.5. The total is predicted to be 44 points, down a half-point from the opening odds.

In the last five games against the Buccaneers and in six of the last seven games at home, the Giants have gone under the total. OddsShark is predicting that the Giants will cover the spread, but go under yet again, winning 23-10.

The Giants play the Buccaneers at MetLife Stadium at 1 p.m. Sunday. The game will be televised on Fox.

For more news on the New York Giants, check out the blog Big Blue View. For more on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, check out Bucs Nation. For more news and information on the rest of the NFL, check out SB Nation's NFL Hub Page.

Fantasy Football Start/Sit, Week 2: Giants' Hakeem Nicks Is Your Call

Giants Vs. Buccaneers, Wednesday Injury Report

New York Giants wide receiver Hakeem Nicks, working his way back cautiously from a broken foot, did not practice today as the team prepared for Sunday's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Nicks played Wednesday against the Dallas Cowboys, and there is no reason to think he won't play against Tampa Bay. He simply will be limited this season during practice.

Cornerback Prince Amukamara, working his way back from a high ankle sprain, was limited in practice for the 0-1 Giants. "He does have some issues; he's just fighting his way through them," said head coach Tom Coughlin.

Giants Vs. Buccaneers: Tom Coughlin Looking For 'Renewed Vigor'

New York Giants coach Tom Coughlin has not slept much since his team lost to the Dallas Cowboys on Wednesday in its season-opening game. During his press briefing on Wednesday, Coughlin made it clear he hopes he isn't the only one bothered by what took place against the Cowboys.

"None of us have slept well. I hope the whole room is full of people that didn't sleep well. That's the point," Coughlin said.

The 65-year-old coach has mellowed in recent years. Lack of sleep, a season-opening loss, and lots of questions from pesky reporters that he really did not feel much like answering had him in a foul mood during his 10-minute briefing, which was televised on MSG 2.

[Related: Complete Press Conference Transcript]

What does Coughlin want from his 0-1 team this week as it prepares for the 1-0 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, whom they will host Sunday at 1 p.m. ET at MetLife Stadium? He made it clear:

"Energy. enthusiasm. Pride. Second game of the season. Didn't like what we saw for the most part in the first game. Renewed vigor. Vigilance. Unselfishness. Do your job. Understand. Listen. Pay attention to the details," Coughlin said.

The Buccaneers defeated Carolina, 16-10, in the debut of Greg Schiano, formerly of Rutgers, as head coach.

"They're a good team, they're a fast team," said Coughlin. "They did well in free agency, they drafted well."

INJURY UPDATES

- Coughlin said cornerback Prince Amukamara (high ankle sprain) "does have some issues. He's just fighting his way through."

- Offensive tackle Will Beatty (back) is not on the injury report for the first time. Coughlin said "We'll see how fast he comes." He would not promise that Beatty will return to the starting job at left tackle.

- Defensive tackle Marvin Austin (back) and linebacker Keith Rivers (hamstring) will practice, though Rivers is limited.

New York Giants Vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Game Capsule

Here is a capsule look at this Sunday's matchup between the New York Giants and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, courtesy of the NFL PR Dept.

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (1-0) AT NEW YORK GIANTS (0-1)

SERIES

STATS

NOTES

BUCCANEERS: Head coach GREG SCHIANO returns to NJ. Was born in Wyckoff, NJ & was head coach at Rutgers for 11 seasons (2001-11). Off. Coor. MIKE SULLIVAN spent 8 years as coach with NYG (2004-11) & won 2 SBs…Since 2010, QB JOSH FREEMAN is 1 of 2 QBs with 7,000+ pass (7,181) & 600+ rush (615) yards (AARON RODGERS). Had 95.5 rating last week & when Freeman has 95+ rating, Bucs are 10-4 (.714)…Rookie RB DOUG MARTIN rushed for 95 yards & had 4 catches for 23 yards in NFL debut. RB LE GARRETTE BLOUNT has 7 career 100-yard games…WR VINCENT JACKSON had 2 TDs in only game vs. NYG (11/8/09 with SD). Since 2008, Jackson avg. 17.88 yards per catch, best in NFL (min. 200 catches). WR MIKE WILLIAMS had TD catch last week. TE DALLAS CLARK aims for 3rd in row vs. NYG with TD…Defense allowed 10 rush yards last week, tying club record. CB RONDE BARBER started 200th consecutive game last week, most by CB in NFL history. Had sack & INT. Is only player in NFL annals with 25+ sacks (28) & 40+ INTs (44). GIANTS: Head coach TOM COUGHLIN is 3-0 vs. TB with NYG (incl. playoffs)…QB ELI MANNING is 3-0 in career vs. TB (incl. playoffs). In those 3, has completed 50 of 82 (61 pct.) for 500 yards with 5 TDs vs. 0 INTs for 98.6 rating. In past 6 starts (incl. postseason), Manning has 106.9 rating, completing 151 of 228 (66.2 pct.) for 1,778 yards with 13 TDs vs. 1 INT. NYG is 5-1 in those 6…In last meeting, RB AHMAD BRADSHAW rushed for 104 yards (14 att., 7.4 avg.). Has 8 100-yard rushing games in career & team has won all 8. Rushed for TD last week & aims for 3rd in row with rush TD (incl. playoffs)…WR VICTOR CRUZ has 9 career rec. TDs & avg. 52 yards per TD (468 yards). Has 5 TDs of 65+ yards & 8 TDs of 20+ yards. WR HAKEEM NICKS has 2+ catches in all 24 career home games (incl. playoffs). TE MARTELLUS BENNETT had TD catch in NYG debut last week…DE JASON PIERRE-PAUL has 6 sacks in past 5. In WC meeting (1/6/08), CB COREY WEBSTER had INT & FR. NYG is 12-4 when Webster has INT (incl. playoffs).

Giants' Antrel Rolle: 'We Need To Improve With How We Practice'

New York Giants' safety Antrel Rolle is never shy when it comes to expressing his opinions, and on Monday he told WFAN's Evan Roberts and Joe Benigno that the 0-1 Giants "have a lot to improve on."

[Full Interview Transcript]

Head coach Tom Coughlin has been talking about how the Giants need better preparation than they had prior to their Week 1 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Rolle agreed:

“I think it’s definitely going to be a tight division this year,” Rolle said. “I think it’s tough every year. I will admit that I watched the Redskins, and they looked pretty impressive going up against the Saints and beating them in the Superdome. We have a lot to improve on, and it’s going to start in practice. We need to improve with how we practice, first and foremost, and that’s going to carry over to the games.”

The Giants' secondary struggled against the Cowboys with starting cornerback Prince Amukamara out with a high ankel sprain and replacement Michael Coe leaving the game with a hamstring injury.

“We have to win those one-on-one matchups,” Rolle told WFAN’s Evan Roberts and Joe Benigno in his weekly spot. “We have to do what we’re assigned to do as far as assignment and technique. We need to make plays when the opportunity presents itself, and I don’t think we did such a good job of that last Wednesday night. I think we definitely need to get more crisp in our approach and have that attack mentality.”

Giants Vs. Buccaneers: Giants Already In A Hole