Tom Brady threw for 307 yards and two touchdowns to help the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the New York Giants 30-10 on Monday night.
Story of the Game
The Super Bowl champions (7-3) snapped a two-game losing streak as Brady avoided dropping three in a row for the first time since 2002.
Daniel Jones threw a touchdown pass to left tackle Andrew Thomas and the Giants (3-7) stayed close for one half before unraveling to suffer their 10th consecutive prime-time defeat.
Chris Godwin and Mike Evans caught touchdown passes and Ronald Jones II rushed for a score for the Buccaneers (7-3), while four-time All-Pro tight end Rob Gronkowski made six catches for 71 yards after missing five of the previous six contests due to injured ribs and Steve McLendon and Mike Edwards collected interceptions.
Brady finished 30 of 46 with one interception and improved to 6-1 against the Giants in the regular season having lost two Super Bowls to New York, including one that prevented New England from a perfect season.
The seven-time Super Bowl champion leads the NFL with 29 touchdown passes and is second in yards passing with 3,172.
"We're at a decent point but we can play a lot better than we've played," Brady said. "Hoping our best football is ahead of us."
Jones, sacked twice by a ferocious defense that had been missing defensive tackle Vita Vea due to a knee injury, went 23 of 38 for 167 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. He and the Giants squandered a chance to level the game by failing to convert on fourth-and-one from the Bucs' 25 while trailing 17-10 early in the third quarter.
Star running back Saquon Barkley returned for the Giants after missing four games with a sprained ankle but only had 25 yards rushing on six carries, while touchdown scorer Thomas was activated of injured reserve prior to kickoff.
Stats leaders
Giants
- Passing: Daniel Jones, 23/38, 167 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs
- Rushing: Saquon Barkley, six carries, 25 yards
- Receiving: Kadarius Toney, seven catches, 40 yards
Bucs
- Passing: Tom Brady, 30/46, 307 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT
- Rushing: Leonard Fournette, 10 carries, 35 yards
- Receiving: Mike Evans, six catches, 73 yards, 1 TD
Scoring Summary
Key Plays
Brady came out firing to complete each of his first five passes, including a 13-yard touchdown toss to Godwin at the end of a eight-play, 73-yard opening drive. Godwin and Evans had each ran the ball on an end-around on the possession, marking the latter's first career carry in eight seasons.
The Bucs quarterback started 10 for 10 before misfiring on a deep ball to Evans. On the next play, the 44-year-old showed good mobility to scramble 10 yards on third-and-four and extend Tampa's drive that would end with Ryan Succop kicking a 25-yard field goal to make it 10-3.
The Giants tied it at 10-10 after Evans let a pass bounce off his hands and right to Adoree Jackson, who returned the pick five yards to the Buccaneers 10.
Jones lofted a two-yard touchdown strike to Thomas, who had to jump as he was backing up to haul it in. The 2020 first-round pick, wearing a brace on his right arm, was back after missing four games. He celebrated his first career reception with the rest of the offensive line circling around him.
Tampa restored their lead when Jones ran in a six-yard touchdown at the end of an eight-play 71-yard drive that had seen Brady convert on third-and-three with a 35-yard completion to Gronkowski.
Down 17-10, the Giants drove to the Buccaneers 25 on the opening drive of the third quarter before Jones, under pressure from Devin White, threw incomplete on fourth-and-one after rushing to the line to beat the play clock.
Evans then hauled in a five-yard score to extend the lead to 24-10, the Tampa receiver setting a franchise record with his 72nd touchdown to pass Mike Alstott before making sure to keep the ball having given away Brady's 600th touchdown pass to a fan earlier in the season.
Jones threw an interception to 310-pound nose tackle Steve McLendon on New York's next possession, but Tampa settled for Succop's 40-yard field goal despite starting at the Giants 37. It was McLendon's first career pick in 12 seasons.
The Giants play-caller was picked again by Mike Edwards in the fourth quarter, setting up Succop's 30-yard field goal to cap the scoring.
What's Next?
The Giants host the Philadelphia Eagles (5-6) on Sunday while the Bucs visit the Indianapolis Colts (6-5).
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