Giants still winless at home as Tommy DeVito can't move offense against Buccaneers
Tommy DeVito of the Giants is helped up off the field during the first quarter against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at MetLife Stadium on Sunday. Credit: Mike Stobe
Is it too late for the NFL to flex the Giants off Thanksgiving Day?
That would be a service to the league, its fans and the Giants themselves, who presumably would like to avoid further embarrassment after Sunday’s 30-7 turkey of a loss to the Buccaneers at MetLife Stadium.
The change at quarterback from Daniel Jones to Tommy DeVito did nothing for the Giants (2-9), who have lost six games in a row and are 0-6 at home.
They next face the Cowboys in the high-profile, late-afternoon national television window on Thursday. Yikes.
Tampa Bay (5-6) snapped a four-game losing streak, yet thoroughly dominated the Giants, who were booed by their home fans.
DeVito finished 21-for-31 for 189 yards. The Buccaneers’ Baker Mayfield was 24-for-30 for 294 yards.
The Bucs struck first with a methodical march on the game’s first drive, capped by Sean Tucker’s 1-yard run with 6:37 left in the first quarter.
The scoring drive included a 3-yard run by Tucker when the Buccaneers went for it on a fourth-and-1 from the Giants’ 28.
The drive, which lasted 8:23, featured 14 plays for 70 yards.
DeVito got a warm ovation from the crowd when he entered the game. On his first play, he handed off to Tyrone Tracy Jr. for a 16-yard rush.
On a third-and-8, DeVito got squashed by Calijah Kancey for a 7-yard sack.
The Giants had a fourth-and-1 at their own 37-yard line when coach Brian Daboll made the bold decision to go for a first down.
Wan’Dale Robinson was stopped inches short on an end around with one second left in the first quarter.
The Bucs responded quickly from there, with a 26-yard pass from Mayfield to Mike Evans that set up 22-yard field goal by Chase McLaughlin. That made it 10-0 with 12:03 left in the second.
DeVito was sacked a second time on the Giants’ next possession as the line had trouble protecting him, especially after left tackle Jermaine Eluemunor left with an injury.
Things got more ugly for the Giants on the next Tampa Bay possession.
Mayfield effortlessly tore through the defense for a seven-play, 82-yard drive that ended with Bucky Irving running it in from six yards out – untouched until he reached the end zone.
So it was 17-0 with 6:23 before halftime.
The Giants finally started to get something going, including a 23-yard pass from DeVito to Theo Johnson. That drive was derailed by yet another sack.
The offense left the field to boos as the punt team came on.
Mayfield threw to Irving for a 32-yard gain to jumpstart yet another Bucs drive. The Giants seemed to have stopped the Bucs, but a Deonte Banks penalty for illegal contact kept the drive alive.
Mayfield ran it in from the 10, then celebrated by doing DeVito’s trademark hand gesture. The extra point missed. It was 23-0 at halftime.
Mayfield had 230 passing yards in the first half. DeVito had 31.
Malik Nabers was not targeted in the first half, but DeVito found him on the first play of the second for a 21-yard gain. Then he hit Nabers again, this time for eight yards. Then he threw to Nabers again, for another 13 yards.
The Giants eventually got to the Tampa Bay 5-yard line, showing signs of life for the first time all afternoon.
But Tracy took a direct snap, tried to run the ball and fumbled when he was hit by Lavonte David at the 5, ending the Giants threat.
Tracy fumbled in the overtime to set up the Panthers’ winning field goal when the teams met in Munich two weeks ago.
The Bucs soon were again driving without much resistance.
After a pass interference penalty against Adoree’ Jackson gave Tampa Bay the ball at the 1-yard line, Irving ran it in to make it 30-0 with 3:45 left in the third.
The Bucs drove 95 yards in 12 plays over 7:10.
After a 17-yard run by DeVito to the 1-yard line, Devin Singletary ran it in and the Giants finally were on the scoreboard with 11:28 left.
The Giants had the Bucs stuck at their own 5-yard line, but not for long. Irving ripped off a 56-yard run. But shortly thereafter Mayfield fumbled and the Giants recovered.
Neil Best first worked at Newsday in 1982, returned in 1985 after a detour to Alaska and has been here since, specializing in high schools, college basketball, the NFL and most recently sports media and business.
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