New York Giants Official Website

SEPTEMBER 24, 2009

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - The Giants will attempt to maintain their unblemished record when they face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sunday in Raymond James Stadium. With victories over Washington and Dallas by a combined eight points, the Giants are one of nine teams to start the season 2-0. Tampa Bay is 0-2 after losses at home to Dallas and in Buffalo. The Giants lead the regular season series, 10-6. They are 2-2 in Raymond James Stadium, including 1-0 in the postseason. The teams last met on Jan. 6, 2008, when the Giants defeated the Bucs in an NFC Wild Card Game in Tampa, 24-14. Their most recent regular season meeting was a 17-3 Giants victory here on Oct. 29, 2006.

The Buccaneers are a team in transition with new coach Raheem Morris, the NFL's youngest head coach at 33. He replaced Jon Gruden. Seventeen players on the 53-man roster are newcomers, including 10 starters.

Offense

Tampa Bay fired new offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski 10 days before the regular season and replaced him with quarterbacks coach Greg Olson. The move hasn't hurt the Bucs early in the season, as they are ranked fourth in the NFL in yardage (401.5 a game). They are 14th in rushing (115.5) and sixth in passing (286.0).

Byron Leftwich entered the season as a starting quarterback for the first time since 2006, when he was with Jacksonville. Signed as a free agent from Pittsburgh, Leftwich is a big, strong-armed quarterback who doesn't like to throw the ball away. He is a tough pocket passer who operates best from the shotgun. Leftwich can make all the throws and he delivers them with velocity. He has completed 56 percent of his passes for 572 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions. His backup is second-year pro Josh Johnson (who lined up at wide receiver in a couple of formations last week) and first-round draft choice Josh Freeman is the third quarterback.

Tampa Bay has a productive four-headed rushing attack. Carnell "Cadillac" Williams has fully recovered from a torn patella tendon that limited him to six games last season. He attacks the line of scrimmage, drives through the hole and accelerates in the open field. Williams is averaging 5.3 yards a carry. Derrick Ward, who ran for 1,025 yards last season for the Giants, has 21 carries, one more than Williams. He is a talented and versatile back who contributes running, catching and blocking. Earnest Graham is a patient back who often gains extra yards after contact. He ran for 563 yards in 10 games before his 2008 season was cut short by injury. Clifton Smith, a Pro Bowl returner last season, is an explosive change of pace back. His speed enables him to create mismatches against linebackers on pass routes. Fullback B.J. Askew is a competitive blocker and sure-handed receiver.

Antonio Bryant, the Bucs' best wide receiver, did not make the trip to Buffalo for last week's game because of a knee injury. When healthy, he is a terrific wideout with a variety of moves, speed and separation ability that enable him to destroy single coverage. Bryant is also fearless in traffic. Maurice Stovall, who started for Bryant last week, gives Leftwich a big strike zone and makes tough catches between defenders. On the other side, Michael Clayton is a dependable chain mover, though he is battling a sore hamstring. He is adept at using his size to jump up and shield defenders. Clayton is one of the NFL's finest blocking receivers. Rookie Sammie Stroughter, a seventh-round draft choice, is a quick and nifty receiver who finds voids in the coverage. Brian Clark can make the difficult catch and contribute as a blocker.

Tight end Kellen Winslow, a Pro Bowler with Cleveland in 2007, was the Buccaneers' most significant offseason acquisition. He leads the team with 12 catches and has become Leftwich's security blanket. Winslow does most of his damage from wide alignments and has the speed to stretch defenses. Jerramy Stevens has 33 career starts. He lines up all over the formation and is a good red zone receiver. John Gilmore is Tampa Bay's best blocking tight end, but he was inactive for the first two games with an ankle injury.

The Bucs have a young, strong and athletic offensive line. But center Jeff Faine, the leader of the group, is expected to miss his second game with a strained triceps. He has been replaced by Sean Mahan, who was released on Sept. 2 and re-signed 12 days later. Mahan is a tough and smart center with good upper-body strength. Donald Penn is on his way to becoming a premier left tackle. He has outstanding movement skills and is very competitive. Jeremy Zuttah, the guard next to Penn, is a New Jersey native who started five games as a rookie last season. Right guard David Joseph was elected to last season's Pro Bowl. He can overpower linebackers in the run game and keep defensive tackles away from Leftwich with his strength and quickness. Right tackle Jeremy Trueblood is a solid starter who works to finish every block.

Defense

Jim Bates has replaced longtime coordinator Monte Kiffin and leads a unit with six new starters. The defense has struggled in the first two games, allowing 900 yards to Dallas and Buffalo to rank tied for 29th in the NFL. Tampa Bay is allowing a league-high 7.5 yards per play. The Bucs have been vulnerable to big plays; the Cowboys had touchdown passes of 80, 66 and 42 yards.

Tampa Bay likes to rotate its defensive linemen. Left end Jimmy Wilkerson is a full-time starter for the first time. He gets off quick on the snap, is strong on his feet and fights to the whistle. On the right side, Gaines Adams is the Bucs' pass rusher. A smooth and fluid player who quickly locates the ball, he led the team with 6.5 sacks last season. Relentless tackle Chris Hovan is the leading tackler among the linemen. Ryan Sims works hard to get to the ball. Rookie Roy Miller has the line's only sack and contributes in the goal line defense. Stylez White is an aggressive and physical pass rusher.

The Bucs no longer have 10-time Pro Bowler Derrick Brooks, who had long been the face of the defense. But they do employ a very fast and athletic group of linebackers. Barrett Ruud patrols the middle and has led the team in tackles each of the last two seasons. Last year, he had a career-high 178 stops. Ruud is a solid every-snap player with good range and instincts. He can shed the lead blocker vs. the run and get depth in the zone defense. Strongside backer Quincy Black is a first- year starter. He has exceptional closing speed and wraps up ballcarriers on contact. Geno Hayes has excellent quickness when blitzing and good man-to-man cover skills. Matt McCoy is a substitute who brings intensity to the unit.

In the secondary, Tampa Bay is down to its third free safety. Tanard Jackson, who started every game the previous two seasons, was suspended for the first four games for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy. He was replaced by Jermaine Phillips, who broke his thumb last week in Buffalo and is out for the season. The new free safety is Will Allen, who can get everyone lined up and close quickly in coverage. At strong safety, Sabby Piscitelli is a productive run-stopper and dependable open-field tackler.

Venerable Ronde Barber, who has started 153 consecutive games and played in five Pro Bowls, remains entrenched at right cornerback. Barber has 37 interceptions and a cornerback-record 23 sacks. He is a physical corner with top-shelf cover skills who makes many plays behind the line of scrimmage. On the other side is Aqib Talib, the team's first-round draft choice in 2008. He often lines up with the opponent's No. 1 receiver and plays the ball well on throws down the field. The third corner is the athletic Elbert Mack. Torrie Cox also plays.

Special Teams

Clinton Smith is one of the NFL's best kickoff and punt returners. Last year, he played in only nine games, but became only the third undrafted rookie free agent to make the Pro Bowl since 1970, joining Everson Walls (1981) and Rufus Porter (1988). Smith averaged 27.5 yards on 36 kickoffs returns, including a 97-yard touchdown that was the longest in franchise history. He also averaged 14.1 yards on 27 punt returns, including a 70-yard touchdown.

Mike Nugent won a training camp battle over former Giant Matt Bryant for the kicker's job but has missed both of his field goal attempts. Well- traveled veteran Dirk Johnson has a 42.1-yard gross average and 39.0-yard net average on 11 punts.