NFL Recap (NY Giants-Tampa Bay)
Posted: Sun October 4, 1998 at 8:37 p.m. EDT
TAMPA BAY 20, NY GIANTS 3
TAMPA, Florida (Ticker) -- Safety Charles Mincy brought back
an interception 22 yards for a touchdown on the game's third play and Michael Husted's 26-yard
field goal capped a late clock-killing drive as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
topped the New York
Giants, 20-3.
Mike Alstott
carried 18 times for 67 yards and a late touchdown for Tampa Bay (2-3),
which recorded what was virtually a must-win. A loss for the Buccaneers
would have all but knocked them out of contention in the NFC Central with
unbeaten teams Green Bay and Minnesota on top of the division.
New York (2-3) received the opening kickoff but Mincy quickly gave the
Buccaneeers the lead when he stepped in front of Danny Kanell's slant pass
intended for running back Tiki Barber and raced into
the left corner of the end zone.
"When we're not scoring points our other people have to pick up the
slack," said Tampa Bay coach Tony Dungy. "When the offense struggles, the
special teams and defense has to pick it up. There is a lot of ways to
score."
Mincey recorded the fourth touchdown of his career and became the
first Buccaneer to bring back an interception for a score since Warren Sapp against
Atlanta in 1995. It was also the first first-half touchdown Tampa Bay has
scored this season.
"We work hard every week, but Tony said this was a must win game and
we played with a sense of urgency," said Tampa Bay safety John Lynch. "We would
like to come out and explode on teams. You don't like to keep coming off
the field."
Kanell completed just 10-of-27 passes for a meager 83 yards and was
intercpeted a career-high three times for New York, which totaled just 134
total yards and managed only eight first downs.
"I made too many mistakes but I can correct them," said Kanell. "I
just have to prepare more than I have been. I want to apologize to the
defense. I felt horrible. I let them down. The team is behind me 100
percent. They realize I'm having a tough time."
The Buccaneers used Husted's 35-yard field goal later in the first
quarter to go on top 10-0, but neither offense was able to manage another
scoring drive until late in the game.
New York appeared set to get back in the contest early in the fourth
quarter when defensive end Chad Bratzke recovered
quarterback Trent
Dilfer's fumble at the Bucs' 10-yard line. Four plays later the Giants
were forced to settle for Brad Daluiso's 22-yard
field goal 1:40 into the fourth quarter.
"The offense has got to help out," said Giants coach Jim Fassel.
"We've got to block, we've got to run, we've got to hit the right hole and
drive it on down in there. I just know one thing, the New York Giants,
we've got to play better on offense. Whatever it takes I'll figure it
out."
But on the ensuing possession, Tampa Bay mounted a 13-play, 61-yard
drive which lasted more than eight minutes and took a 13-3 lead on Husted's
100th-career field goal with 5:02 remaining. Cornerback Ronde Barber's first
career interception just moments later set up Alstott's one-yard TD plunge
with 1:54 to play to provide the final margin.
Dilfer was not much better than Kanell, connecting on 12-of-20 for 85
yards and was picked off once. Warrick Dunn carried 21
times for 63 yards for Tampa Bay, which totaled 230 yards, including 171 on
the ground.
"We all stuck together. We knew it would eventually click," said Dunn.
"We had drives and we are not finishing our drives. Once we can show
ourselves we can establish drives, we can score in bunches. We need to
improve the running game slowly but surely."
Gary Brown led the
Giants in rushing for the second straight week but managed just 67 yards on
17 carries. Chris
Calloway was the only New York wide receiver with two receptions,
totaling 23 yards, while running backs Tiki Barber and Charles Way combined for
five catches and 35 yards.
"I thought we got back to our style today," added Dungy. "And that's
when you have fun. A lot of guys on defense thought it was time to step
up."
All 23 points in the game came as a result of turnovers. The Giants
and Buccaneers entered the game with the 27th and 28th rated offenses,
respectively.
© 1998 Sportsticker Enterprises, LP
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