TAMPA, Fla. — The outcome itself was enough of an upset, especially when you consider the Giants had spotted the Buccaneers an 18-point halftime lead, 28-10.
And while the immediate heroes of the Giants’ stunning and stirring 32-31 win may have been quarterback Daniel Jones for his final-drive heroics and Tampa Bay kicker Matt Gay for shanking a 34-yard game-winning field goal at the end, the unsung hero came from a most unlikely source.
The Giants’ defense.
Not only did the unit as a whole only allow three second-half points after getting torched the first 30 minutes, they stood up and allowed the kid quarterback to have his first shining defining moment.