Giants Pass The Test

After going seven consecutive seasons without passing the first round of the post-season, the New York Giants were able to defeat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 24-14, and they'll face the Dallas Cowboys in the divisional round on Sunday.

Giants quarterback Eli Manning was 20-27, with 185 yards, and 2 touchdowns. He's looking toward to playing the Cowboys next Sunday, but says it'll be tough.

"We love playing there, we love going down to Dallas," Manning said. "There are no secrets. It's a tough challenge against Dallas, we know that. We played them two times; maybe the third will be the charm."

Manning respects the Buccaneers, and says they play 100 percent every possession.

"They have veteran players and they are very sound with what they are doing," said Manning. "They don't give up big plays by mental mistakes. They are able to get a good pass rush whether they bring a blitz or just on the four-man rush. They mix up what they do enough and they are very sound and disciplined in their technique and in their coverage."

He was confident as well, because Manning felt good watching their tapes. "The more I look at them I will get a better feel, but I think they have talented players and they are confident in what they are doing," said Manning.

Giants receiver Amani Toomers finished with 7 reception, 1 touchdown, and 76 yards. He believes the Giants started sluggish, but pulled towards the end of the first half. "We weren't sluggish, but it was not like we were the week before," said Toomer. "We needed one play to get us going and for me to be the guy, I was excited."

Toomer believes Manning was productive enough to help the Giants against the Buccaneers. Toomer said, Manning stayed calm and didn't force anything. "Eli had a great game today," Toomer said. "He took what was out there and didn't force anything. He doesn't get real excited; there is more than one way to lead a team ... and he showed that today."

Giants running back Brandon Jacobs rushed for 34 yards and 1 touchdown. Giants rookie Ahmad Bradshaw rushed for 66 yards, but couldn't score.

Michael Strahan had six tackles, and Strahan says the Giants play better on the road. "I think as a team we seem to perform better on the road," Strahan said Giants defensive end. "I didn't know we won eight in a row. That's a great thing, because when it's the playoffs, if we're going to go as far as we want, we have to win every game on the road."

Buccaneers quarterback Jeff Garcia had 23 receptions, 207 yards, and 1 touchdown pass. Garcia managed to throw two interceptions, but he admits those were "horrible" decisions. "That was a bad decision by me," Garcia said. "I was just trying to make a play and Webster had very good coverage on the play."

Garcia believes he didn't feel good about facing the Giants, and he expected a battle. "I don't think that I really look at those games as feeling like I - or believing that I - have an edge up on the Giants," Garcia said. "It is not like that at all. I feel like what we did those days we were able to make enough plays to win the football game, but it is going to be a battle."

Giants head coach Tom Coughlin says Garcia has played outstanding this season, wanted the Giants to pressure him. Coughlin added saying the Giants know Garcia's strengths and they spent time focusing on them.

"He certainly has done an outstanding job for them. He is the guy that you have to try to do something about," Coughlin said. "You have to get pressure on him; you have to contain him; you have to get up in his face. You have to do all of those kinds of things. And of course they are always trying to create opportunities for him to be able to be in a position that he can take full advantage of. So we definitely know of the strengths of Jeff Garcia, how well he is playing. And we will spend a week trying to do something about it."

Buccaneers head coach Jon Gruden feels confident with Garcia, and says he's a large man with Miami Heat center Shaquille O'Neal's features.

"Jeff Garcia is a large man," Gruden says. "He's Shaquille O'Neal. He's a man's man, and a hell of a player. He's enormous, on the inside. The 49ers know it. Philly knows it. Hell, Saskatchewan knows it, too."

Despite losing against the Giants, Garcia believes Gruden is a great coach. "It was the perfect time to join up and create a positive force," Garcia says. "I love his intensity, his enthusiasm – just everything about him. He expects a lot out of himself, and it really carries over onto the whole team from a personality standpoint."

Gruden likes the Giants defense, and thinks their excellent. He believes their blitzing is great, and says everyone is cable of getting sacks.

"It's not just the four guys up front; it's the perimeter blitz package," Gruden said. "They're a great overload blitzing team; you're going to see their cornerbacks have sacks, their linebacking corps has sacks, sacks are coming from all over the place. It's a credit to this scheme and to their personnel, they do an excellent job."