An inside look at Sunday’s Giants-Buccaneers matchup at MetLife Stadium:
Marquee matchup
Buccaneers WR Mike Evans vs. Giants CB Deonte Banks
Evans is a remarkable player. There has never been a more consistent pass-catcher over the span of a decade.
He is the first player in NFL history to start a career with 10 seasons of 1,000 or more receiving yards.
Next on the list is Randy Moss with six such seasons.
Evans missed the past three games with a hamstring strain, but he is expected back to face the Giants. Despite missing that time, his six touchdown catches lead the team.
Banks had a week off on the bye to consider his regression in his second year, as his lapses in concentration and effort lowlighted his first 10 games of 2024.
Evans knows all the tricks of the trade, but Banks should be able to run with the 31-year old, who is the main target for Baker Mayfield, with Chris Godwin on injured reserve and done for the season.
Paul’s pick
These are two teams on downswings, but the Buccaneers have a legitimate offense — they’ve averaged 25.3 points in their four-game losing streak.
The Giants have managed to score 25 points once in 10 games.
Can Tommy DeVito provide a spark in the first game of the post-Daniel Jones era? We shall see.
The Bucs are vulnerable on defense, but as we’ve seen, the Giants can make any defense look like the ’85 Bears.
Buccaneers 27, Giants 16
Four downs
Big return: Kayvon Thibodeaux started the first five games of the season, and the Giants allowed an average of 115.4 yards on the ground with him in the lineup.
Thibodeaux missed the past five games following wrist surgery, and the Giants allowed 178.8 rushing yards in that span.
His replacement, Azeez Ojulari, can pressure the quarterback, but he does not set the edge on defense with the consistency Thibodeaux displays.
His return should help contain running backs Rachaad White and Bucky Irving.
“That’s one of the reasons why I’m here,’’ Thibodeaux told The Post. “My teammates have done a great job so far, obviously trying to correct it. I’m definitely happy to be back and hope that I’ve been able to clean up the things I needed to clean up in the run game so I can contribute to some good football.’’
Next time: The last time Tyrone Tracy Jr. had his hands on the ball in a game, he failed to secure it after Panthers defensive tackle (and former Giant) A’Shawn Robinson reached in to force a fumble.
The turnover came on the first snap in overtime and ensured the Giants would lose, 20-17.
It was a hugely impactful moment for the rookie running back, who in that game rushed for 103 yards, including a 32-yard touchdown.
Tracy leads all rookies with 545 rushing yards after 10 games.
“He wants to do the right thing every time,’’ offensive coordinator Mike Kafka said. “Obviously, he was hurt about it and he took it personally. You like to see that from a young player, taking ownership of it.’’
Second time around: He was a charismatic and popular local kid, but Tommy DeVito was also an undrafted rookie in 2023, and many of the finer points needed to play quarterback in the NFL were simply not there.
He took 34 sacks in a seven-game span — six starts and one in which he played the bulk of the snaps. Pocket awareness is a trait he needs to show in his second starting stint.
“That was the rookie year version of myself, someone who had not been around the NFL at all,’’ DeVito said. “So, now have a year under my belt, I have a lot of high expectations for myself and continue just to evolve into that next step of player of what I need to be as far as making the decisions, staying in the green, trying to push the offense down to score points and ultimately lead the team.’’
Stretch run: Malik Nabers finally got a break from his rookie season and said he returned home to Louisiana during the bye week to “get my mind off football.’’
In his first eight NFL games, he has the most receptions (61) of any rookie in the league, along with three touchdowns, but his yards-per-catch average of 10.0 is disappointing.
“Doesn’t matter what the record is, doesn’t matter how things are going,’’ Nabers said. “We still got to finish off strong leading to the next year.’’
Nabers resumes his first season with a new quarterback.
“As long as he can give me the ball, I should be able to make something happen with it,’’ Nabers said.
