Why the Giants Had the First-Half Advantage Over the Bucs

The Giants did it again!

They fooled everyone into thinking they were en-route to a statement win only to tumble into their last-place form just in time for a routine defeat.

Their latest act may have been their most impressive. They played what may have been their best first half of football on Monday night against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, arguably the best opponent they've seen since Week 1, but ultimately, they slid late to a 25-23 loss.

The Giants took a 14-6 halftime lead by virtue of a strong rushing attack, an efficient passing performance by Daniel Jones, and a bend-but-don't-break defensive effort.

However, one less obvious advantage the Giants had going for them on Monday, at least according to Bucs head coach Bruce Arians, was the lack of a crowd in the stands.

The Giants haven't had fans in attendance for a home game all season due to New Jersey's COVID-19 limitations on public gatherings. And that lack of electricity, even though under normal circumstances it would have been a pro-Giants crowd, is one that Arians believed took some of the energy out of his team early in the game.

"I've never driven into the Meadowlands and the scene's empty, and we did not find energy fast enough," Arians said. "I thought we had a very slow start offensively, defensively, I don't like seeing people run the ball on us."

The Giants capitalized on the Bucs' lack of early energy early, taking a 13-6 lead into halftime. New York's defense became the first all season to keep Tampa Bay out of the end zone in the first half, forcing the Buccaneers to settle for two field goals.

"We didn't play anywhere near where we're capable of playing," Brady said of his offense's first-half performance.

Meanwhile, the Giants' rushing offense racked up 67 first-half yards on the ground against a Buccaneers' defense that leads the league in stopping the run this year.

The Giants were the more energetic team coming out of the gate despite their 1-6 record, as the lack of fans is something they've become used to at home. Arians even credited Giants first-year head coach Joe Judge for getting his team energized right off the bat.

"We got hit in the mouth and credit Joe Judge, he had his team ready and they played their tails off," Arians said.

Obviously, the Buccaneers picked their energy up in the second half, and the Giants weren't quite able to match it, and their early advantage was for naught.

Still, the first-half push was another testament to Judge's coaching. Each week Judge has led his young ad understaffed yet motivated team onto the field that plays tough against tough competition.

A dismal record, COVID-19 distractions, and an empty stadium still aren't enough to keep the Giants' spirits down yet. Now it's just a matter of finishing games, which has been the grayer side of Judge's coaching this season.