Giants 24, Bucs 14: Good Eli, Better Webster

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers put eight in the box to stop Brandon Jacobs and let the New York Giants know that Eli Manning would have to win the game for them. There was just one problem with that strategy: Eli Manning won the game for them.

Manning completed 20 of 27 passes for 185 yards and 2 TDs to lead the New York Giants to a 24-14 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and a date with NFC East rivals Dallas next Sunday. Along the way, he got some help from some expected and unexpected sources.

Expected? The Giants' pass rush. The defense adjusted after the Bucs scored a touchdown on their opening drive, and while it only registered one sack, it harassed Jeff Garcia and disrupted his timing all afternoon. Joey Galloway hurting his shoulder didn't help, as that took away the Bucs' only deep threat.

Unexpected? How about cornerback Corey Webster, who was pushed into starting duty after Sam Madison suffered a rib injury last week? Webster not only played well in pass coverage, but he figured prominently in two Bucs' turnovers in the third quarter, recovering Michael Spurlock's fumble on the opening kickoff and intercepting Garcia in the end zone.

Then there was backup running back Ahmad Bradshaw, who got crucial running yards in the 2nd half where Brandon Jacobs couldn't. Bradshaw finished with 66 hard-fought yards on 17 carries. Jacobs, meanwhile, scored twice in the first half, but took much of the second half off, thanks to Bradshaw.

As for the Bucs, they couldn't get the turnovers they needed in this game. The Bucs' pass rush only managed one early sack, and Manning wasn't flummoxed at all by the Bucs' secondary. (Thanks for playing, Ronde Barber.) On offense, Earnest Graham did what he could, but his 63 yards on 18 carries weren't enough to keep the pass rush off Garcia.

It was a disappointing end to the Bucs' 2007 season. Jon Gruden did a fine job turning this team around after a horrible 2006 season, but he can only do so much, and he'll have a lot of work to do to get this team back to the postseason next season.

The Giants, meanwhile, got their first playoff win since 2001, and they face a familiar opponent next Sunday. The Cowboys, however, have already beaten these Giants twice. Eli Manning will have to play just as well as he did today to give New York a chance to win that once. Unlike the Bucs, though, they have a chance, and that's all you need in January.