Since the New York Giants opened the season on a Wednesday, they have had ample time to sit and think about their effort in the week one loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
The team celebrated its Super Bowl championship and then proceeded to get beaten by the Cowboys, a team they defeated twice last year. The Giants had trouble running the ball and never looked completely comfortable against the new-look Dallas defense.
Some players have been thinking about it more than others, including defensive end Justin Tuck, who said earlier this week he had been losing sleep over the game.
"I haven't slept well, so I think we all are itching to get back on the field," Tuck said to ESPN.com on Monday. "Definitely got a lot of work to do on the practice field."
Coach Tom Coughlin and the Giants hope to change the course of the early season with a win this Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. If they lose, they would start 0-2 with both losses coming at home.
"You can't lose a game," Coughlin said. "Everybody's 1-0, and we're 0-1. We have another big game this weekend. That's the great thing about our profession, we get to line up and play again."
Last week all three other NFC East teams won, including Washington and Philadelphia.
The Buccaneers also won last weekend, defeating the Carolina Panthers 16-10. The team did an excellent job of stopping the run, only allowing ten yards and no rushing touchdowns.
"This was fun to watch this defense go out and play the way they played," said safety Ronde Barber, who had an interception, sack and key stop on Cam Newton near the goal line in his 200th career start.
The Buccaneers also did a good job of running the ball against Carolina, with starter Doug Martin gaining 95 yards. The Giants had trouble stopping the run against Dallas and it will be something Tampa will look to exploit. New York allowed 143 yards against the Cowboys, including 67 yards after first contact.
"That team is fired up," Tuck said. "That team is going to have a lot of confidence."
The Giants have had a 10-day break since playing the NFL opener, which would help some injured players heal up before Sunday. Defensive back Michael Coe suffered a hamstring injury on Sunday but should play, while Prince Amukamara could return from an ankle injury.
Giants quarterback Eli Manning will look to air out the ball deep and be more explosive on offense compared to the first game. The Buccaneers allowed 152 yards on pass plays of over 15 yards, which was the sixth-most in the league.
The two teams last played in 2009, when the Giants shut out the Buccaneers 24-0. They also faced off in 2007 in the first round of playoffs with the Giants winning 24-14 on their way to the Super Bowl.
The game will also feature some family battles, with Giants tight end Martellus Bennett lining up against his brother, Tampa's defensive end Michael Bennett. The two teams are familiar with brotherly matchups, considering Bucs cornerback Ronde Barber's twin brother Tiki was a running back for the Giants for many years.
Giants' rookie running back David Wilson will look to rebound after he fumbled in the opening game against the Cowboys, derailing one of New York's most productive drives. He had fumbling problems in college and was benched after the play.
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