How do the Bucs figure into it? Simple. If you're not going to win the Super Bowl then what better fate is there than to lose in the playoffs to the Super Bowl champion?
As for the Giants, it did come down to their pass rush much as it did in their game against the Bucs. Any of the Giants playoff opponents could have beaten that team, which is not a slap against the Giants. They stepped up and outplayed the competition to grasp the championship. They earned it.
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