Every game is a big game, and Sunday’s match between The Giants and The Buccaneers proves to be an exciting one on a lot of levels.
Hyper-locally, Oakland, Wyckoff, and Franklin Lakes now have strong ties to both teams — though it’s doubtful local affection for the Buccaneers’ new head coach Greg Schiano will lead to Giants fans jumping ship to root for the Tampa Bay team.
Schiano is a Wyckoff native and former football coach at Ramapo High School. He was also head coach at Rutgers, all of it making him an official Jersey boy; but, as a new NFL coach, he might find less folks at home cheering him on when it comes to playing the beloved Giants.
Schiano is known for being tenacious and bringing that same attitude to his players. The Buccaneer’s win over the Panthers was impressive considering the Panthers last year had the third-best rushing attack in the NFL.
The Buccaneers’ win, compared with the mediocre playing of the Giants when they lost against Dallas, has sports pundits giving the Buccaneer’s a shot against the defending Superbowl Champs.
Every game is a big game, but this Sunday’s game offers residents an opportunity to see some familiar faces on both teams.