TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- The New York Giants proved once again that stingy defense can be their best offense.

Christian Peter scored on a 38-yard fumble return, and rookie Andre Weathers ran back one of New York's four interceptions for a touchdown as the Giants beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 17-13 Sunday.

	Tampa Bay quarterback Trent Dilfer had a rough day against the Giants and was eventually benched in favor of Eric Zeier.

New York won its fifth straight game with Kent Graham at quarterback, but its offense had virtually no success against a Bucs defense that allowed just 107 yards -- the second-lowest total in team history.

"We set our course to come down here and win the football game, whatever it took," Giants coach Jim Fassel said.

"I had a sense we were not going to be denied, that we were going to fight to the bitter end, and that was their attitude."

Peter scored on the Bucs' third offensive play when Jessie Armstead sacked Trent Dilfer and forced a fumble that bounced right into the hands of the 300-pound defensive tackle.

Weathers erased a 10-7 Giants deficit with his 8-yard interception return late in the third quarter. Percy Ellsworth picked off two Dilfer passes in the fourth quarter before the Tampa Bay quarterback was benched.

"You keep hitting at something, it's got to break. That was our attitude," Armstead said. "We kept knocking at that door, and finally we kicked that door in. I don't care who the quarterback is; you put enough pressure on him, you'll rattle the quarterback."

Tampa Bay coach Tony Dungy said he had not decided whether Dilfer had lost the starting job.

"He obviously didn't make some very good decisions," said Dungy, adding that he'll name his starter for next Sunday later in the week.

With about 12 minutes left in the game, Ellsworth's first interception set up Brad Daluiso's 36-yard field goal, giving the Giants their 17-13 lead. Eric Zeier replaced Dilfer with nine minutes to go.

The backup quarterback's last pass, on fourth down with about a minute left, was intercepted by Phillippi Sparks. Two plays before, an apparent completion to Karl Williams across midfield was reversed after officials reviewed a video tape under the new instant replay rule.

GAME NOTES

Tampa Bay tied a team record by allowing just four first downs. The Giants were 1-of-14 on third-down conversions. Without top running back Gary Brown, who's out with a sprained knee, the Giants were held to 27 yards rushing. Rookie Sean Bennett carried 13 times for 24 yards. Bucs DE Regan Upshaw, demoted to the second team and the subject of trade talks with San Francisco, was inactive for the game. Tampa Bay QB Trent Dilfer has thrown seven interceptions and two TD passes in three games against New York.

Graham, who led the Giants to a 5-1 record in the final six weeks of last season, completed 12 of 23 passes for 91 yards.

"I had to talk to guys going into the game. I said: 'Hey, listen ... we're going to have to be extremely patient,'" Graham said. "With a lot of teams that play the Bucs, they get impatient, want to go deep, and they throw interceptions."

But the Giants didn't have any turnovers, assuring the Bucs would have to work hard for their 254 yards, including 77 rushing.

Dilfer, under pressure to increase his production after failing to lead Tampa Bay to the playoffs in 1998, was 15-of-31 for 174 yards and one touchdown -- a 1-yard throw to Dave Moore that gave the Bucs a 10-7 halftime lead.

Although much was made about the improvement of the Bucs and Giants passing attacks during the preseason, Sunday figured to be a defensive struggle decided by which team was able to establish the run.

Tampa Bay held the Giants to 135 yards in a 20-3 victory in 1998 and set the tone for another frustrating day for the New York offense by allowing just 11 yards in the opening quarter.

While New York did a good job of containing Tampa Bay's running tandem of Warrick Dunn and Mike Alstott, the Bucs threw the ball well enough in crucial situations to lead at the half.

Dilfer set up his TD pass to Moore with a 39-yard completion to Bert Emanuel, who caught the ball and fell to the New York 1.

One of New York's most effective weapons was punter Brad Maynard, who set up the Giants' second touchdown by backing the Bucs up with a kick that rolled out of bounds at the Tampa Bay 1.

Dilfer was booed after Weathers' interception. He temporarily regained the support of the crowd with a couple of completions to set up a field goal, but his struggles were far from over.

"It's a simple case of trying to do too much. I was trying to make some things happen when I probably should have thrown the ball away," Dilfer said.

About his starting job, the quarterback added he will support Dungy's decision.

"Obviously, I want to be the starter. But if I'm not, I'm going to be the best backup or the best No. 3 quarterback I can be."