2024-10-29 11:20:03
PITTSBURGH – Home is where the hard times are for Daniel Jones and the New York Giants.
All they got on the road Monday night was more heartache.
The Giants traded blows with the Steelers for much of the night inside Acrisure Stadium, only to have T.J. Watt end their hopes of an upset with a strip sack of Daniel Jones with the Big Blue offense driving and a 26-18 loss.
The Giants (2-6) forced their first turnover of the game when Bobby Okereke punched the football away from Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson on a scramble, and Okereke also recovered the ball. Watt answered back for the Steelers (6-2), who have not lost a home game on “Monday Night Football” since 1991 when Chuck Noll was their head coach.
The Giants actually forced a Steelers punt to the 7-yard line with 1:57 left in the game. Jones and the offense had 93 yards to go needing a touchdown and a two-point conversion to tie. He completed passes to Malik Nabers and Wan’Dale Robinson to move the sticks for another set of downs. Then Jones hit a 25-yarder to Theo Johnson to reach midfield with 53 seconds left.
Two plays later, Jones was under duress and misfired high to Devin Singletary, and the errant throw was intercepted by Beanie Bishop Jr. Bishop had two interceptions of Aaron Rodgers in last week’s win over the Jets, and closed out the Giants in this one.
Tyrone Tracy rushed for a career-high 145 yards and a touchdown for the Giants. He left the game after hitting his head on the ground on the second-to-last drive, was examined for an apparent head injury in the sideline medical tent before leaving for the locker room.
As a team, the Giants have scored one touchdown at home and now seven on the road.
The Giants are now 1-15 in 16 regular season prime time games since Jones became the starter three games into his rookie season in 2019.
Keep checking back throughout for live updates.
Bobby Okereke strips Russell Wilson and the Giants have some life again. Can the offense do anything with it?
The Giants defense stood up again with its back to the end zone, but Chris Boswell’s fourth field goal of the game made it a two-score again. A deep pass to George Pickens got the Steelers inside the 10.
It’s a touchdown bonanza as Tyrone Tracy matches Russell Wilson’s second TD pass with a 45-yard scoring jaunt of his own. What we’ll be talking about is the two-point conversion try on which the Giants called a trick play. They appeared to set up a picket fence on the left side with center John Michael Schmitz reporting as an eligible receiver.
Schmitz snapped the ball to Daniel Jones in a traditional shotgun and Jones fired left to Malik Nabers, who was immediately drilled by Alex Highsmith as nobody blocked him. The Giants made the decision in that spot to try the two-point conversion, so if they got it, they would just need a point-after kick if they were to eventually get a game-tying touchdown.
The Giants ventured into unwanted territory late in the third quarter and paid for it.
They found themselves offensively in second and third and longs due to penalties, and the line could not hold up with Alex Highsmith getting his second sack. Then disaster struck when Calvin Austin returned the ensuing punt 73 yards for a back-breaking touchdown.
Looked like the officials missed two penalties on the punt return. The Steelers came close to running into punter Matt Haack, and then there may have been a block in the back that was not called. No matter, the Giants are now behind by a touchdown and this potential upset is slipping away.
Giants starting cornerback Tae Banks did not play a snap on the team’s final two defensive series, raising questions as to whether he was benched by head coach Brian Daboll. Banks was hurdled by Najee Harris when he went low instead of coming with proper technique on the Steelers’ third series that ended with a field goal.
Banks responded with the big hit to force incompletion on George Pickens in the end zone, but did not get a snap after that. The Giants went with with rookie Dru Phillips, Nick McCloud and Greg Stroman at corner.
Give the Giants some credit for that drive in the final two minutes of the first half, especially Daniel Jones hanging in the pocket and getting drilled on several completions, including a 36-yarder on third-and-8 to Darius Slayton.
Greg Joseph has three field goals, matching Chris Boswell, and the Giants will get the second half kickoff.
This one is getting wild. Three touchdowns – two for Pittsburgh, one for the Giants – have been taken off the board, either by penalty or review.
The latest was a Russell Wilson scoring strike to George Pickens, who had gotten behind the Giants’ secondary for the catch in the back of the end zone. Tae Banks came over and hit Pickens, who was in the air, and Pickens only got the same foot down twice before tumbling out of bounds. The officials reviewed the play – it was likely an assist review – and it was ruled incomplete. The Steelers challenged anyway and lost a timeout for their troubles.
Steelers settled for Chris Boswell’s third field goal. Greg Joseph has two field goals for the Giants.
The Giants stepped up in the shadow of their end zone again, holding the Steelers to another field goal.
They were gashed again on the ground for the second series in a row, but the Steelers inexplicably decide to throw the ball in the red zone after a long run by Najee Harris and the defense held.
Russell Wilson threw behind a receiver on second down. Then Isaiah Simmons knocked down a pass in zone coverage to force a FG.
Daniel Jones hit Darius Slayton with a 43-yard strike, the first explosive play for the Giants since their last victory in Seattle. Their longest plays in their last two losses went for 15 yards (against the Bengals) and 14 yards (against the Eagles).
A delay of game on third and medium in the red zone wound up stalling the drive, leading to Greg Joseph’s game-tying 29-yard field goal.
A facemask penalty on Steelers tackle Broderick Jones negated a Russell Wilson touchdown pass to George Pickens and ultimately forced a field goal attempt from Chris Boswell. His attempt from 31 yards was good to open the scoring. The Giants were gashed on the ground by both Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren, and had to burn a timeout when Dexter Lawrence lost his cleat and could not get it back in time before the next snap.
The Giants won the coin toss and elected to defer, and the Steelers marched down field for the early lead.
Don’t be surprised to see veteran Chris Hubbard start at left tackle for the Giants, an individual with knowledge of the situation told NorthJersey.com. They split reps this week in practice, and Hubbard is expected to get the nod.
Hubbard signed with the Giants last week and Ezeudu struggled early in his first start against the Eagles in place of Andrew Thomas, who is out for the season following surgery to repair a Lisfranc foot injury. Hubbard has started 58 games in 10 previous seasons, including the first four years with the Steelers.
GIANTS
STEELERS
Rookie cornerback Dru Phillips took reps on the boundary in practice this week and the Giants are considering giving him some time outside due to the numbers’ game at the position with Adoree’ Jackson (out, neck), Cor’Dale Flott (doubtful, groin) and Tre Hawkins (questionable, ankle) likely all to miss the game.
Tae Banks, Nick McCloud and Phillips will be active, and reserve corner Greg Stroman is one of two practice squad elevations with outside linebacker Tomon Fox.
We’ll see if that part of the plan with Phillips materializes tonight against a Steelers offense with Russell Wilson looking to attack over the top and downfield. Pittsburgh likely won’t be attacking the Giants the way previous opponents have with the likes of Seattle, Cincinnati and Philadelphia using multiple receiver sets to stretch their depth.
George Pickens will be Wilson’s top threat, and Banks should travel with him, provided the Giants keep their similar philosophy in coverage from the first seven games. The Steelers will likely also look to press the issue in the middle of the field with their tight ends.
Watch Giants vs. Steelers live on ESPN+
The pick: Steelers 27, Giants 17
Here’s why: The Giants can’t score. They have one touchdown over the last two games and 10 points total. The locker room is reeling. Brian Daboll’s team has a lot to figure out, and it feels like it was months ago – not just three weeks ago – that the Giants had optimism after beating Seattle in Seattle. Unless the Giants’ defense forces Russell Wilson into turnovers, it’s hard to see this one turning out well for Big Blue.
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