Even though they were outplayed for three quarters for the most part, the New York Giants again on Sunday proved why a return trip to the big game in early February is not out of the question. Out scoring the Pittsburgh Steelers 12-0 in the fourth quarter, the Giants outlasted the Black and Gold, 21-14 to move to 6-1 on the season. The loss drops the Steelers to 5-2.
Pittsburgh took a 14-9 lead in the third quarter when Ben Roethlisberger hit Nate Washington for a 65-yard touchdown. They had other chances to build on that lead, but were shot down with turnovers and penalties that in the end were as big of a reason for ever for them losing to the Super Bowl Champs at home.
New York got a chip shot field goal from John Carney to make it 14-12 with 8:18 left to make it 14-12. Then on the next Steelers three-and-out, the punt was thrown over the head of Mitch Berger out of the end zone to tie the game at 14. Pro Bowl LB James Harrison was the long snapper on the punt due to an injury to regular long snapper Greg Warren.
Just over three minutes later the Giants drove down the field, and got a big play on 3rd-and-7 from the 50 when Eli Manning hit Steve Smith for 25 yards to the Pitt 25. Four plays later, Manning hit TE Kevin Boss for a two-yard score that made it 21-14 with 3:07 left.
The Steelers had two more chances in the final three minutes, but the Giants D-line took over, as they pressured Roethlisberger and recorded a sack and a pick to end the last Steelers threat and hold on for the seven-point win. The Steelers O-line was no match for the Giants, as Big Ben was sacked five times for minus 35 yards, while Manning was not sacked once.
Brandon Jacobs rushed for 47 yards on 18 carries, and Manning was 19-for-32 for 199 yards with one TD. Roethlisberger was 13-for-29 for 189 yards with one TD and four interceptions. Mewelde Moore, playing for an injured Willie Parker, had another solid day, going for 84 yards on 19 carries with a TD.
Both teams’ defenses dominated, as the Steelers were held to 10 first downs and 249 yards, and the Giants 282 yards and 15 first downs. In the end, it was the Giants toughness along with the fact that the Steelers were so outmanned due to injuries that did the AFC North leaders in.
The Steelers have another big game, next Monday night they are at Washington for the Redskins.
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mark
October 27, 2008 at 7:18 am
Well, injuries, flag happy officials, bad play calling and Big Ben doing his Mike Tomczak impersonations did in the Steelers, not the G-Men! The Steelers should be ashamed of themselves. The Giants were there for the taking and the Steelers, once again, found a way to lose. If Bill Cowher suddenly returned and said: “Im back from vacation,let me have my team back”. No one would see the differance. Mike Tomlin has done nothing to put his stamp on this team and they remain undisciplined, and I think weak. This looks like a team that when faced with a foe that punches back, looks terrible and finds ways to lose. Ben looked aweful and there was no reason to have him throwing so much. Moore played a nice game and the Steelers could run. The penalties cost the Steelers a 21-9 lead in the 4th Quarter, and Tomlin needs to address that. He Wont! No one cant blame Harrison for the snap, but that was just another example of when it rains, it pours. The Giants are no better then the Steelers, the Steelers are just a very “giving” team!
I am truly disgusted.
Tim
October 27, 2008 at 8:45 am
The Steelers did everything possible to let the Giants win yesterday. I now have NO doubt that Mike Tomlin is in WAAAY over his head as a head coach in the NFL. Watching the game yesterday was almost a carbon copy of how the Eagles beat them a few weeks ago! “Little Ben” certainly doesn’t look like a $100 Million Dollar Quarterback, does he??
I guess Mike “The Brain” Tomlin isn’t going to fix the Offensive Line anytime soon?
I’m not even going to bother to continue to rant here! I’m just so disgusted and beyong pissed off today!
Face it, fellow Steelers fan…Mike Tomlin has done his best job to turn the Steelers into a team with absolutely NO identity! Thanks, Coach!!!!!
Scott
October 27, 2008 at 10:35 am
Another loss, and the responsibility lies with the offensive side of the ball…what else is new?
1. Quarterback play is horrible.
2. The O-line is “offensive”.
3. The offensive ccoordinator doesn’t seem to understand how to make adjustments during the game. (This could also be Ben’s fault, being that he doesn’t understand how to read defenses just yet.)
I am sick and tired of having a quarterback/offense that has the mentality that “If we don’t make any mistakes, we SHOULD win the game.”
In closing, the Steeler defense (except for the cornerbacks) is the only thing worth praising.
Tim
October 27, 2008 at 12:19 pm
Scott makes some good points. I’ll take a few myself:1. What the hell is with “Little Ben?” He definitely isn’t playing like a so-called “superstar” (whatever the hell that means?) Hasn’t been the same since Super Bowl 40!
2. The O-line is beyond offensive! This is what happens when you let Alan Faneca get away just so you can pay “Little Ben” the big bucks…because the owner thinks he’s a good quarterback!
3. Bruce Arians couldn’t call a good game plan if it came up and bit him in the ass! Any Steeler fan worth their ilk knows the team can play balls out fantastic when they go to the no-huddle! This team should try a gameplan where they go no huddle right from the opening gun…hell, it might even work – only if “Little ben” doesn’t keep throwing the other team passes and helping them win!
Now one of my own…This team lacks a killer instinct! It has for the past couple of seasons. Seems whenever they get a lead they just rest on their butts! “IF” this team is to go to the “next level” under coach clown..er, Tomlin…then they need a Killer Instinct.Guess it’s hard to hard a killer mentality when you make millions of dollars a year?!
Jay Sabo
October 27, 2008 at 12:52 pm
You know from watching enough football when a team is on a touchdown drive and we were on one in the third or fourth quarter that (should’ve) culminated with the second toss to Nate. But the undisciplined Chris K with the penalty, the horrendous excuse known as Willie C with the holding call (he also had a false start on a third and eight that resulted in a third and 13 that Ben got nine yards on—would’ve been a first down). It’s almost as if the offense was trying to score and the O-line said, “No, we’re not going t let you! We suck remember and we’ll be damned if we play otherwise!” I do agree (partially) with the posts before me here in that Arians got away from Moore which allowed the Giants sack happy D-line to get on track, Ben held the ball too long, but I’m not ready to write Tomlin off just yet…getting close though…but not yet…You guys before me are right…Giants are overrated and we shoulda won but offensive line play on those two second half drives (before the safety) did us in!
Scott
October 27, 2008 at 2:01 pm
Gentlemen,
You all have made some great points, and it is because you love the Steelers as much as I do, that we have to be brutally honest in this forum.
I think Tim made a very important point, and one that I agree with 100%: Ben has not been the same since Superbowl XL.
It is not because of the motorcycle accident, nor the appendicitis. In my my humble opinion, either:
1. Ben is ‘thinking’ too much,
2. He just doesn’t have the intelligence that we all thought he had.
Ben appears to be the shell of what he once was.
As for Arians, I think it is time Tomlin let him go…
CJ
October 27, 2008 at 2:23 pm
When are the Steelers going to take a serious look at the offensive coordinator? We have one of the top 3 tight ends in the NFL and they are just not utilizing him like they should.
mark
October 27, 2008 at 2:48 pm
Guys, I want to agree even more with you but I have to respectfully disagree on 1 thing. Ben had a great year last year. I do think he has somewhat regressed this year and he is “thinking too much”. I blame this loss on play calling as much as injuries. Like I stated in my previous post and in the previous years. The Steelers got away from the run, even though it was working very well yesterday. Also, Tim is right! there is NO identity on this team and as I said before, Tomlin seems to be in over his head. I can drive a corvette too, but I may not get the performance it deserves. Same here, the STeelers are not performing at the level they could be.I will hear injuries are the biggest reason, and that is a partial explanation. However, yesterday the G-men were their to be beat and we let them off the hook. NO TOUGHNESS!! We get buy on a select few players (Ben included) and their above average skills to keep us competitive.Time for the “coach” to get more out of his players and staff.
Ronnie
October 27, 2008 at 2:56 pm
I too think that the turning point in the game was the Chris K, ridiculous late hit. It was a late hit and not even close to being a part of the play. Coach Tomlin should’ve pulled Chris K just like Singletary did to Vernon Davis. It was an absolutely HUGE turning point in the game and a SELFISH act.
I don’t care if you have to put in a 3rd stringer, it isn’t as though Chris K is good anyway. I would rather have average disciplined players than ones that act selfishly by making RIDICULOUS plays. I would love to hear Chris K’s explanation for what he was thinking. Please somebody give that question to him. That should be a huge part of the Steeler’s Coaching plan. Next time they think of getting a retaliatory shove or punch, a late hit, etc. their butts should ride the pine and pay a nice fat fine.
Matt Loede
October 27, 2008 at 4:30 pm
Hey Everyone, not to be blind to the issues at hand, but let’s remember they have the toughest schedule in the league and are 5-2. When they play their best, what team (maybe other than the Titans) do you really think can beat them?
mark
October 27, 2008 at 7:13 pm
Matt, you might be right about them being 5-2, but they let a winnable game get away from them for all the same reasons they have lost winnable games in the recent past. They have no identity,a mediocre O-line,questionable play calling, etc…. If they plan on “giving” away winnable games, then what differance does their tough schedule make? This Redskin game Monday is another tough one. I almost think that its a “must” win!They have to show they can beat good, tough teams when needed. Beating the Bengals,Browns and Texans were almost expected. Now they face the “meat” of this hard schedule and no one, not even the team and their coaching staff really knows what team is showing up.
Tim
October 27, 2008 at 11:04 pm
The Monday night game against the Redskins is definitely a “must win” game! Let’s take a look at the 5 Steeler wins: Texas, Cleveland, Baltimore, Jacksonville, Cincinnati. The 2 losses: Philadelphia and NY Giants (both in the NFC East) Pittsburgh needs to prove they can beat a GOOD team with a winning record! (Its nice Pittsburgh can beat up weaker teams…hell, it’s expected – but if they are gonna play deep into January they’re gonna have to start beating GOOD teams!)
Pittsburgh needs to get an identity and damn fast, or the Redskin game could be another debacle. The Eagles and Giants have proven the way to beat the Steelers is to pressure “little Ben” and he’ll collapse under a weak-ass offensive line – not to mention throwing interceptions to the opposing team!
The Redskin game is going to be a bellweather of the Steelers season. The outcome of that game could very well indicate how the rest of the season goes.
I am rapidly losing faith not only in Ben but Mike Tomlin to PROPERLY prepare his team. It’s starting to look like Dan Rooney made a poor choice to be the head coach of this Pittsburgh team.
I hope I’m wrong about Tomlin…but it doesn’t look good!
MARK FARESSA
October 28, 2008 at 9:45 am
Tim, I personally have more faith in Ben then in Tomlin. Like I have said before, Tomlin needs to prove a lot more then Ben does. To Tomlins credit, suspending Holmes was the right thing!! No room for trouble in Pittsburgh. Hopefully he changes his tune. He was missed on Sunday, but too bad. The Steelers need this game Monday BAAAD!!
Scott
October 28, 2008 at 3:26 pm
Matt,
Yes the Steelers have a tough schedule, but great teams DO NOT let wins slip away.
The Steelers beat themselves on Sunday, simple as that.