Giants Country

Five Plays That Doomed the Giants Against the Steelers

The New York Giants had a chance to beat the Steelers at home on MNF for the first time since they did so in 1991. But then these five plays happened.

Damian Parson

Oct 28, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Beanie Bishop Jr. (31) intercepts a pass intended for New York Giants running back Devin Singletary (26) during the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium.
Oct 28, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Beanie Bishop Jr. (31) intercepts a pass intended for New York Giants running back Devin Singletary (26) during the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium. / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
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The New York Giants’ 26-18 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday Night Football was a winnable game considering how it unfolded in the first half in which the game was knotted at 9-9 thanks to an exchange of field goals.

Eventually it all fell apart–penalties, poor run defense by the Giants, and poor quarterback play all contributed to the loss as the Giants fell to 2-6 at the midway point of the season, their season about to slip away for good.

In looking back at the plays that were made or not made, here are the five key plays that contributed to the Giants’ latest disappointing loss.

Calvin Austin's Punt Return for a TD 

Before going into the breakdowns of this backbreaking play that gave the Steelers the lead, it boggles the mind as to how the officials missed a Steeler running into the kicker, which would have given the Giants five yards and a chance to re-kick.

The only explanation that makes a shred of sense is that the defender was blocked into the kicker, though from our vantage point, that didn’t appear to be the case.

Now, onto Calvin Austin’s 73-yard punt return for a touchdown ,the game's first touchdown. The Giants didn’t help themselves at all on this play, starting with punter Matt Haack outkicking his coverage to the four missed tackles on the play.

This simply shouldn’t be happening at this point in the season, yet every week, it seems the Giants special teams do something that comes back to bite them in the rear end. This week was nothing different. 

Calvin Austin's 29-yard TD Gives Steelers a 14-point Lead 

Another momentum-shifting play involved Calvin Austin, this time in the passing game. Austin got the best of rookie nickel cornerback Dru Phillips on a corner route. He ran right past Phillips for an easy throw from Russell Wilson for a 29-yard touchdown. 

This play put the Giants in a 14-point deficit, creating an uphill battle to come from behind against a defense with an outstanding pass rush to pressure Daniel Jones on true drop back passing plays.

Giants’ Missed 2-point Conversion

After rookie running back Tyrone Tracy, Jr. scored the Giants' first touchdown of the game in the fourth quarter, they opted to go for a two-point conversion instead of an extra point because that’s what analytics say to do and head coach Brian Daboll seems to be a strong believer in what analytics say.

The play call was head-scratching, to say the least. The Giants used the swinging gate formation and tried to throw a screen to Malik Nabers. 

The problem was that no one on the Giants was ready for it, and while everyone seemed to be hanging around when the ball was snapped, the Steelers made one of the easiest plays a guy will ever make.  

The failed play, by the way, caused quarterback Daniel Jones to explode in a rare display of anger/frustration, which pretty much epitomized how Giants fans were likely feeling at that point.

T.J. Watt’s Strip Sack/Fumble Recovery

With 3:04 on the clock in the fourth quarter on 3rd-and-7 from the Steelers 19-yard line, T.J. Watt beat Giants right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor to secure a strip sack on Daniel Jones that the Steelers recovered. 

As it turned out, Jones was supposed to make a shift call, sending rookie tight end Theo Johnson to help Eluemunor chip against Watt. Jones did not complete the call, and the play's result was game-altering.

The Final Interception

The Giants' offense moved the ball down the field, hoping to tie the game with a two-point conversion. 

With 42 seconds on the clock from the Steelers 35-yard line, Jones dropped back and sailed a pass high over the head of running back Devin Singletary and into the arms of rookie defensive back Beanie Bishop Jr for a game-ending interception. 

The problems here were numerous. First, Jones never saw a wide-open Theo Johnson over the middle. Second, he never set his feet, feeling the pressure which, while there, still allowed for a quicker decision to be made. And then there was the hurried throw into a window that he had no business throwing into, something Giants fans have seen far too many times before.

Final Thoughts

This game must frustrate Giants fans because there were multiple opportunities to take advantage of for a win. Instead, the Giants wilted when it mattered most, their 2024 season on life support and fading fast.

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Damian Parson
DAMIAN PARSON

Damian Parson is a Senior Draft Analyst with The Draft Network and Co-host of Locked On NFL Draft. He has spent time covering the Arizona Cardinals, Cincinnati Bengals, San Francisco 49ers, and Miami Dolphins. Formerly of SB Nation, FanSided, and AtoZSports.

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