T.J. Watt Saves Game for Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers' closer made another game-saving play.

Conor Hutchison | Oct 28, 2024

Sep 8, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt (90) reacts after stripping the ball from Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (18) (not shown) at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

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Pittsburgh Steelers

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers took down the New York Giants 26-18 on Monday Night Football. Quarterback Russell Wilson passed for 278 yards and one touchdown with a 71.4% completion percentage. Running back Najee Harris rushed for 114 yards on 19 carries -- his third straight one-hundred-yard game.

The Steelers have only scored one first-quarter touchdown all year before tonight. That total almost increased when Wilson rolled out and found wide receiver George Pickens wide-open in the endzone. Unfortunately, right tackle Broderick Jones grabbed a facemask when Wilson left the pocket negating the score. The Steelers' reliable place kicker Chris Boswell started the scoring with a chip-shot field goal.

The Giants looked to answer. The Steelers were poised to force an early three-and-out, but on third-and-one, quarterback Daniel Jones found wide receiver Darius Slayton 43 yards down the middle of the field. The Giants, with the worst red zone percentage in the league, couldn't get into the endzone and answered with a field goal of their own.

The Steelers were just unable to break the ice in the first quarter. Wilson completed a 29-yard pass to tight end Darnell Washington and Harris followed that up with a 26-yard run. But at the Giants' eight-yard line, the Steelers' offense mustered only a one-yard run and two incompletions. To the home fans' dismay, Boswell gave the Steelers a 6-3 lead.

The Giants had gone 17 straight drives without a touchdown. That streak should have broken but the Giants' star rookie receiver Malik Nabers, who finished with 72 yards on seven catches, was called for a questionable illegal shift penalty. Head coach Brian Dabol spent most of the drive furious on the sideline considering the Giants received six penalties and had to settle for another field goal tying the game at 6-6.

Starting at their 30-yard line, the Steelers marched down the field barely needing a third down. But again, as soon as the Steelers got within ten yards of the endzone, they couldn't break the ice. On third-and-eight at the Giants' nine-yard-line, Pickens, who had four catches for 74 yards, had another touchdown wiped off the board -- this time because he got the same foot down twice rather than two feet in the endzone. Boswell made his third field goal of the half and took a 9-6 lead.

Finally, the Steelers defense got a stop and forced a three-and-out. The Steelers' offense answered with positive gains to Warren and Pickens, but Wilson took a huge sack forcing the Steelers' first punt with two minutes remaining.

Jones, a better quarterback on the road than at home, orchestrated a quality two-minute drive with multiple targets to Slayton. Slayton finished with 108 yards on four catches. But the first half was touchdown-less for both teams, and the Giants settled for a 44-yard field goal. The game was tied 9-9 at the end of the half.

The Giants rookie running back Tyrone Tracy Jr., who finished with 145 yards on 20 carries and a touchdown, came out of the locker room hot. But the Steelers star edge rushers T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith forced a punt with back-to-back sacks. Wilson and the offense couldn't get anything going, producing a three-and-out.

Disaster struck for the Giants the next drive. An illegal shift penalty, a delay of game penalty and another Highsmith sack completely killed the Giants' attempt to answer.

Finally, the Steelers threw the lid off. Wide receiver Calvin Austin III returned a punt 73 yards for a touchdown -- another huge play for coordinator Danny Smith and his special teams excellent all year.

The Steelers' defense locked down and forced another three-and-out. The Steelers have still not given up a single point in the third quarter. Wilson converted a third down to tight end Pat Freiermuth on the ensuing drive. After a false start penalty, the Steelers were stuck in third-and-11. Wilson threw his patented moon ball to wide receiver Van Jefferson for a huge 36-yard completion down the sideline.

On the next third down, Wilson threw another moon ball this time to Austin III, who finished with 54 yards on three catches and two total touchdowns, and Austin III found the endzone. With that toss, Wilson has thrown a touchdown pass in his last 21 games.

The Steelers' defense held up, but only for so long. Three straight targets to Nabers proved ineffective, but Tracy Jr. rattled off a 45-yard touchdown on third-and-16. Jones targeted Nabers for the two-point conversion, but the pass was incomplete, cutting the Giants' deficit 15-23.

The Steelers' offense continued to click. Wilson and Pickens showed an incredible connection against the other New York team last week, but hadn't been as effective tonight due to two touchdowns wiped off the board. But then Wilson found Pickens one-on-one for a 43-yard catch down the sideline and put the Steelers at the Giants' five-yard line. Again, the Steelers offense couldn't convert in the red zone. Boswell extended the Steelers' lead to 26-15.

Slayton and Tracy Jr. each had gains of 18 and 17 yards respectively. But a short completion and two incompletions later, the Giants had to settle for a field goal to make it a one-score game.

After Harris broke the century mark on the ground, Wilson decided to make a rare scramble when disaster struck. Giants linebacker Bobby Okereke punched the ball out of Wilson's arms and forced the first turnover of the game giving the Giants excellent field position.

T.J. Watt, who hadn't had a sack in the last two games, finally made his big return and did it against the man who talked trash to the former DPOY earlier in the week. Watt matched up against Giants' right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor, bent the edge, strip-sacked Jones and hopped on the ball, saving the game for the home team.

Watt is the closer for the Steelers. He has been all season. Tonight, with the game in the balance, Watt showed up again with the whole nation watching. The Steelers move to 6-2 and take sole possession of first place in the AFC North.

Cornerback Beanie Bishop Jr., an undrafted rookie out of West Virginia that caught his first two interceptions against the Jets last week, showed again he has a nose for the ball. Bishop Jr. caught a broken up pass for his third career interception and ended the game.

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Published Oct 28, 2024

CONOR HUTCHISON