Andrew Thomas – © USA TODAY Sports

Pittsburgh Steelers 26 – New York  Giants 16

QUICK RECAP

An offseason like no other. A training camp like no other. And now, a regular season like no other. The Covid-19 pandemic has led to empty or near-empty stadiums, a lot of awkward silence, and a bunch of never-heard-before F-Bombs on live television. At one point, or several points, the idea of the NFL playing this year was cloudy at best. However, here we sit, looking back on a full slate of Week 1 games. Excellent job by the NFL and everyone involved. Now onto the good stuff.

The Giants kicked off Monday Night football with a home game against Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Big Ben, in his 17th season, was on the game field in pads for the first time in 364 days following an elbow injury that created the question if he was done, both mentally and physically. He has discussed retirement in the past and not many players are still wearing the helmet at the age 38. He did come back, he is paired with an elite defense, he is behind an elite offensive line, and he is throwing the ball to some of the more exciting young receivers in the league. This was a tall order for the New York Giants and their new Head Coach, Joe Judge, a first time Head Coach on any level.

Judge’s history revolves around special teams and that is exactly where NYG got their first break. A muffed punt by PIT receiver Diontae Johnson gave the Giants the ball on the PIT 3-yard line. However, after 3 plays that derived 1 total yard, they had to settle for a 21-yard chip shot by newly signed kicker Graham Gano. Giants held the initial 3-0 lead. After trading three-and-outs, PIT got on the board with a 41-yard field goal by Chris Boswell at the end of a 13-play drive.

The Giants opened the second quarter with their first touchdown-scoring drive of the season. They were stopped after three plays but they were given new life by a Joe Haden pass interference call on third down. On the very next play, Jones hit Darius Slayton deep down the middle on a post route for a 41-yard score. The Giants’ passing game looked crisp on all levels early on and they had a 10-3 lead. Following another three-and-out by PIT, Jones’s first pass of the ensuing drive resulted in an interception to Defensive Player of the Year candidate T.J. Watt. It was a zone blitz that caught Jones off guard. This gave PIT the ball on the NYG 36-yard to line to start and that resulted in PIT’s first touchdown of the year, a 3rd down, 10-yard loft as NYG tried to bring the heat via a heavy blitz. Boswell missed the extra point, thus NYG still held the lead at 10-9.

From this point, NYG showed their current true color. The true color that has netted them the worst record in the NFL over the past three seasons. The Giants had momentum on their side after a 38-yard gain on a screen pass to Barkley where his elite level burst and speed were on display in space, the place he is most lethal. Evan Engram, who had a game to forget, caught a pass up the seam for a 24-yard gain that put NYG on the PIT 20-yard line. Unfortunately, he was flagged for offensive pass interference. Two plays later, Jones was sacked. They went from 1st-and10 on the PIT 20 to 3rd-and-27 on the NYG 39.

The two offenses traded three-and-outs before the Big Ben and the PIT offense started a 2-minute offense from their own 22. Eight plays, 68 yards later PIT had put up another 7 points stemming from a rub route that put James Washington in the end zone with the ball in his hands. PIT held a 16-10 lead at the half.

Since the start of 2016, there have been 23,518 offensive drives in the NFL. Only 2 of them had more plays (21) than the opening NYG drive of the second half (19). On 2nd-and-3 from the PIT 4-yard line, Jones evaded pressure and foolishly tried to throw against his body’s momentum into what would have been a ton of traffic. He was hit by Bud Dupree, who had a monster night, sending the ball tumbling into the air and into the waiting arms of defensive lineman Cam Heyward, the first of his 10-year career. This was the second time NYG had the ball inside the 5-yard line and it netted them a grand total of 3 points.

The Steelers then scored a combined 10 points on the next two drives, the touchdown being another pitch-and-catch between Roethlisberger to Juju Smith-Schuster via a rub route where James Bradberry got bumped out of position. Down 16 with 5:23 left, Jones and the Giants offense pieced together another long drive, 16 plays, that this time ended with points on the board. Jones hit Slayton for a 7-yard touchdown as the two have clearly brought the connection we saw in 2019 to the table here in their respective sophomore seasons. They failed the two-point attempt, leaving it a two-possession game with just 2:00 left. PIT ran out the clock and that was it.

Giants lose 26-16.

QUARTERBACK

-Daniel Jones: 26-41 / 279 yards / 2 TD-2 INT / 79.2 Rating

Jones added 22 yards on the ground via 4 carries. In his first ever season opener, Jones was matched up against one of the top 5 defenses in the NFL playing behind an offensive line that was playing with two new tackles and a new center. That led to him being pressured more than any quarterback in the NFL week 1. As is the case with most young quarterbacks, Jones was inconsistent. On one hand, he looked poised and tough, something we saw plenty of last year. He made accurate downfield throws, he stayed aggressive, he knew when to pull down and run, and most importantly he did not fumble (although there was a close call). However, the way this position works in this game, he had two major mistakes and that really cost the team. His first interception was against a zone blitz that he did not recognize and the second one, on just second down, was a rookie-level mistake throwing against his body into heavy traffic. One was a lack of recognition; one was a lack of sound decision making. His game wasn’t a bad one, but if he is THE guy, he needs to make sure they walk away with at least 10 points when they are inside the PIT 5 two times, not 3 points.

RUNNING BACK

-Saquon Barkley: 15 att – 6 yards / 6 rec – 60 yards

This was the third time in his 30-game career that Barkley has been held to 10 or less rushing yards, one of the other times being an injury-shortened game in Tampa Bay last year. It was a horrific way to start off the year. Barkley rarely made it two steps with the ball before he had a PIT defender (or several) on top of him. The inside running lanes rarely existed and the PIT defense was too fast for them to handle when they went outside. His lone bright spot was a 38-yard gain on a screen pass where we saw the explosion, speed, and make-you-miss ability on full display. New Offensive Coordinator Jason Garrett needs to fully understand this is a completely different back than Ezekiel Elliot in Dallas. Barkley needs to the ball in space as much as possible, that is where he does damage. This performance is solely on the offensive line, zero question. With that said, Barkley did allow a pressure and a sack. His blocking remains subpar at best.

WIDE RECEIVER

-Darius Slayton: 6 rec – 102 yards / 2 TD

Before the season, I said Slayton was going to end up being the team’s number one receiver this year. That was partially an indictment on the lack of upside Sterling Shepard and Golden Tate bring to the table, but also a level of confidence in Slayton. His routes and long speed looked crisp, he played through contact, and he finished. Excellent start for him. He looks like the real deal and a true keeper.

-Sterling Shepard: 6 rec – 47 yards

It was a “quiet” night for Shepard. He didn’t really factor as much until the second half. He caught all 6 of his targets (not including the 2-point conversion attempt), as he just ran into some bad luck. From my view, it looked like he was the main target three times on plays where the pass protection pressured Jones away from the read. This could have easily been a bigger game for Shepard.

TIGHT END

-Evan Engram: 2 rec / 9 yards

Jason Garrett and Joe Judge may end up having a short leash on the athletic Engram. Neither have used a tight end like this much before and I think they both lean toward a sturdier presence. Engram was tossed around like a rag doll by the Steelers front seven. Simply put, he just does not belong in there trying to block edge defenders. He can hold his own against defensive backs and some inside linebackers, but his lack of blocking had a significant impact on the team mightily struggling on the ground. He allowed a pressure, a TFL, and dropped a pass in the first quarter to boot. Lastly, his offensive pass interference was an absolute killer to the team’s momentum. There are 15 games left, but Engram needs to know he is on the hot seat.

-Kaden Smith and Levine Toilolo played 43% and 35% of the offensive snaps respectively. Having one tight end play that much is expected, but two? I do like the concept of having these three on the field together (NYG played with 13 personnel – 3 TEs – more than every team Week 1), but they have to do what they are supposed to do. Having them on the field allows more support for the running game, at least theoretically. However, they both struggled against the PIT physical front seven, allowing a combined 3 pressures and 1 TFL. They also combined for 3 catches / 30 yards. Hopefully some of the blocking shortcomings had more to do with lack of chemistry than anything, because that is why these guys are on the team.

OFFENSIVE TACKLE

-Perhaps the brightest, or second brightest part of NYG’s week 1 game was the play of rookie Andrew Thomas. He did allow 3 pressures on the night, a number we want to be lower, but it doesn’t get much tougher than Bud Dupree (on an island nonetheless) for a rookie tackle. Thomas was the top graded Giants lineman by far and two of his pressures could be argued against (they are a tad subjective). He played with a wide and strong base, he played patient, and his hands were heavy. I would like to see more running attempts right behind him.

-Cameron Fleming has not produced any confidence that the massacre right tackle has been to this offense in recent years will be any different. He allowed 2 pressures and a sack in pass protection, he allowed 2 TFL, and he was pushed backward multiple times as a run blocker. He was flagged for a false start. I think Matt Peart will be starting by mid-season.

GUARD/CENTER

-The guiltiest culprit of the inside running woes was center Nick Gates. He was toyed with by Tyson Alualu, a solid but unspectacular nose tackle. This is where the lack of offseason may have hurt the Giants the most. Gates was very late with his hands. When you’re late with your hands, especially inside against a powerful player, you’re going to abruptly lose ground. That happened over and over and understandably so, as Gates really doesn’t have a lot of experience snapping the ball and getting his hands up quickly enough. NYG can only hope for improvement here in the coming weeks, but it could easily take longer.

-Kevin Zeitler had a surprisingly awful game. He was the lowest graded blocker of the bunch. He allowed 2 pressures, 2 TFL, and a sack (although one could argue it wasn’t his fault). More than the weak grade, Zeitler looked stiff. Is there something wrong? Is he on the sharp decline? He will be one I watch closely next week in Chicago, another team with really good interior defensive linemen.

-Will Hernandez was quietly solid. He allowed one pressure and was oddly left alone by the PIT defense several times. He was late to help a few times, but not a bad game by him. Again, I want to see more NYG runs to the left side next week.

EDGE

-Lorenzo Carter is going to be a key factor for this team in 2020 and whether or not this defense can take a true step forward. He looks the part, as he always has. He seems to be more powerful than we’ve seen, and he still has the elite speed and burst. I made a couple different notes of physical play and he finished with 7 tackles and 2 pressures including 1 hit on the QB. He is what I call an every-down defender in that he can have a role in any situation. He has the tools but his issues have revolved around consistency and mental quickness. We saw some positives in this game, but he needs to more of a finisher.

-Markus Golden, the team’s leading pass rusher from 2019 and a guy that pretty much nobody in the NFL wanted to bring in, was limited to just 34% of the snaps as he continues to work back into game shape. He was a non-factor.

DEFENSIVE TACKLE

-Leonard Williams was the most disruptive and consistent player along the NYG front. He finished with 5 tackles / 1 sack / 2 TFL / 1 pressure. A lot of eyes are going to be on the franchised player who some are still looking down on because he was traded for. If he plays like this, we can seal the deal as a win for the NYG organization.

-Dalvin Tomlinson had a quiet game, not in a good or bad way. He just didn’t impact the defense much in either direction. Dexter Lawrence had a pressure and a sack. In addition, he once again flashed surprisingly solid athletic ability on a couple of nice hustle plays away from his starting point.

LINEBACKER

-Blake Martinez showed quality inside play after receiving a hefty contract from NYG in the offseason. I can easily say this: it was the best true ILB play we have seen in awhile. He led the team with 12 tackles including 1 TFL. There wasn’t anything eye-popping here, but it was notable how fast he reacted to the offense. In addition, he was rarely fooled or caught out of position. This is a legit inside presence at the second level that this defense sorely lacked in recent years.

-Kyler Fackrell and Devante Downs were on the field for less than a half and quarter of the plays respectively. Fackrell brings inside-out versatility, which is nice, but he didn’t show much as a pass rusher in week 1. Downs recovered a fumble on special teams in the first quarter. I am pulling for this kid, great story of perseverance.

CORNERBACK

–The newly signed James Bradberry had a really up-and-down inaugural game in blue. The high-priced corner “allowed” two touchdowns but on both plays, he was the victim of “rub routes”. Basically, the plays were designed to combat man coverage in that two receivers crisscrossed each other close enough that Bradberry collided with his own teammate. He also allowed a big downfield gain to Chase Claypool (who got away with a push off). Overall, Bradberry finished with 4 tackles, 2 pass deflections, and a forced fumble that nearly turned the game around. A second look from the All-22 angle showed quality coverage throughout.

-Rookie Darnay Holmes started at the nickel spot and played 73% of the snaps. If nothing else, he played fast, physical, and aggressive out there. He did miss two tackles on the same drive early in the game, but he can’t be looked down on for that too badly. He just isn’t a very big kid and his first NFL action was against a formidable passing offense. He showed several encouraging signs.

-Corey Ballentine started at the other outside corner spot and I have to say, he may be the key weaknesses to this defense besides the lack of pass rush that stems from four guys. He allowed so much separation, most notably to the smaller/quicker Diontae Johnson. This was something we saw last year when they tried him at nickel, a spot he just couldn’t hang. He doesn’t forecast well and the speed just isn’t there to make up for it.

-Isaac Yiadom was on the field for 5 plays and allowed a touchdown.

SAFETY

-Jabrill Peppers shined as a punt returner, but mightily struggled as a safety. He had 3 tackles and a pass deflection but was beat on 3rd down by Eric Ebron and missed 2 tackles. Every year, Peppers will impress with some workout videos during the offseason. His talent is obvious. He plays hard and physical. But when it comes to reading the game situation and playing with instincts, it just isn’t there. The downhill angle he took on a 4th quarter run was abysmal. It led to 30-yard gain that should have easily been stopped at the 5-yard mark. He needs to step it up, no more fluff.

-Logan Ryan and Julian Love were on the field a lot in respective safety/nickel roles. I like how they can interchange roles on a dime, as it makes things tougher for the opposing quarterback to read and diagnose. They were both solid in coverage, but Ryan offers more as a tackler and physical presence. Love got knocked back a few times on contact with the ball carrier and I considered it a missed tackle on James Washington’s touchdown.

SPECIAL TEAMS

-K Graham Gano: 1/1 (Made 21) / 1/1 XP.

-P Riley Dixon: 5 Punts – 38.6 avg / 36.0 net / 3 inside 20

3 STUDS

-WR Darius Slayton, OT Andrew Thomas, LB Blake Martinez

3 DUDS

-OC Nick Gates, OG Kevin Zeitler, TE Evan Engram

3 THOUGHTS ON PIT

1. How do you build an elite defense? Continuity, chemistry, scheme, draft quality players. The Steelers have, for pretty much 17 years, made their defense a main priority when it comes to coaching and drafting. In that span, they’ve ranked top 10 in points allowed 12 times and top 5 in points allowed 7 times. It is in their blood. When it comes to personnel, they they rarely miss in the 1st round. Devin Bush, T.J. Watt, Bud Dupree, Ryan Shazier, Cam Heyward…all those guys have been drafted since 2011 in round 1 and they all (minus the injured Shazier) are still making an impact on this team in a big way. Add in the trade for Minkah Fitzpatrick and you are looking at 5 elite players at their respective positions and I would say 4 of 20 the league’s Defensive Player of the Year candidates.

2. Speaking of drafting, I did a team study on the Steelers and their success at drafting skill position players in the middle rounds. In rounds 2-4 since 2017, take a look at these names: JuJu Smith-Schuster (round 2), James Conner (round 4), James Washington (round 2), Diontae Johnson (round 2), Benny Snell (round 4), Chase Claypool (round 2), and a name you will hear about soon enough in Anthony McFarland (round 2). You will have a hard time finding more homegrown skill position talent in the league.

3. Lastly, this offensive line is likely going to be a make or break for PIT. They were solid against NYG in week 1, yes. However, there are going to be much tougher pass rushers on the schedule coming up and now they are without Zach Banner in addition to David DeCastro. When these guys are at full strength, they are a top-5 group. They have a ton of chemistry in addition to multiple top 10 guys at their respective positions. If they stay healthy enough, this PIT team has final 4 potential in the AFC.

3 CLOSING THOUGHTS

1. The Giants were one of four teams with a new coaching staff during the most difficult offseason any team has ever dealt with from a logistical perspective. Those teams went a combined 1-3 and the other team with a first timer at the Head Coach spot (Cleveland) lost 38-6. I’m not a moral victory guy at all, but I do think that these teams with new coaching staffs and schemes will see more margin between week 1 and week 2 compared to the rest of the league. Not having these guys in a real live situation throughout the preseason does leave a lot of question marks that are only answered via gameplay. NYG has multiple areas to improve and whether or not this coaching staff can make the needed changes will dictate a lot.

2. When looking at “how to win a game”, you can go down several rabbit holes. I try to keep it as simple as possible. Here is what gets it done more often than not: Win the turnover battle. Win the penalty battle. Win the sack battle. If you can walk away with two of those micro-level wins, the odds of ending up on top are well over 90%. The Giants lost the turnover battle by one, they lost the penalty battle, and they lost the sack battle. Trifecta.

3. The Giants did impress me in one specific area, and that was on defense. They played really fast and really physical and really smart (minus Peppers). We listened to Joe Judge talk about those three traits the entire offseason and we mostly just swept it under the rug, but that was one thing that stood out to me. The Giants have a defense that plays fast based on both the athletic ability and sureness of their assignments. That, more than anything, is encouraging as we move forward. Now, somebody needs to step up and make plays/create turnovers.

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Game Preview: Pittsburgh Steelers at New York Giants, September 14, 2020

THE STORYLINE

On paper, this game looks like an easy win for the Steelers. The third-longest tenured NFL head coach after Bill Belichick and Sean Payton versus the 38-year old rookie head coach who has never served as a the head man at any level. With that comes the understanding that the Steelers know their schemes and coaching staff inside and out, while the Giants are still at the beginning of the learning curve. Furthermore, the Steelers have been one of the toughest, most physical teams in the NFL since the Chuck Noll era. Indeed, the Steelers haven’t had a losing record since 2003 and only three head coaches since 1969. On the other hand, the Giants are on their fourth head coach since 2016 and are averaging four wins per season in the last three years. The overall consensus is that the Pittsburgh Steelers are a legit Super Bowl contender while the extremely young New York Giants will be fortunate to finish anywhere near a .500 record.

What do the Giants have going for them? The element of the unknown. While the Steelers likely studied Jason Garrett in Dallas and Patrick Graham in Miami, Garrett hasn’t called offensive plays since 2012 and Graham most likely didn’t have full control of the defense in Miami with Brian Flores’ defensive background. The Giants are a very young team who may not know they are supposed to be intimidated by the big bad Steelers. And on top of all of this, the COVID-19 issue has prevented all NFL teams from having a normal offseason… no mini-camps, no OTAs, no preseason. Teams that adjusted the best and were more organized should have an advantage even over more talented teams. Joe Judge ran a very organized, physical training camp.

My advice to the Giants? Go into this game like Michael Keaton did in Batman. “You Wanna Get Nuts? Let’s Get Nuts!”

THE INJURY REPORT

• WR Golden Tate (hamstring – questionable)
• TE Levine Toilolo (hamstring – questionable)
• LB Markus Golden (illness)
• LB Tae Crowder (hamstring – questionable)
• S Adrian Colbert (illness)

NEW YORK GIANTS ON OFFENSE

This is a bad opponent for the New York Giants’ offense to begin the season with. The Steelers have one of the toughest defenses in the NFL and will put tremendous mental and physical pressure on the yet-to-gel offensive line and 2nd-year quarterback trying to overcome a fumbling problem.

The Steelers are loaded at all three levels of the defense. DE Cameron Heyward (2x All-Pro, 3x Pro Bowl) is one of the best in the business up front. Outside linebackers T.J. Watt and Bud Dupree are double-digit sack artists, and Watt is a legit “Defensive Player of the Year” candidate. Inside linebacker Devin Bush is a rising star. Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick is coming off an All-Pro season and CB Joe Haden a Pro Bowl season. These are the headliners but the entire unit is well-coached, tough, and physical. They intimidate their opponents. The Steeler defense is quite capable of winning a game on its own.

Enter a promising New York Giants offensive line that has yet to play an actual game together. Rookie left tackle Andrew Thomas has yet to play against NFL talent at full speed contact, and his first opponent are going to be the Steelers superb outside rushers. This will be Nick Gates’ first real game at center and he is going to have to deal with the Steelers’ complicated blitz schemes. RT Cam Fleming will probably have issues with Pittsburgh’s outside rushers as well.

The game plan seems fairly obvious. Try to establish Saquon Barkley on the ground, thereby protecting the offensive line somewhat until it can get its feet wet. Use the short passing game to backs Barkley and Dion Lewis, and tight ends Evan Engram and Kaden Smith. Get the ball out of Daniel Jones’ hands fast and keep the chains moving. Try not to expose Jones to a lot of hits. The last thing the Giants can afford is for that fumbling issue to continue. You can’t win games that way, and there is a risk to Jones’ long-term confidence.

Don’t expect the Giants’ offense to perform well. This is one of the toughest defenses in the NFL. “Wins” in this game will come from NOT making negative plays, NOT turning the ball over, and flipping field position. Don’t shoot yourself in the foot!

NEW YORK GIANTS ON DEFENSE

The expectation by many Giants fans and pundits is that the team’s defense will struggle again in 2020. I’m not so sure. I do have a big worry about the secondary. The Giants were counting on Deandre Baker and Xavier McKinney, and to a lesser extent Sam Beal. But adding Logan Ryan should help. I’m still not convinced that Ryan is going to be used exclusively at safety. It would not shock me to see him lining up at outside cornerback against the Steelers (in fact, this is what I would do…either that or play Darnay Holmes outside and Ryan at inside corner).

The other worry from fans is the pass rush. Call me a naive optimist but I think a big part of the problem with the team’s defense last year was that it was simply poorly coached. I believe Dexter Lawrence, Dalvin  Tomlinson, and Leonard Williams are better-than-average 3-4 pass rushers and potentially more than that. I also think that Patrick Graham and Bret Bielema are going to have a positive influence on Lorenzo Carter, Oshane Ximines, Markus Golden, and Kyler Fackrell. The issue for these guys in this particular game is the Steelers see better every day in practice.

Opinions on the Steelers’ offense varies. But there are a number of question marks, starting with QB Ben Roethlisberger, who is nearing the end and missed most of 2019 with an elbow issue. How much gas does he still have in the tank? Do his teammates still consider him their field general? Pittsburgh’s primary back, James Conner, has been injury-prone. The offensive line has size and experience, but appears to be fraying a bit at the edges and guard David DeCastro is not expected to play against the Giants.

As for the receiving targets, the Steelers two tight ends (Vance McDonald, Eric Ebron) can present match-up problems. Patrick Graham also says the Giants are worried about the Steelers’ backs in the receiving game. WR JuJu Smith-Schuster has been a bit of a frustrating player for Pittsburgh, at times looking like an impact player (monster 2018 season) and at other times not living up to expectations (disappointing 2019 season). But how much was that due to Big Ben being out of the lineup? The Steelers have high hopes for WR Diontae Johnson, and WR James Washington is solid. On paper, the match-up Giants fans worry about is Corey Ballentine against anyone, until proven otherwise. Or do the Giants surprise the Steelers and play Logan Ryan or Darnay Holmes outside?

Cutting to the chase, the defense has to keep this game close for the Giants to have a chance. The Giants’ offense simply is not going to score that much.

NEW YORK GIANTS ON SPECIAL TEAMS

Here is a huge wild card the Giants all season. Joe Judge was so impressive as special teams coach that he was hired as an NFL coach despite having no head coaching experience at any level. “I’ve learned more football in the last six months probably than I have learned in the last 10 years,” said long-time NFL and current Giants special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey earlier this week.

The Giants look very solid in the kicking department with Graham Gano, Riley Dixon, and Casey Kreiter. No worries there. Losing gunner Cody Core this summer was a big blow. Someone needs to step up and replace him as much as possible. “We have to put guys out there and see who is going to make plays,” said McGaughey. “The hard part about it is you haven’t been able to cover any live punts (this summer). You won’t know until you get out there and see it done live. That’s the hard part of our situation.”

Pittsburgh changed punters and are going with the old guy, left-footed Dustin Colquitt. Place kicker Chris Boswell was solid in 2019, but had issues in 2018.

It’s not absolutely clear who will be primarily returning punts and kickoffs for both teams. Right now, the Giants list Darnay Holmes as the primary kickoff returner and Golden Tate as the primary punt returner. I would not be surprised if we see other players performing each duty. Note that Jabrill Peppers was name a special teams captain alongside Nate Ebner.

Could Joe Judge have a special teams trick or two up his sleeve for Pittsburgh in this game?

FROM THE COACH’S MOUTH

Head Coach Joe Judge on the Pittsburgh Steelers: “To play the Steelers, it’s important for our players and coaches to understand the tradition and the culture that’s in their DNA. They’re a tough team from a tough city. They have a blue-collar mentality. This defense is very talented, they’re experienced, they play together, they’re tough, they’re opportunistic, they make plays up front and take advantage in the backend on the mistakes you make. This offense is heavily explosive. Obviously, they have one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game. They have a tremendous collection of receivers, tight ends and running backs, all of which can change the game on any play. They’re only a few plays away from the end zone at any point in time. We have to respect everything they do. They run the ball very effectively, they throw the ball at will, and they can extend plays. Ben (Roethlisberger) is obviously one of the best in getting the ball out of his hand fast. They give you enough to work on on both sides of the ball. In the kicking game, it all starts with the specialists. They have two big leg guys in (Chris) Boswell and (Dustin) Colquitt. Obviously, that was a big addition bringing Dustin in, a left-footed punter. That’s always kind of a novelty to some people, but this guy has been tremendous throughout the duration of his career. We have a lot of respect for him having gone against him in the past on other teams. Then starting with the returns, love to see what they do on kickoff returns and punt returns. Whether it’s (Ray-Ray) McCloud, whether it’s (Diontae) Johnson, both guys are very explosive with the ball in their hands. We have to do a tremendous job in space of playing with leverage in tackling.”

THE FINAL WORD

It makes no sense to pick the Giants to win this game, just from the impact of the abbreviated offseason alone. The Steelers have an inherent advantage given the long-standing nature of their coaching staff and schemes. Throw on top of that the perceived talent gap, and the Giants will be “lucky” to stay within a touchdown.

That all said, crazy things happen on opening day. The Steelers don’t always start off strong. And the complete lack of a normal offseason could have unforeseen consequences. In other words, some crazy shit could happen. Let’s get nuts!

Eli Manning – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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Pittsburgh Steelers 24 – New York Giants 14

Overview

The knee-jerk overreaction to wins and losses by NFL fans and the media is annoying, but it’s the time we live in. The New York Giants are 8-4 with a good chance to make the playoffs. Don’t lose sight of that fact.

This loss was significant because it all-but-ended any hopes the Giants had to catch the Dallas Cowboys for the division title. But if you were going to pick one game for the Giants to lose among the last five, this was the game – the sole remaining AFC opponent on the regular-season schedule.

Give the Pittsburgh Steelers credit because they soundly beat the Giants. But there were a number of plays in this game that had a dramatic impact on the outcome. Yes, you can say that about virtually any NFL game, but there were some key swings in this contest. For example:

• With the game tied 0-0, late in the 1st quarter, facing a 3rd-and-14 from their own 5-yard line, QB Eli Manning hit WR Odell Beckham for a 15-yard gain. But a holding penalty was called on Ereck Flowers in the end zone. Not only did Pittsburgh go up 2-0, but they got the ball right back at their own 36-yard line on the free kick. They only needed 38 yards to set up a field goal and go up 5-0. Keep in mind that the thing that set all of this up was the questionable offensive pass interference call on Odell Beckham before the safety.

• On the Giants ensuing possession, they drove to the Steelers 9-yard line. It appeared at worst the Giants would cut the score to 5-3 and at best go ahead 7-5. On 2nd-and-4, Manning’s pass is picked off and returned 58 yards to the NYG 40-yard line. Three plays later, the Steelers are up 11-0. In hindsight, this interception was probably the key play of the game.

• Late in the first half, the Steelers are at the NYG 42-yard line facing a 3rd-and-17. QB Ben Roethisberger throws a short WR screen to Eli Rogers, who frustratingly picks up 18 yards on his only catch of the game. This enables the Steelers to go up 14-0 at the half.

• Despite earlier season success on 4th down, the Giants were 0-for-3 on 4th down attempts in the second half, including a failed 4th-and-1 from the 3-yard line and a 4th-and-9 sack from the 24-yard line. In both cases, the Steelers came darn close to being penalized (pass interference and unnecessary roughness).

While I don’t like to blame officials for losses, poor officiating was a factor in this game. Some reporters have discounted this by saying the Giants dramatically won the penalty aspect of the game. The Giants were flagged only four times for 24 yards while the Steelers were flagged 12 times for 115 yards. However, that does not erase the fact that there were a number of critical non-calls at key points of the game. These were non-calls that changed the complexion of the contest.

My point in all of this? A play here or there, and a call here or there, and this game could easily have had a different outcome. With as much that went wrong on offense, defense, and officiating, this game was still just 14-7 with 6:30 left in the 3rd quarter. How frustrating was this game? On four Giants drives that reached the Steelers 9-, 3-, 30-, and 24-yard lines, the Giants came away with ZERO points.

Giants on Offense

One game doesn’t make a trend, but 12 do. The Giants are obviously struggling on offense in 2016. This was not supposed to be the case. And it’s the same issue it has been virtually all season: if the Giants can’t make big plays in the passing game, they struggle to move the football. The team can’t run the ball. It struggles on 3rd down. Receivers not named Odell Beckham have not made enough plays. The offensive line has not advanced as expected. While Eli Manning has had a decent year, he hasn’t elevated this offense.

Why are the Giants struggling on offense? Everyone has their own primary theory, but it’s the old coaching versus talent debate when things are not going well. We heard it last year on the defensive side of the ball. We are hearing it now on the offensive side. Some argue it is the players. Others argue that Tom Coughlin made Ben McAdoo look better than he is. Others blame the offensive coordinator and say Ben McAdoo has too much on his plate with the play calling. Regardless, the results are not pretty.

In all-too-common statistical theme, look at these numbers against Pittsburgh: the Giants ran 55 plays (one was a kneel down) for 234 total net yards (178 passing, 56 rushing). That’s embarrassing. New York was 4-of-11 (36 percent) on 3rd down and 0-of-3 (0 percent) on 4th down. The Giants were shut out in the first half and only scored their second touchdown with 26 seconds left in the game.

The Giants passed the ball 41 times and only ran it 13 times – a 3-to-1 ratio. But those 41 pass attempts only resulted in 178 net passing yards, or 4.3 yards per pass play. New York’s longest play of the game was for only 25 yards. The Giants had one drive over 57 yards and that resulted in an interception. Eight of New York’s 12 possessions gained 18 yards or less. Another only gained 28 yards.

Quarterback

Playing in a hostile environment against an upgrade in competition, the Giants needed Eli Manning to play well. He didn’t. The Giants were shut out in the first half as Manning completed 9-of-14 passes for 70 yards. Oddly, Manning and the Giants offensive braintrust only targeted Odell Beckham once in the first half with 47 of the passing yards being accrued by Rashad Jennings and Will Tye. Perhaps the back-breaking play of the game was Manning’s interception deep in Pittsburgh territory. The Giants trailed 5-0 and looked poised to either cut into that lead or go ahead. Instead the interception was returned 58 yards, setting up the Steelers first touchdown of the game. It was a 9- to 13-point swing (the Steelers went for two but failed). Manning was 15-of-25 for 125 yards and two touchdowns in the second half, but the first TD was set up by a fumble recovery deep in Steelers territory. And the last scoring drive came with under two minutes to go with the Giants trailing 24-7. Manning seems jumpy and he is having trouble connecting with receivers down the field – not a good combination.

Running Backs

The Giants running game is not functional. Schematically, the almost-exclusive reliance on running out of the shotgun formation simply is not working. The Giants only ran the football 13 times, and that is not going to get it done. Paul Perkins carried the ball seven times for 38 yards, with 18 of those yards coming on one carry. Rashad Jennings carried the ball six times for 19 yards. Jennings caught all six of his targets for 34 yards and a touchdown, but four of those receptions only netted a total of ONE yard. Perkins was not targeted. Jennings gave up the Giants first sack with an embarrassing attempted blitz pick-up. (Side Note: I have no idea who designed the play where Jennings lined up behind Beckham and was promptly tackled for a 4-yard loss, but that one needs to come out of the playbook).

Wide Receivers

In the last nine games, Sterling Shepard has averaged 29 yards receiving per game. Victor Cruz is averaging 42 yards per game in the 11 games he has played this year. In a WR-centric offense whose base is the 3-WR set, that’s not going to get it done. Cruz was shut out in this game with no targets. Shepard caught 4-of-8 targets for a grand total of 21 yards and one meaningless late game touchdown. Roger Lewis caught one pass for eight yards. So once again, Manning was left with the double-teamed Odell Beckham, who was targeted an exceptionally-high number of 16 times, but only one of those came in the first half. Beckham finished the game with 10 catches for 100 yards, and the team’s two longest gains (25 and 23 yards). There was a lot of contact on Beckham in this game that was not called and could have kept drives alive. I just didn’t care for the way the Giants called the game with respect to Beckham. One target in the first half and 15 targets in the second half? It’s almost as if they knew they screwed up and tried to overcompensate.

Tight Ends

If Beckham is doubled and the other wide receivers are not producing, one would think the tight ends would be heavily contributing to the passing game. Wrong. Will Tye, Jerell Adams, and Larry Donnell were targeted eight times. The results? Three catches for 32 yards. Worse, Donnell and Tye were involved in probably the offense’s two worst moments of the game: Manning’s first interception that completely shifted momentum back to the Steelers and the failed 4th-and-1 effort at the 3-yard line. Since Tye became the starting tight end after the bye week, he’s only averaging 26 yards per game with only one touchdown. Manning took a shot deep to Adams early in the game, but Adams completely misjudged the ball. Tye had a 16-yard gain on 2nd-and-21, but he got tripped up far too easily on a play that he might have scored on. A few plays later, Manning was picked off.

Offensive Line

Giants backs actually averaged 4.4 yards per carry against a top-10 run defense, but the team only ran the ball 13 times. Believe it or not, Manning was only officially hit three times. But two of these were sacks and Eli hasn’t looked comfortable behind this line all year. John Jerry was flagged with a holding call that wiped out a 21-yard pass reception. Ereck Flowers was flagged with a holding call that caused a safety and a false start. Flowers allowed too much pressure throughout the game, including the 4th-and-13 pass that was intercepted and the 4th-and-9 sack (Marshall Newhouse and Weston Richburg didn’t handle the inside pressure on the latter either). Jerry’s failure to pick up the blitz on the 4th-and-1 incomplete pass came at a bad time.

Fans keep saying Jerry Reese has to address the line. But the Giants have spent two #1 and a #2 draft pick on the offensive line in recent years. The truth of the matter is the Giants are not getting the production out of Flowers, Justin Pugh (who missed his fourth game in a row), and Richburg that they expected. The problem was supposed to be the right side of the line. Flowers has been too inconsistent at left tackle – allowing too much pressure and being flagged too much. But you also have to wonder about the Giants personnel acquisition versus scheme. For example, Flowers’ strength is his run blocking. He can muscle and maul as good as anyone in the NFL (think Jumbo Elliott when he played left tackle for the Giants). But the Giants run a pass-centric, finesse offense that runs the ball as more of after-thought out of the shotgun. Imagine Flowers playing left tackle for the Steelers. I bet you he would be a heck of a player in their scheme.

Giants on Defense

Given the Giants defense only gave up two drives longer than 48 yards, it is hard to blame it for this loss. But I’m not willing to let it completely off of the hook. The Steelers offense scored five times (two touchdowns, three field goals) and accrued almost 400 net yards of offense (272 passing, 117 rushing). The Steelers were 7-of-15 (47 percent) on 3rd down and 1-of-1 (100 percent) on 4th down. While the Giants defense forced two punts to start the game, this was only after the Steelers were able to move the ball and thereby pin the Giants back inside the 20 on their first two possessions. The defense only forced one three-and-out all game and Pittsburgh was able to control the clock and keep the Giants offense off of the field.

To me, the lowlights were:

• Allowing the quick 3-play, 40-yard touchdown strike after Eli Manning’s first interception. That was too easy.
• Allowing the Steelers to convert on 3rd-and-17 on their last field goal drive before halftime.
• Allowing the Steelers to drive 88 yards in seven plays right after the Giants had cut the score to 14-7 late in the 3rd quarter.
• Allowing the Steelers to salt the game away with their 11-play, 48-yard field goal drive that took 5:17 off of the clock.

The Steelers scored on 3-of-5 possessions in the first half. The defense performed better with two forced turnovers and two punts in the second half. But that 88-yard drive was a killer.

Defensive Line

It was a mixed bag for the defensive line. The Giants held running back Le’Veon Bell to 31 yards rushing on 11 carries (2.8 yards per carry) in the first half. However, after Jason Pierre-Paul was lost to injury, and as the Steelers began to wear down the Giants defense, that changed in the second half. Bell’s final 17 carries picked up 87 yards (5.1 yards per carry). Ben Roethlisberger has been difficult to sack all season, with just 14 sacks coming into this game. Olivier Vernon sacked him twice. He was also credited with two tackles for losses. However, no other defensive lineman hit the quarterback. Damon Harrison has been amazingly productive as a tackler. He had nine more in this game and now is third on the team with 72 tackles on the season. Johnathan Hankins was fairly quiet with two tackles. Reserves Kerry Wynn (2 tackles), Romeo Okwara (2 tackles), Jay Bromley (1 tackle), and Robert Thomas (no tackles) did not stand out. I will make one note that sounds like a cop-out – there was a lot of jersey-grabbing by Pittsburgh blockers.

Linebackers

Like the defensive line, better in the first half against the run then significantly worse in the second half. Though the defensive backs deserve some of the blame on the tight end coverage, Pittsburgh’s backs and tight ends were far too productive in this game. And it could have been worse if not for a few dropped passes. Tight end Ladarius Green had six catches for 110 yards and a touchdown. Tight end Jesse James had three more catches for 32 yards. And running back Le’Veon Bell had six catches for 64 yards. In other words, all but nine of Roesthlisberger’s completions went to these three players, who were also responsible for 206 of the 289 passing yards. Four of Pittsburgh’s five longest completions went to Bell (37 and 21 yards) and Green (33 and 20 yards). Jonathan Casillas and Keenan Robinson seemed late to react in coverage and Casillas missed some open-field tackles. Cassilas’ effort on Bells’ 19-yard run late in the game was embarrassing.

The linebackers were in on a lot of tackles (26). Casillas and Kelvin Sheppard each had eight tackles (tied for second on the team). Casillas also forced a fumble that set up the Giants first touchdown. Robinson had six tackles. Devon Kennard had four plus the team’s only other QB hit (aside from the two sacks by Olivier Vernon).

Defensive Backs

Pittsburgh’s wideouts only caught nine passes for 83 yards. And six of those went to All-Pro Antonio Brown, who was limited to 54 yards (9 yards per catch). But his outstanding 22-yard reception over corner Janoris Jenkins hurt (though much of the blame here goes to Leon Hall who was playing safety and ran himself out of coverage). So did Eli Rogers’ 18-yard bubble screen gain on 3rd-and-17, which led to a field goal. Landon Collins also gambled and lost on a 3rd-and-4 pass to tight end Ladarius Green for a killer 20-yard score late in the 3rd quarter. Otherwise, Collins played well and was credited with seven tackles and three pass defenses. Eli Apple had a big game with five tackles, one tackle for a loss, one interception, two pass defenses, and one fumble recovery. Apple did give a 12-yard completion on 3rd-and-6 on a field goal drive. His pick was the first of his career and impressive as he took the ball away from the intended wideout. Apple also knocked away a 3rd-and-3 pass in the 4th quarter. Jenkins made a really nice play by tackling Brown for a 1-yard loss on a WR screen.

Giants on Special Teams

Brad Wing punted four times with a 44.3 yards-per-punt average (39.3 yard net). One punt resulted in a touchback and none were downed inside the 20. The always-dangerous Antonio Brown did not return a single punt. The Steelers returned two kickoffs – one for 24 yards and one for 23 yards.

Robbie Gould made both of his extra points (hooray for small victories!). Only one of his three kickoffs resulted in a touchback. The Giants were not able to recover his onside kick at the end of the game.

Dwayne Harris has been battling a variety injuries all year. He was forced to leave the game early with an ankle issue. Before he departed, Harris returned one punt for one yard, and two kickoffs for a total of 40 yards (22 and 18 yard returns). Bobby Rainey had a 38-yard return late in the game.

(New York Giants at Pittsburgh Steelers, December 4, 2016)

Rashad Jennings – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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Game Preview: New York Giants at Pittsburgh Steelers, December 4, 2016

THE STORYLINE:
I get the sense that many Giants fans are not enjoying this season. They see the Giants as a flawed team and that the roof will eventually collapse. These fans are disappointed that the offense has fallen from top 10 in 2015 to now 21st in the NFL. The running game is 31st in the NFL. Every game is a nail-biter. The Giants have fattened their win total against weak teams. All of these facts or impressions are correct.

But every team has its flaws. And the Giants are a legitimate 8-3 team with a franchise quarterback who is playing decently but has yet to hit his stride, arguably the best wide receiver in football, and a physical defense that can stop the run and the pass and is continuing to improve. The Giants are capable of losing to any team but they are also very capable of beating any team. The Giants are about to enter the toughest part of their schedule – the part that will ultimately define their season – but they should not fear anyone who they are about to play.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are a perennial tough out. They have their own franchise QB, arguably the best wide receiver in football, a two-way threat at running back, and a tough, prideful defense. And the Steelers become all that much more difficult to defeat when they are playing at home. That said, the Giants should be insulted that the Steelers are a solid touchdown favorite in this game.

This is a big game for the Giants. Win and their division title/#1 seed hopes are still alive and well. Lose and the Giants will be relegated to fighting for a Wild Card spot.

THE INJURY REPORT:

• WR/Returner Dwayne Harris (wrist) – probable
• OG Justin Pugh (knee) – out
• OL Brett Jones (calf) – questionable
• OL Marshall Newhouse (knee) – questionable
• DE Owamagbe Odighizuwa (knee) – out
• LB Mark Herzlich (concussion) – out
• S Nat Berhe (concussion) – out

NEW YORK GIANTS ON OFFENSE:
It seems like the Steelers have been playing their trademark 3-4 defense forever. However, while Pittsburgh’s defense has played better in recent weeks against offensively-challenged opponents, they have fallen to 19th in the NFL this season (9th against the run, 23rd against the pass). The Steelers are middle-of-the pack in sacks (24) with no premiere pass-rushing threats. The heart and soul of the defensive team remains the linebacking corps. These are the run stoppers and pass-rushers on the team. You have to be ready for any of them to come after the quarterback. They are fundamentally sound, tough, physical players who play with a lot of pride. This is what makes their defense tough.

Inside, Lawrence Timmons is in his 10th season, but is still leading the team in tackles. Next to him in the middle is Ryan Shazier – the pup in his third year – who is coming on. Outside linebackers Arthur Moats (3.5 sacks), Jarvis Jones, and James Harrison (4 sacks – yes he’s still around) will challenge the Giants offensive tackles.

While the Steelers defense has given up yardage this year, they toughen up near the goal line and are currently the toughest red zone defense in the league. The Giants are 13th in red zone offense and have been hit or miss in this area, though better in recent weeks. Obviously, finishing drives will be important but don’t be surprised if the Giants bog down offensively as they get closer to the end zone.

The game plan seems fairly obvious. While the Giants don’t want to become too one-dimensional in order to keep the Steelers honest, the Giants 31st-ranked running game versus the Steelers 9th-ranked run defense suggests the Giants should attack primarily through the air. Keep in mind the short passing game – a trademark of the West Coast Offense – is often considered equivalent to a running play. That’s how you can view a 4- or 5-yard pass to Rashad Jennings or Paul Perkins.

On the flip side is New York’s 12th-ranked passing game versus Pittsburgh’s 23rd-ranked pass defense. The Steelers can be exposed through the air and they only have seven interceptions as a team. I feel the key to this game is composure. Pittsburgh is a tough place to play. Some teams get intimidated by mystique and crowd noise. Eli Manning has to keep his teammates calm. Don’t make stupid penalties (i.e., false starts) or force the issue and turn the ball over. Again, the Steelers are 19th in defense. The Giants can move the ball against these guys. If New York finishes their drives, the Giants will win this game.

NEW YORK GIANTS ON DEFENSE:
While the Giants and Steelers may not currently have top-10 offenses, what makes both so dangerous are they both have 2-time Super Bowl winning quarterbacks who can carry their team, and also bring their teams from behind in the clutch. Both offenses have a superb wide receiver. But the added plus for Pittsburgh is their running game. The Steelers have the NFL’s 12th-ranked offense (18th in rushing, 8th in passing). While 18th is middle-of-the-pack, running back Le’Veon Bell, who missed the first three games of the season, has exploded the last two weeks with 266 yards rushing. He also is a featured target in the Pittsburgh passing game with an astonishing 57 receptions. So as much attention as wide receiver Antonio Brown rightly receives, I feel the key to this game defensively is controlling Bell as a rusher and receiver.

Led by center Maurkice Pouney and right guard David DeCastro, the Steelers are capable of controlling the line of scrimmage. This is going to be out-right war at the line of scrimmage between the tackles. Here is where we truly find out how good defensive tackles Damon Harrison and Johnathan Hankins are. Ends Jason Pierre-Paul and Olivier Vernon are also going to have to hold their ground on the edge. The linebackers have to get off of blocks and gang-tackle the big, powerful Bell.

In many ways, it is the Giants linebackers who will be on the spot in this game. The bulk of the Steelers offense runs through their three-headed monster of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, Brown, and Bell. Not only do the linebackers have to be physical against the run, but they will have to keep Bell in check as a receiver. The Steelers don’t feature the tight end, but when they get close to the end zone, they do have four TDs on the year. Kelvin Sheppard, Jonathan Casillas, Devon Kennard, and Keenan Robinson must come to play.

Then there is Antonio Brown. If there is anyone better than Beckham, it may be Brown. He has 82 catches for almost 1,000 yards and 10 TDs through 11 games despite being the focal point of everyone’s pass defense. The good news for the Giants is that the man covering him in this game – Janoris Jenkins – practiced against Beckham on a daily basis in training camp. That level of competition will help Jenkins against a receiver with a similar skill set. Obviously, as much as the Giants don’t want Bell to nickel-and-dime the Giants to death, New York doesn’t want Brown to blow the game wide open on cheap plays either.

Teams are not getting to Roethlisberger. The Steelers have given up only 14 sacks all year (just over one per game). Part of that is the blocking up front, but Roethlisberger gets rid of the ball quickly and he is a big guy who is hard to tackle and capable of running with the football when in trouble. TACKLING – tackling Roethlisberger, Bell, and Brown – will be HUGE in this game.

NEW YORK GIANTS ON SPECIAL TEAMS:
Do the Giants have a place kicking problem? Robbie Gould has now missed three extra points in two weeks. It’s unnerving to be entering the final stretch, and the toughest stretch, with a big question mark at kicker.

The Steelers use Antonio Brown as their primary punt returner. He has only 14 returns all year because teams try to kick away from him. He obviously is a threat every time he touches the football (four career TDs as a punt returner). Brad Wing’s placement will be key as will be the work of the gunners. And the Giants will be a bit short-handed on special teams this week with Mark Herzlich out.

FROM THE COACH’S MOUTH:
Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo on the Steelers offense: “You try to take one thing away and they will open up a hole somewhere else. But they have been good for a long time. The quarterback makes it all go and when you have a skill guy like Antonio Brown outside and a back like (Le’Veon) Bell that can do the things that he can do inside, it is going to make it difficult for our guys. Everybody just has to do their job, is what it comes down to. Hopefully we will have enough things to change it up to take away what they do really well. Ben (Roethlisberger) is good enough that he is going to figure out what you are taking away and then go use his other tools, so it will be that kind of game all day long. We are going to need a couple of breaks here and there and need some turnovers and our guys need to play fast and relentless and hopefully something good happens.”

THE FINAL WORD:
Football is often a game about match-ups and I like the match-ups in the game for the Giants. I think Janoris Jenkins can handle Antonio Brown. I think the Giants defense can hold Le’Veon Bell under 100 yards rushing. Pittsburgh does not have the dynamic tight end. I do worry about Bell as a pass receiver. And the Giants need to be careful of the gadget play involving Brown. On the flip side, the Giants can attack through the air and the Steelers have issues stopping the pass. Obviously, the offensive tackles need to do a reasonable job of keeping blitzing linebackers off of Eli. Much of the pass protection will be mental – picking up stunts, late dogs, etc. Red zone offense versus red zone defense is another key. What I don’t want to see is this game coming down to Robbie Gould.