PITTSBURGH – It is very unlikely that the New York Giants will play a more physical team and as hostile of an environment as they played in on Sunday.
They battled the Steelers, the rabid Heinz Field crowd, occasionally the referees and sometimes even themselves.
A long time ago, these elements would have caused this football team to disintegrate and end up in sure defeat.
But these Giants, the World Champion Giants, once again showed that they can never be counted out and relishes opportunities to persevere under the most adverse of conditions. They did so resoundingly by coming into Pittsburgh in a battle of two 5-1 teams and came away with a 21-14 victory.
These two storied franchises battled like an old school heavyweight title fight and the Giants ended up standing tall. After being stymied in the red zone on four occasions, this team, loaded with resiliency and character, were able to fight back. Eli Manning out dueled his fellow draft classmate Ben Rothlisberger. At the end of day, Big Ben found him under siege by the swarming New York defense while Eli was once again cool under pressure.
Early on, the Steelers (who were missing four starters due to injury and/or suspension) were going to battle through the adversity. After forcing the Giants into a punt on their possession, Pittsburgh quickly marched down 60 yards in four plays, capped by Mewelde Moore (playing in place of Willie Parker) going off right guard and shedding a missed tackle by safety James Butler for a 32-yard touchdown run.
New York quickly answered with a 26-yard field goal by John Carney, who is still in charge of kicking duties despite Lawrence Tynes’ good health. Defensively, the Giants settled in and slowed the Steelers down the remainder of the half. Offensively, the Giants controlled the ball and found themselves in the Steelers red zone on several occasions, only to get more field goals, or turned away completely without getting any points.
Starting at their own 31, the Giants moved the ball all the way down to the Steelers 2 yard line. It was here that the offense had five chances to punch the ball into the end zone. An incompletion followed up by a pass interference penalty that placed the ball at the one-yard line. On third and goal, running back Brandon Jacobs appeared to have gotten into the end zone according to the referees signal on the field.
They battled the Steelers, the rabid Heinz Field crowd, occasionally the referees and sometimes even themselves.
A long time ago, these elements would have caused this football team to disintegrate and end up in sure defeat.
But these Giants, the World Champion Giants, once again showed that they can never be counted out and relishes opportunities to persevere under the most adverse of conditions. They did so resoundingly by coming into Pittsburgh in a battle of two 5-1 teams and came away with a 21-14 victory.
These two storied franchises battled like an old school heavyweight title fight and the Giants ended up standing tall. After being stymied in the red zone on four occasions, this team, loaded with resiliency and character, were able to fight back. Eli Manning out dueled his fellow draft classmate Ben Rothlisberger. At the end of day, Big Ben found him under siege by the swarming New York defense while Eli was once again cool under pressure.
Early on, the Steelers (who were missing four starters due to injury and/or suspension) were going to battle through the adversity. After forcing the Giants into a punt on their possession, Pittsburgh quickly marched down 60 yards in four plays, capped by Mewelde Moore (playing in place of Willie Parker) going off right guard and shedding a missed tackle by safety James Butler for a 32-yard touchdown run.
New York quickly answered with a 26-yard field goal by John Carney, who is still in charge of kicking duties despite Lawrence Tynes’ good health. Defensively, the Giants settled in and slowed the Steelers down the remainder of the half. Offensively, the Giants controlled the ball and found themselves in the Steelers red zone on several occasions, only to get more field goals, or turned away completely without getting any points.
Starting at their own 31, the Giants moved the ball all the way down to the Steelers 2 yard line. It was here that the offense had five chances to punch the ball into the end zone. An incompletion followed up by a pass interference penalty that placed the ball at the one-yard line. On third and goal, running back Brandon Jacobs appeared to have gotten into the end zone according to the referees signal on the field.
Pittsburgh Head Coach Mike Tomlin chose to challenge the play and a replay showed that Jacobs’ left elbow was down before the ball crossed the goal line. Needing six inches on fourth down, Jacobs appeared to be turned away again as the referees indicated he did not make it into the end zone. This time, Head Coach Tom Coughlin chose to challenge the play and an overhead replay showed conclusively that Jacobs’ right arm was extended with the ball crossing the white line indicating a touchdown. However, the referees did not conclude the same and the Giants were denied.
Another Carney field goal made it 7-6. Later, Roethlisberger attempted to find Nate Washington over the middle, but was drilled from behind by James Butler and the ball ricocheted to rookie linebacker Bryan Kehl for an interception down at the Steelers 29 yard line (aided by a 15-yard personal foul horse collar tackle). Again, the offense was denied at the seven yard line and Carney was forced to come on and hit a 25 yard field goal (his third of the half) to give the Giants a 9-7 lead going into halftime.
Pittsburgh extended their lead early in the third quarter to 14-9 when Roethlisberger connected with Nate Washington on a 65-yard touchdown pass. Washington got past cornerback Corey Webster (who was playing in a zone) and James Butler was too late getting to the spot. Butler was then turned around three different times in his futile attempt at finding the receiver.
The Giants got within 14-12 with 8:21 left when Carney hit his fourth field goal of the night. On the drive, needing a yard on fourth down after calling a timeout previously, Manning tried to call another timeout (which is illegal), but instead took a five-yard delay of game penalty. Manning found Amani Toomer on a go route for 30 yards down to the Steelers 4. Once again, their defense stiffened in the red zone.
In reality, they would have taken the lead had the referees correctly called pass interference on cornerback Ike Taylor, whose right arm had a hold of Plaxico Burress’ jersey in the end zone when Manning was trying to find him for a touchdown pass.
However, good fortune found the Giants on the Steelers next possession. After being held without a first down, punter Mitch Berger was set to boot it when the snap went over his head and into the end zone for a safety to even the score. For as many times as New York was forced to settle for field goals and could have been broken by their inabilities to score touchdowns, here they were tied and with possession with less than seven minutes to go.
Manning (19 for 32, 199 yards, one touchdown), sensing blood started going in for the kill. On a third-and-seven, he found Steve Smith (three receptions-45 yards) for 25 yards to put the Giants in scoring range again. At the two-yard line, Manning would find Kevin Boss (four receptions-34 yards) in the corner of the end zone to give the Giants 21-14 lead with 3:11 remaining.
Finally, the Giants defense slammed the door on the Steelers offense. Roethlisberger saw his offensive line unable to handle the New York front, held without a first down in the final eight plays. It culminated in an interception by rookie Kenny Phillips at the end of the game.
Roethlisberger (13 for 29, 189 yards, one touchdown) threw four interceptions on the day and played perhaps his worst game of the season. He was also sacked five times (three by Mathias Kiwanuka) and his offense was held to 1-for-10 on third down conversions.
For the Giants, it was their most impressive win of the season, albeit not pretty statistically. Despite the strength of Pittsburgh’s defense, New York was one-for-six in the red zone. To date, the Giants have been in that area 19 times this season and have only scored six touchdowns. The running was not the beast as it has been all season, totaling only 83 yards.
With a 6-1 record, the Giants next face the Dallas Cowboys in their first meeting since knocking them out of the playoffs last January at Texas Stadium. Dallas is 5-3 and with a Giants win, would place them four games out and officially put their season on life support.
Tony Romo will not play. Starting cornerbacks Terrence Newman and Anthony Henry are out. Adam Jones is suspended indefinitely. Felix Jones is not playing because of a hamstring injury and Jason Witten suffered a broken rib against Tampa Bay on Sunday. Everything is lined up for the Giants to extract a piece of flesh from their rivals that has been boasting ever since the playoffs that they were the better team.
Now it is the Giants turn to answer.
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