Steelers’ Special Teams and Defense Lift Them to Victory Over Giants

On a Monday night dominated by special teams, the Pittsburgh Steelers outlasted the New York Giants 26-18, fueled by two touchdowns from Calvin Austin III. Austin not only broke open the game with the Steelers’ first punt return touchdown in nearly five years, but he also later connected with Russell Wilson on a fourth-quarter pass to secure Pittsburgh’s lead.

Despite a career night for Giants rookie running back Tyrone Tracy Jr., who tallied 145 rushing yards and a touchdown, Pittsburgh’s defense proved too much. T.J. Watt came through with a critical strip-sack on Daniel Jones, while Beanie Bishop Jr. sealed the game with a last-minute interception.

Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2)

QB Breakdown: In only his second start for the Steelers, Russell Wilson continued to show his potential, passing for 278 yards and a touchdown. Building off his solid performance from the previous week, Wilson showcased his deep-ball accuracy, including a 29-yard touchdown pass to Austin that gave Pittsburgh its first offensive touchdown of the night. Wilson finished the game 4-of-6 on throws of 20+ air yards, though he was sacked four times and fumbled once.

Promising Trend: Pittsburgh’s offense, which has struggled in the first half in recent games, showed significant improvement by generating 14 plays of 10+ yards. The Steelers put up 237 yards of offense by halftime, including 104 rushing yards, marking a promising shift toward quicker starts. They also scored field goals on their first three drives, a feat they hadn’t accomplished since 2023.

Pivotal Play: Calvin Austin’s electrifying 73-yard punt return for a touchdown broke a 9-9 tie in the third quarter, marking the Steelers’ first punt return touchdown since 2019. Austin followed it up with a 29-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter, extending the Steelers’ lead and underscoring the impact of special teams in this matchup.

Next Game: at Commanders (1 p.m. ET, Nov. 10)

New York Giants (2-6)

The Giants faced multiple issues on both sides of the ball, ultimately falling short to the Steelers. Numerous penalties on offense and porous special teams allowed Pittsburgh to pull away, handing the Giants their sixth loss of the season.

QB Breakdown: Despite an impressive start under heavy defensive pressure, Daniel Jones couldn’t lead the Giants into the end zone in the first half. He completed 11-of-16 passes for 141 yards but was eventually overwhelmed by Pittsburgh’s defense in the second half, getting sacked four times, including a costly strip-sack by Watt. Jones ended the night 24-of-38 for 264 yards with an interception but failed to secure a prime-time win, moving to 1-15 under the lights.

Biggest Hole in the Game Plan: The Giants’ run defense was once again a liability, allowing 104 rushing yards in the first half alone at a rate of 6.5 yards per carry. Entering the game as the league’s worst in run defense, New York surrendered 167 rushing yards to the Steelers, underscoring the need for improvement.

Most Surprising Performance: Rookie running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. provided a bright spot for New York, racking up 145 rushing yards on 20 carries, including five runs of 10+ yards and a 45-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.

Eye-Popping Stat: Jones connected with Darius Slayton for a 43-yard pass on the Giants’ opening drive, a rare deep completion for Jones, who entered the game just 1-of-11 on passes over 30 air yards this season. Though the Giants had three explosive plays in the game, Jones’ deep passing accuracy remains an area of concern.

Troubling Trend: Deonte Banks, the Giants’ second-year cornerback, was benched in the second quarter due to inconsistent tackling and loose coverage. Though no injury was reported, Banks was replaced by Greg Stroman Jr., raising questions about his reliability in the secondary.

Next Game: vs. Commanders (1 p.m. ET, Nov. 3)

The Steelers, now 6-2, will look to build on this victory as they face Washington, while the Giants, at 2-6, will seek to correct their ongoing struggles on both offense and defense.