Recap: Redman and Steelers Run To A 24-20 Win As Eli and Giants Struggle

In a game that served as a welcomed diversion from the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, fans of the New York Giants were unable to send their fans home with a win on the field today as they fell to the Pittsburgh Steelers 24-20 at MetLife Stadium.

The Giants defense kept Ben Rothlisberger and the Steelers offense in check for most of the first half and took advantage of a few favorable calls by the referees to take a slim 14-10 lead into the 3rd quarter. However they were unable to contain the running game as Issac Redman ran for 119 yards on 25 carries with a touchdown. Redman was pressed into a heavier workload this week because of injuries that kept Rashard Mendenhall and Johnathan Dwyer off the field for today’s game. The Giants had absolutely no answer for the big, brusing running back.

Eli Manning and the Giants offense could not get on track today and once the Steelers sinced this they turned it up with aggressive playcalling to keep the momentum on their side. It was the third straight week that Manning looked out of synch with his receivers. His throws were off target and his decision making has not resembled anything near what it was in the first part of the season.

The Giants led 20-10 heading into the 4th quarter and that’s pretty much where the Steelers took over from there. While the Giants offense continued to sputter on offense, the Steelers offense was beginning to come to life. Wide receiver Mike Wallace scored on an exciting 51-yard run into the end zone as he showed his speed off on the play, blowing by the Giants secondary and bringing their lead to 20-17. The Steelers then decided to get ultra aggressive with a fake field goal attempt that was snuffed out by the Giants defense. However Manning and the offense were unable to take advantage and gave the Steelers back the football, leading to Redman’s 2-yard touchdown run to take the lead for good. This time there would not be any 4th quarter magic from Manning.

This was about as bad a loss as can get based on the standards head coach Tom Coughlin has set for this Giants football team. They couldn’t run the ball and they couldn’t stop the run. Add that up with a few momentum-killing penalties and there you have it. They also missed out on a chance to create more breathing room between them and their NFC east rivals within the division.

What’s Next?

The Cincinnati Bengals will be hosting the Giants next week who will be looking to head into the bye week with a bounce-back win and some momentum. The Bengals will be looking to save their season after coming off of a tough loss at home to Denver.