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Postgame wrap-up: Giants defeat Pittsburgh 21-14
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Due to the fact that I was in Pennsylvania over the weekend for a slightly bigger football game, my postgame wrap-up of the Giants win over the Steelers will be somewhat different than normal. You can read a complete recap of the game here.
Since the Eagles game ran late, we missed the first four minutes of the game. The game came on just in time for me to watch Mewelde Moore stroll into the end zone from 32 yards out. Based upon the fact that Moore was touched once by a safety at about the five, I have to assume that the Giants put ten men on the line before the snap. Anybody who wants to give credit to the Pittsburgh o-line needs only look at what happened the rest of the game.
Only Giants fans can find reasons to complain after beating a 5-1 team on the road. One thing that's come up a lot on talk radio and in blogs is New York's inability to move the ball or get into the end zone during the game. People seem to forget that Pittsburgh has just about the best defense in the league and is number one at stopping the run. It was unrealistic to believe that Brandon Jacobs and Derrick Ward were going to do much yesterday. The duo ran for 84 yards on the Steelers en route to a win. I'll take it.
I personally believe Jacobs crossed the plain on the fourth and goal from the one. The overhead view showed that his arm was on the line. Last night, WFAN reported that refs don't have that view in the review booth. Why is that?
The word “underrated” has been used a lot to describe the 2008 New York Giants. Personally, I think that's nothing more than a buzz word used by sports analysts. Until yesterday afternoon, though, I don't think casual fans knew just how tough New York's defense is. They knocked Pittsburgh around, dominated their weak offensive line and sacked Ben Roethlisberger a total of five times. Roethlisberger was also intercepted four times. Big Ben is going to see large blue uniforms attacking him in his dreams for the next three weeks.
New York's defense gave up the “big play” twice yesterday. Roethlisberger hit wide receiver Nate Washington on a 65 yard touchdown pass early in the third quarter after safety James Butler was turned the wrong way...twice...on the play. That and Moore's run were the only weak point in New York's defense but it's still cause for concern. I've never seen a 6-1 team get burned in one-on-one coverage quite like the Giants. Good thing Dallas doesn't have any receivers who can stretch the field.
Oh.
Pittsburgh fans must stop convincing themselves that they would have won the game if emergency long snapper James Harrison hadn't launched the ball out of the end zone for a safety midway through the fourth. Your punter was hurt and had to kick deep out of his own end zone. Two first downs and New York would have been in field goal range (at least). That's 15-14 and a Giants victory.
There was plenty of talk about the Manning versus Roethlisberger match-up. Eli completed 19 of 32 attempts for 199 yards and one touchdown. Most importantly (once again), Eli didn't turn the ball over once. Watching him take the offense down the field for the game winning score was a reminder to all New York fans that we have one of the most clutch quarterbacks in the NFL. I'm not suggesting that Manning is better than Roethlisberger. I'm just saying that I wouldn't even consider trading Eli for Big Ben. Not ever.
Finally, there's our old friend Plaxico Burress. Burress was a non-factor against the Steelers and was forced to sit out the beginning of the game for “missing a neck treatment” on Saturday. Right now, this doesn't seem to be much a distraction as Big Blue continues to win. New York has won without Burress this season but I don't want playing without him to become a regular occurrence. The Giants need Burress to be in 100 percent game mode against Dallas, Phily and Washington. This is a soap opera that will continue to unfold throughout the week. Anything to take my mind off the fact that the Phillies are going to win the World Series is fine by me at this point.
The Cowboys come to New York this week in the second straight “game of the year” for the Giants. Please, guys, don't wear the red jerseys. You're Big Blue.
Big Blue.
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