What we learned from Pittsburgh's 26-18 win

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1. Russ, something special is brewing at Pickens. The best thing that could have happened George Pickens' Career (and disposition) was Mike Tomlin's decision to fit in Russell Wilson into the starting lineup. After catching five passes for 111 yards and a touchdown in his first game with Wilson last week, Pickens and his new QB1 kept the magic going in a defensive battle Monday night, scoring four times for 74 yards — and twice for touchdowns wiped out, one by punishment and one by retesting. It's clear Wilson loves looking Pickens' way (especially downfield), and he's unlocked the Steelers' most talented weapon and created a new threat for an offense that needed one. It also opens up possibilities for others Van Jeffersonwho had four catches for 62 yards, balancing an offense that has already had some good results Najee Harris (19 carries for 114 yards) in the last two games. That's what Tomlin was hoping for from the somewhat controversial change Justin Fields to Wilson, and after two wins they aren't looking back.
2. The Giants fight and then waste their chance. New York's offense put up a total of 10 points in the last two games, and through three quarters the Giants had scored nine points on three field goals. They had gained 222 yards early in the fourth, but were just 3 for 8 on the third and hadn't threatened to reach the end zone since their second drive of the night. Urgency proved to be the best motivator, as a two-touchdown deficit seemed to rouse the Giants' offense, which had surprising ground wins in the fourth. But in the end the Giants missed their best chances. New York recovered the ball after forcing a fumble by Wilson, then fumbled it away by passing the right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor on an island against all-world edge rushers TJ Wattswhich unsurprisingly ended in a strip sack on the decisive third down. This was just the latest example of the Giants failing to support their tackles with some pass protection, and ended up being the most costly (and most frustrating, considering it might have been avoided with a chip from a running back) . That's the story of the Giants for most of this season: They make a lot of mistakes from a strategic and execution standpoint (see: their hilariously failed two-point conversion), and when they earn chances to fight back, they go down. Jones' game-winning interception could be seen from miles away. These are your 2024 Giants.
3. The Steelers' special teams are once again making the difference. The Steelers had an excellent special teams unit all season, blocking a handful of opposing field goal attempts to prevent scoring opportunities. They built on that Monday night and broke what had once been a field goal festival with a 73-yard score Calvin Austin III Punt return touchdown. It felt like that return had officially broken the dam that had trapped both offenses, setting up three straight scores on as many possessions, with Wilson finding Austin for a touchdown and Chris Boswell attacking a field goal to maintain the lead by a touchdown difference. The Steelers have a strong defense and an ascending offense, but we should also pay some attention to their special teams. The third unit provided the spark they desperately needed to extend their winning streak to three.
4. Does this loss change how the Giants approach the future? Look, by now we have recognized and realized the limitations of the Giants. This team is not in danger of making the playoffs. Offensively, they're limited for a number of reasons beyond their quarterback, and even after scoring 18 points against a stingy Steelers defense, there's little reason to believe they'll figure it out in time to keep the team cohesive to justify the entire team. They also have a defense that has some talent, especially on offense, and Azeez Ojulari has done a lot in recent weeks to increase its inventory. He recorded two sacks Monday night and was quietly on the heater, especially while playing in place of the injured Kayvon Thibodeaux. There are some contenders (i.e. Detroit) that could use edge rushing help. Will this loss, which dropped the Giants to the basement of the NFC East at 2-6, motivate general manager Joe Schoen to move a player or two (like Ojulari) in exchange for assets? Considering Giants owner John Mara has already said he doesn't expect any GM or coaching changes, will the Giants accept the reality of 2024 and build for the future?

Insight into next-generation Giants-Steelers stats (via NFL Pro): Monday night was the Steelers' second game with more than 400 yards in as many weeks with Russell Wilson in the starting lineup. They only had one of six games with Justin Fields as the starting quarterback.

NFL Research: Alex Highsmith produced a career-high 12 pressures and two sacks on 38 passes, with 11 pressures and a sack coming against left tackle Chris Hubbardwho was released from the 49ers practice squad just 10 days ago.