REALITY BITES
Win streak up in smoke as Giants fail their biggest test in weeks
PITTSBURGH — That escalated quickly.
Just like that, poof, there goes the Giants’ winning streak, ended at six games, taking with it a good chunk of the good vibes they amassed along the way. All it took was a dreadful offensive performance, a horrid Eli Manning interception (or two), a smile from Odell Beckham Jr. that is sure to be misread and a bit of self-analysis from Ben McAdoo to sound the alarm that the good ship New York Giants has taken on some water.
“I don’t think we jump ship after one loss, we just won six,’’ Beckham said. “It’s not something that it’s all over for us.’’
Nothing is over at all for the Giants, except the notion they can catch the Cowboys and win the NFC East. No, the 24-14 loss to the Steelers on Sunday night at Heinz Field was actually worse than it looks — the Giants scored a meaningless second touchdown with 26 seconds remaining — but it does not derail their playoff aspirations.
It is impossible to win when one side of the ball does not compete at a high level. On offense, the Giants were overmatched and underwhelming.
They reached the Steel ers ’ 9-yard line in the second quarter and did not score when Manning looked for tight end Larry Donnell and never saw linebacker Lawrence Timmons, who surged forward for a momentum-killing interception he returned 58 yards. They reached the Steelers’ 3-yard line in the third quarter and did not score when on fourth down Manning did not to throw to an open Paul Perkins in the left flat and instead tried to squeeze a pass into tight end Will Tye, who was blanketed by linebacker Ryan Shazier, who knocked the ball away.
“It really came down to those two red-zone trips,’’ said Manning, who was badly outplayed by 2004 draft classmate Ben Roethlisberger. “That was kind of the game right there.’’
Roethlisberger threw touchdown passes to Antonio Brown and Ladarius Green, and Le’Veon Bell was a two-way terror (118 rushing yards and six receptions for 64 yards) as the Steelers (7-5) won their third straight game.
With their winning streak ended in rude fashion, the Giants (8-4) can put to bed any dream they had of winning the NFC East, as the Cowboys (11-1) are in a commanding position and will leave MetLife Stadium next Sunday night with, at the very least, a two-game lead in the division. The Giants now must direct all their focus on the NFC wild-card race, where they sit in a good position but cannot endure a prolonged losing streak.
“You got to get [the loss] out of your mind quick because you got Dallas coming in and that’s a big game,’’ Dominique RodgersCromartie said.
The Giants had to play the second half without Jason PierrePaul, who exited in the second quarter with a groin injury.
And they had to play the entire game from behind. A holding penalty by Ereck Flowers in the end zone resulted in a safety and 2-0 Steelers lead. The Giants were down 5-0 when Manning tossed his first interception, setting up a brilliant, leaping 22-yard touchdown catch by Antonio Brown, who narrowly beat Janoris Jenkins in the end zone to make it 11-0.
On the side line, Beck ham smiled when he saw a replay of the catch. He and Brown are friends. They spent some time together on Saturday and posted a video of them dancing and clowning around together.
“It’s not like I’m sitting there rooting for him against my team, like ‘Man, tear it up.’ ’’ said Beck- ham, who had only one catch in the first half but finished with 10 for 100 yards. “No, I don’t want us to lose, but at the end of the day I love Antonio, I love the way he plays, I love everything about him.’’
Beckham did not admire the way the game was officiated by Terry McAuley’s crew — mostly the same crew that worked the Panthers game last season (Josh Norman) and the Redskins game this season (more Josh Norman). Beckham was called for an offensive pass interference penalty in the first quarter going against cornerback Ross Cockrell that was puzzling to him and most everyone else.
“It was a horrible call in my opinion,’’ Beckham said.
Beckham sought an explanation, but said he was rebuffed.
“I asked him what was going on, what was the flag and he said ‘ Get out of my face,’ ’’ Beckham said.
Jonathan Casillas forced a fumble by Bell that Eli Apple recovered on the Steelers’ 17-yard line. Manning hit Rashad Jennings on a picture-perfect screen for a 13-yard touchdown and the Giants were within 14-7 midway through the third quarter.
The game could have taken a swing right there, but it did not. Roethlisberger made sure of that. He hit Green, his tight end, for 33 yards and found him again for a 20-yard scoring strike, with a rare lapse by safety Landon Collins, who bit on a pump-fake.
“It was a tough night at the office,’’ said McAdoo, who hails from nearby Homer City and had a large group of friends and family attend the game. “We know that’s not good enough. I have to do a better job getting these guys ready to play.’’