The idiom “a knee jerk reaction” means that you respond to something in an equally unthinking way. That’s something as sports fans that we typically do, and if it’s in an unthinking way then I definitely qualify. Knee jerks apply especially if you are a full blood Yinzer, or even just a part Yinzer, who am I fooling it’s more like if you are a Steeler fan in general. As is the custom, I compile my knee-jerk thoughts and publish them immediately after each Steelers game (my son Kyle or nephew Warren might have a few things to say as well). It’s my version of running my mouth first and apologizing later (if at all). So with that being said, it’s time to react to the Steelers Week 8 against the Giants. Let’s get this going, HERE……WE……GO!!!

1st Quarter

• Big Bro was giving support at a medical appointment so he hopes to take over later. For now, it’s Li’l Bro holding it down.
• Giants win the toss and defer, so it’s the offense on the field first for the Steelers.
• The first play is a play action pass to CA3 for a first down.
• Najee starts strong with a 5-yard run up the middle.
• The Steelers get their first third-down conversion of the night on a 3rd & 1 where Najee runs for 10.
• Harris with another first down.
• The Steelers O-line is holding up so far.
• The Steelers are in control of the running game. Now Jaylen Warren goes for 17 and the Steelers are in the red zone.
• Russell Wilson finds George Pickens in the end zone for the touchdown, but it’s called back on a facemask by Broderick Jones.
• Penalties kill drives. That penalty literally cost the Steelers four points. They settle for the field goal which Boswell knocks through. 3–0 Steelers.
• Steelers give up a first down on third and one with the tush push. Make them fight for every yard.
• The very next play the play action pass connects for 43 yards. Not to start the defense needed.
• Now the Giants are in the red zone.
• Roberts blows up the run play for a nice loss.
• After a delay of game call brings up third and long, the Giants throw behind the line of scrimmage and settle for the field goal attempt. It’s 3–3 almost 10 minutes into the game.
• There’s another Mt. Worshington sighting! This time for 29 yards.
• Najee busts another big one for 26 yards. Back in the red zone after three plays.
• After a 1-yard run followed by two incompletions, one of which was batted down, brings Boswell in again. 6–3 Steelers.
• The offense is moving the ball down the field easy but stall in the red zone yet again.
• Steelers give up a 20-yard run on the very first play but it comes back due to a hold.
• Where is the Steelers run defense? There’s a 10-yard run.
• Highsmith keeps getting quarterback hits, but that one’s called for toughing. He bumped facemasks is what it looked like.
• Giants take a shot down field with the Steelers starting edge rushers out. The Giants wanted the flag on Porter but don’t get it.
• The quarter ends with the Giants facing third down in long field goal range. 6–3 Steelers.

2nd Quarter

• After a false start, the Steelers tackle Nabors short of the sticks. But giving up a lot of yards the Giants up to go for it on fourth down.
• That’s why I hate being willing to give up some yards on third and long. You set yourself up to give up a fourth down conversion. The drive continues.
• I think Donte Jackson knew the penalty was on the Giants and made a business decision to not try to stop the tight end from getting into the end zone. Fortunately he was right.
• That might have been the most egregious hold on T.J .Watt I’ve seen as it spun him around. They still didn’t call it but instead call illegal formation.
• It looks like the Giants might have scored, but Nabors can’t get both feet down. Out comes the field goal unit and it’s 6–6.
• I was so tired of listening to Troy Aikman talk about the illegal shift penalty I went back and watched it again. The receiver never was set in the formation.
• Now they talk about that on the TV. Hopefully that will shut him up.
• Najee had a lot of room to run but dropped the pass.
• Steelers marching down the field. Back in the red zone again.
• This time they need to put up seven.
• Pickens pulls in the touchdown! But I’m not sure he got both feet down.
• That was a really fast overturn, but unfortunately he never got the 2nd foot down. But does getting one foot down twice count?
• It does not and the Steelers lose a time out for trying to challenge a play they thought was overturned by judgment and not replay.
• I feel like a broken record. Boswell finishes it off with the Steelers settling for another field goal. 9–6.
• Minkah with the crushing hit knocks the ball away on third down. Steelers get it back after a three and out.
• Wilson holds onto it for an eternity and takes the sack.
• Steelers throw behind the line on 3rd & 12 but Warren takes it for 18 and the drive continues.
• Steelers give up another sack on third and short and will punt for the first time with 2:00 left.
• After using their last time out to try to get the ball back, the defense gives up a huge play on third down and now the Giants are looking at either three or seven.
• The Steelers hold to only three. It’s 9–9. But the Steelers give up points just before the half and the Giants get the ball to start the second.
• The Steelers don’t take a knee, but don’t have the means to score with only 0:21 left.
• The Giants had 10 total points in their previous two games combined. In the first half against the Steelers they have nine. It’s going to take another big second half from the Steelers.

3rd Quarter

• The Steelers give up another big runon the second play of the half. It’s a 26-yard gain and across midfield.
• Finally the past rush gets there as T.J. Watt brings down Jones as he tries to scramble.
• Now Highsmith joins the sack party on the next play and the Giants go from field goal range to punt formation.
• Steelers quickly to third and long.
• After a false start, the Steelers throw well short of the sticks and have a three and out to start the second half.
• The longer you let a team like this hang around, the scarier it gets.
• After two pre-snap penalties, Highsmith gets another sack to force a third and very long.
• Giants waived the white flag with a draw and the Steelers get a three and out right back.
• Austin returns the punt for a touchdown, but a flag was thrown at the snap.
• It’s against the Giants and the 73-yard punt return stands! Special teams does it again for the Steelers.
• I was expecting offsetting penalties on that one. Whether it was hitting the punter or something with a block I was bracing for it.
• Boswell knocks it through the extra point and the Steelers take a 16–9 lead.
• What’s strange is I find myself more relieved than cheerful with that touchdown.
• This crowd is creating penalties against the Giants.
• Patrick Queen runs down that swing pass for no gain.
• The pass rush has the Giants dumping it off on third and long and that’s another three and out forced by this defense.
• Now the offense needs to do its part.
• The Giants knew that swinging pass was coming and throw it for a loss.
• Freiermuth catches it for a third down conversion and the Steelers first 1st down of the second half comes with about 1:30 to go in the third quarter.
• Obligatory toss play.
• There was the Steelers first deep shot of the game just before the end of the quarter. And it was to none other than… Scotty Miller who completely whiffed on it.
• Russell Wilson connects on the long ball with Van Jefferson for 36 yards to end the quarter. Steelers lead 16–9 and just moved into field goal range.

4th Quarter

• Big Bro finally made it home after a long day at the doctors office but I’m giving him the rest of the night off. Sorry you all had to put up with me instead.
• A hold on the opening play of the quarter moves the Steelers almost out of field goal range. Have to play this smart yet still be aggressive.
• Steelers gain back 12 yards on two plays. Now they’re safe in field goal range and should aggressively go for this first down.
• Forget aggressively going for the first down, they go for the touchdown! Russell Wilson to Calvin Austin for 29 yards!
• Boswell knocks it through for the 23–9 lead.
• Oh mama…
• A return to the 45-yard line is not how you want to start things after Renegade.
• Steelers defense facing an 3rd & 6 at midfield. Can’t be satisfied to give up some yards here or they’ll go for it.
• Finally they call the hold on T.J. Watt. Now it’s 3rd & 16. But they need the same philosophy.
• The Steelers give up the 16-yard pass play.
• Two plays later the Steelers give up the 45-yard touchdown run. Defense has been very disappointing tonight.
• The Giants go for two and try to run a trick play but Alex Highsmith blows it up. All the linemen were looking inside to see when the ball was snapped so Highsmith went right around them. 23–15 Steelers.
• This is where you want to see Najee Harris take the game over.
• Wow. George Pickens doing George Pickens things for 50 yards.
• Dan Moore punches the ground and is down in pain. His reaction did not look good.
• And like that Dan Moore’s replacement gives up a sack on third down.
• Boswell connects on the short FG and the Steelers are up 26–15.
• The Steelers defense quickly gets to third and eight. These are the ones that scare me.
• I hate living in my fears, but it’s what’s going on. The Steelers give up 18 yards and the easy first down.
• Still can’t bring down the running back. What happened to this elite defense?
• Queen comes flying in and Daniel Jones wisely throws the screen pass into the ground. Another third down coming. Should I say how uneasy this makes me?
• It helps when the receiver drops the football. That would have been interesting to see how long he ran with it.
• It’s another field goal and it’s back to a one score game. 26–18 Steelers.
• The way the defense is playing tonight, I’m leaving it on the offense to try to run out these last five minutes of clock.
• On the second play Russell Wilson loses the ball and the Giants have it right back in Steelers territory.
• When you let a team with nothing to lose hang around these are the things that can happen with one mistake.
• Cam knew that running back was hurting and called for the medical staff right away.
• T.J. Watt doesn’t again! He knocks the ball loose and recovers it. It’s the trifecta strip–sack–recovery!
• Now it’s a heavy dose of Najee Harris. You’ve got to get it done even though they know it’s coming.
• The Giants get a 12 men on the field penalty coming out of a timeout? I think that play by Watt took the wind out of their sails.
• The Steelers face a 3rd & 5 just across midfield with 2:36 left and the Giants now out of timeouts. Do they throw for the win?
• They run play action but no one was open and Russ scrambles for 3 yards. Fourth and two at the two minute warning at the Giants 43? This is what head coaches get paid to decide.
• The Steelers punt it down to the 7-yard line. Time for the defense to show what they’re made of.
• I now realize just how much I enjoyed the end of the last two games when things were not in question.
• The Giants are to midfield with just under a minute left…
• With Watt and Highsmith on the sideline, Beanie Bishop pulls in the game-winning interception!
• The Steelers take victory formation and after one snap this one is over.
• Sometimes you just need to get the victory when you’re not playing your best football. The Steelers definitely didn’t have it all together tonight but the defense gets takeaways on the last two Giants possessions to get the 26–18 win.
• This one doesn’t feel like the last two wins, but the Steelers are 6–2 heading into there bye week and are a game up in the AFC North.
• Enjoy your week off and we’ll see you back in 13 days as the Steelers look to get going down the homestretch.

Once again, I just fired off what was going through my head at the time. All reactions were in real time. Basically, it is the equivalent of watching the game with a me and Kyle (Warren too), you just don’t have to go to another room because of my screaming at the television (sometimes Kyle leaves the room). Now time to process it, some quick analyzing for the Scho Bro Show, and then put it behind me so I can ready myself for the bye week and then the Week 10 matchup against the Comanders. Make sure you get your voice heard in the comments below.