A close 2nd half in the NY Giants vs Pittsburgh Steelers week 9 football game

A great kick return of more than 60 yards and the Steelers start the half with good field position. Good coverage from the Giants defense and they stop the Steelers from getting deep enough to get any points and NY has a great opportunity to extend the lead.

Unable to get a touchdown the Giants take a 50 yard field goal and take the score to 17 to 10 giving them a touchdown lead.

Making a bad decision under heavy pressure and to avoid getting sacked he throws another interception and Eli Manning will get the ball back with decent field position about mid way through the third quarter.

And NY gets another field goal just before the 3rd quarter ends and takes the lead to more than a touchdown with the score at 20 to 10.

Now more than ever Roethlisberger needs to protect the football better and not get picked even if he is forced to throw under pressure. I look for him to scramble for the first down possibly in an attempt to keep better control.

They are doing just that and when the third quarter ends they are carefully and patiently moving down field using the short pass and accessing their running game in small pieces. Then a short pass to Mike Wallace and he breaks a tackle and runs it in for the touchdown. This puts Pittsburgh back in to the game and the score is Steelers 17 to Giants 20.

The Steeler defense steps up when they most had to and shut down the drive and sack Eli Manning on the 3rd down forcing a punt. this was only the 2nd sack of the game and only the 7th time Manning has been sacked this year.

Then on the punt return Emmanuel Sanders gets a 63 yard return and Pittsburgh have the ball on the NY 13 and are well within scoring distance. The Giants break up the 3rd down play and force them to attempt the field goal.

And instead of the Steelers making the kick and getting the tie score, they attempt the fake and the Giants defense sense the play and break it up and stop them from getting a first down. This will end up being a big play and may have kept Pittsburgh from winning the football game.

The Steelers defense forces a 3 and out and the Giants punt the ball again. Keeping the Giants defense off balance a bit this drive and they mix it up with a few running plys up the center and some short passes and they get in for the score. The Steelers get the lead back and the score is 24 to 20 with roughly 4 minutes left in the game.

Rather than get the 3rd down conversion on the drive Pittsburgh manages to stop the NY and they punt the ball. If the Steelers can get at least one first down on the ground and hold on to the ball they will keep the lead and be in a position to run down the clock and win the game.

They hit them for a short loss in the second down and force them to throw the ball but Roethlisberger hits his man and gets the first down and the Giants use their last time out. On the next play Pittsburgh runs the ball and gets the first down and we are at the two minute warning.

Pittsburgh still has the ball, has a first down and NY is out of time outs. This game has actually turned around and was won within the 4th quarter. The final score in the game Pittsburgh 24 to NY 20.

I know I picked the Giants to win here, but this was a really fun football game to watch.