New York Giants vs Steelers Match Player Stats (Oct 29, 2024)
Pittsburgh grabbed a 26-18 win over New York on October 29, 2024, at Acrisure Stadium in a Week 8 primetime clash. Looking beyond the scoreboard, the New York Giants vs Steelers match player stats reveal how clutch performances from Calvin Austin III and T.J. Watt made all the difference.
Table of Contents
Monday Night Football: Field Goals Galore, Then Big Plays
Pittsburgh piled up 426 total yards to New York’s 394, but here’s the weird one – neither team scored a single touchdown in the red zone, going a combined 0-for-7 inside the 20.
Kickers Chris Boswell and Greg Joseph traded field goals to a 9-9 halftime tie before Austin electrified the Acrisure Stadium crowd with a 73-yard punt return touchdown midway through the third quarter.
Scoring Summary:
- First Half: Six field goals, tied 9-9
- Third Quarter: Austin 73-yard punt return (16-9 PIT)
- Fourth Quarter: Austin 29-yard TD catch (23-9 PIT)
- Fourth Quarter: Tracy 45-yard TD run (23-15 PIT)
- Final: Steelers 26, Giants 18
Austin Becomes MNF Hero
Calvin Austin III sparked Pittsburgh with two touchdowns that broke the game open:
| Austin’s Production | Stats | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Receiving | 3 catches, 54 yards, 1 TD | 29-yard score in 4th |
| Punt Returns | 2 returns, 73 yards, 1 TD | 73-yard score in 3rd |
| Total TDs | 2 | 14 of Pittsburgh’s 26 points |
| Yards Per Touch | 25.4 | Max production on 5 touches |
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin had a good feeling about Austin before his punt return, telling ESPN afterward: “I thought it was his time. And he thought it was his time. And he delivered.”
The 25-year-old joined Detroit’s Kalif Raymond as the only NFL players with receiving and punt return touchdowns in the same game this season, according to CNN’s postgame coverage.
QB Battle: Wilson Stays Clean, Jones Stumbles Late
In the quarterback matchup, Russell Wilson kept mistakes to a minimum while Daniel Jones couldn’t avoid costly turnovers:
| Quarterback Stats | Russell Wilson (PIT) | Daniel Jones (NYG) |
|---|---|---|
| Completions/Attempts | 20/28 (71.4%) | 24/38 (63.2%) |
| Passing Yards | 278 | 264 |
| TDs | 1 | 0 |
| INTs | 0 | 1 |
| Passer Rating | 114.9 | 72.7 |
| Yards Per Attempt | 9.9 | 6.9 |
| Sacks | 4 (19 yards lost) | 4 (27 yards lost) |
| Fumbles Lost | 0 | 1 |
Wilson hit eight different receivers and averaged nearly 10 yards per throw. Meanwhile, Jones coughed up two fourth-quarter turnovers – a strip-sack by T.J. Watt with 3:03 left and an interception by Beanie Bishop Jr. with 0:42 remaining.
“We hurt ourselves a lot tonight,” Jones admitted to reporters afterward. “That’s the most frustrating part about it. We’ve got to be more detailed, starting with me.”
Running Backs Shine on Both Sides
Both backfields had 100-yard rushers in impressive performances:
| Running Back Stats | Tyrone Tracy Jr. (NYG) | Najee Harris (PIT) |
|---|---|---|
| Carries | 20 | 19 |
| Rushing Yards | 145 | 114 |
| Yards Per Carry | 7.3 | 6.0 |
| Rushing TDs | 1 (45-yarder) | 0 |
| Longest Run | 45 yards | 26 yards |
| Snap Percentage | 59.7% | 65.1% |
Tracy ripped off a career-high 145 yards including a 45-yard touchdown burst. For Pittsburgh, Harris notched his third consecutive 100+ yard game, a first in his NFL career.
New York actually averaged more per carry (6.3 vs 5.4), but couldn’t cash in when it mattered most.
Pass Catchers: Deep Threats vs Volume
The receiving stats show contrasting styles for both passing attacks:
| Receiver | Targets | Catches | Yards | Avg | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh Steelers | |||||
| George Pickens | 5 | 4 | 74 | 18.5 | 0 |
| Van Jefferson | 5 | 4 | 62 | 15.5 | 0 |
| Calvin Austin III | 4 | 3 | 54 | 18.0 | 1 |
| New York Giants | |||||
| Darius Slayton | 7 | 4 | 108 | 27.0 | 0 |
| Malik Nabers | 13 | 7 | 71 | 10.1 | 0 |
| Wan’Dale Robinson | 5 | 5 | 30 | 6.0 | 0 |
Slayton averaged a massive 27 yards per grab but never found the end zone. Rookie Nabers saw a game-high 13 targets but mostly gathered shorter completions.
Pickens continued his role as Pittsburgh’s primary downfield threat after coming into the game with the highest percentage of his team’s air yards in the NFL, according to data from Steelers Depot.
Defensive Playmakers Step Up Late
When Pittsburgh needed stops, their defense delivered:
| Defense | Team | Tackles | Sacks | Clutch Plays |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T.J. Watt | PIT | 7 | 2.0 | Strip-sack at PIT 19, 3:03 left |
| Alex Highsmith | PIT | 4 | 2.0 | Constant edge pressure |
| Bobby Okereke | NYG | 14 | 0.5 | Forced fumble, recovery |
| Beanie Bishop Jr. | PIT | 5 | 0.0 | Game-ending INT at 0:42 |
T.J. Watt came through with his biggest play when it mattered most. With the Giants driving at Pittsburgh’s 19-yard line and trailing by eight points, Watt stripped Daniel Jones and recovered the fumble with just 3:03 left in the game.
Per the Steelers’ official site, Bishop’s late interception was his third in just two games, showing his emerging playmaking ability in Pittsburgh’s secondary.
Special Teams Swings Momentum
The third phase gave Pittsburgh a crucial advantage:
| Special Teams Play | Result | Game Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Austin 73-yard PR TD | 7 points | Broke 9-9 tie in 3rd |
| Chris Boswell | 4/4 FG, 2/2 XP | 14 total points |
| Greg Joseph | 4/4 FG | 12 total points |
| I. Smith-Marsee | 33.3 avg KR | Good field position for NYG |
Austin’s punt return score came when both offenses kept stalling in scoring range. That TD gave Pittsburgh points without needing a single offensive snap.
Both kickers stayed perfect on field goals, combining to go 8-for-8 as red zone trips repeatedly ended in threes instead of sevens.
Red Zone Struggles: 0-for-7 Combined
The biggest statistical oddity from Monday night? Complete red zone failure by both squads:
| Red Zone | Giants | Steelers |
|---|---|---|
| Trips | 3 | 4 |
| TDs | 0 | 0 |
| FGs | 3 | 4 |
| TD % | 0% | 0% |
| All TDs From Outside the 20: | ||
| Calvin Austin III | 29-yard catch | |
| Calvin Austin III | 73-yard punt return | |
| Tyrone Tracy Jr. | 45-yard run | |
Neither offense could punch it in from close range. Every touchdown scored Monday night came from 29+ yards out.
Team Stats Breakdown
| Team Stats | Giants | Steelers |
|---|---|---|
| Total Yards | 394 | 426 |
| Yards/Play | 5.9 | 6.8 |
| First Downs | 17 | 20 |
| 3rd Down % | 33.3% (5/15) | 46.2% (6/13) |
| Rushing Yards | 157 | 167 |
| Rushing Avg | 6.3 | 5.4 |
| Passing Yards | 264 | 278 |
| Passing Avg | 6.9 | 9.9 |
| Time of Possession | 30:42 | 29:18 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 1 |
| Penalties | 11 for 65 yards | 5 for 50 yards |
Flags crushed New York’s chances. Those 11 Giants penalties killed several drives, while Pittsburgh stayed relatively clean with just 5 infractions all night.
Quarter-by-Quarter
| Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Giants | 3 | 6 | 0 | 9 | 18 |
| Steelers | 6 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 26 |
Austin’s third-quarter punt return gave Pittsburgh its first lead of more than three points, and they never trailed again.
Three Plays That Won It
Monday Night Football came down to three crucial moments:
- Third Quarter, 4:58 left: Austin’s 73-yard punt return turns 9-9 tie into 16-9 Pittsburgh lead
- Fourth Quarter, 3:03 left: Watt strip-sacks Jones at Pittsburgh’s 19-yard line with Giants threatening
- Fourth Quarter, 0:42 left: Bishop picks off Jones to end New York’s final comeback attempt
These three plays flipped what could have been a Giants upset into a comfortable Steelers victory.
Fantasy Football Takeaways
For fantasy managers, this game offered several noteworthy developments:
Going Up:
- Calvin Austin III (25.4 PPR points, big-play ability)
- Tyrone Tracy Jr. (24.0 PPR points, emerging RB1)
- T.J. Watt (monster IDP stats)
Going Down:
- Daniel Jones (10.3 fantasy points, benching risk)
- Malik Nabers (underwhelming 7/71/0 despite 13 targets)
- Both red zone offenses (zero TDs inside the 20)
Tracy looks like a potential waiver wire steal for managers who grabbed him, while Austin showed why he’s worth roster consideration in deeper formats.
Fast Facts: Giants-Steelers Stats
Who had the better QB stats in Giants-Steelers Week 8?
Russell Wilson topped Daniel Jones across the board. Wilson threw for 278 yards, 1 TD and 0 INTs with a 114.9 rating, while Jones managed 264 yards, 0 TDs, 1 INT and a 72.7 rating. Wilson also avoided the late-game turnovers that plagued Jones.
Which back had better rushing numbers: Tracy or Harris?
Tyrone Tracy Jr. outgained Najee Harris with 145 yards on 20 carries (7.3 YPC) and a 45-yard TD run. Harris was solid with 114 yards on 19 carries (6.0 YPC). Tracy’s explosive touchdown put him over the top in a breakout game.
What was the oddest stat from the Giants-Steelers matchup?
Neither team scored a single touchdown in the red zone, going a combined 0-for-7 inside the 20-yard line. Every touchdown in the game came from 29+ yards out. For two NFL offenses to completely whiff in the red zone is extremely rare.
How did Watt change the game for Pittsburgh?
T.J. Watt recorded 7 tackles, 2 sacks, forced a fumble, and recovered that fumble with 3:03 left at Pittsburgh’s 19-yard line. His strip-sack preserved an 8-point lead when the Giants were driving for a potential tying score, essentially saving the game.
Why couldn’t New York capitalize on their rushing success?
The Giants averaged 6.3 yards per carry but undid their good work with penalties and turnovers. New York was flagged 11 times, converted just 33% of third downs, and Jones turned it over twice in the fourth quarter when trailing by one score.
How did Austin impact the Monday night game?
Calvin Austin III scored 14 of Pittsburgh’s 26 points via a 73-yard punt return TD and a 29-yard TD catch. His explosive plays were the difference in a game where neither team could score inside the 20. Austin averaged 25.4 yards per touch on just five opportunities.
Final Word
Week 8’s Monday nighter came down to a handful of explosive plays that decided what the box score suggests should have been much closer. While New York kept pace in many statistical categories, Pittsburgh capitalized on Austin’s two touchdowns and Watt’s clutch defensive plays.
For more AFC North divisional battles, check out our breakdown of the Steelers vs Baltimore Ravens match player stats. Giants fans can see how their team fared against their biggest rival in our New York Giants vs Dallas Cowboys match player stats.
The New York Giants vs Steelers match player stats from Week 8 are a reminder that football often comes down to a few game-changing moments rather than who dominates the stat sheet.
