PITTSBURGH – The Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the New York Giants 26-18 on Monday Night Football. Quarterback Russell Wilson passed for 278 yards and a touchdown with a 71.4% completion rate. Running back Najee Harris rushed for 114 yards on 19 carries – his third straight 100-yard game.

The Steelers have only scored one first quarter touchdown all year until tonight. That total nearly increased when Wilson rolled out and found wide receiver George Pickens wide open in the end zone. Unfortunately, right tackle Broderick Jones grabbed a facemask as Wilson left the pocket, negating the score. The Steelers' reliable place-kicker Chris Boswell started the scoring with a chip-shot field goal.

The Giants wanted to answer. The Steelers were poised to force an early three-and-out, but on third-and-one, quarterback Daniel Jones hit wide receiver Darius Slayton 43 yards down the middle of the field. The Giants, who had the worst red zone percentage in the league, failed to make it into the end zone and responded with a field goal of their own.

The Steelers simply couldn't break the ice in the first quarter. Wilson completed a 29-yard pass to tight end Darnell Washington and Harris followed that up with a 26-yard run. But at the Giants' eight-yard line, the Steelers' offense managed just one one-yard run and two incompletions. To the dismay of the home fans, Boswell gave the Steelers a 6-3 lead.

The Giants had completed 17 straight drives without a touchdown. That streak should have ended, but the Giants' star rookie receiver Malik Nabers, who rushed for 72 yards on seven catches, was assessed a questionable illegal shift penalty. Head coach Brian Dabol spent most of the drive fuming on the sideline as the Giants received six penalties and had to settle for another field goal, ending the game at 6-6.

Starting at their 30-yard line, the Steelers marched down the field, barely needing a third down. But once the Steelers got within ten yards of the end zone, they could no longer break the ice. On third-and-eight at the Giants' nine-yard line, Pickens, who had four catches for 74 yards, had another touchdown wiped off the board – this time for putting down the same foot twice rather than with two feet behind inside the end zone. Boswell made his third field goal of the half to take a 9-6 lead.

Eventually the Steelers defense was stopped and forced a three-pointer. The Steelers' offense responded with positive wins for Warren and Pickens, but Wilson took a huge sack and forced the Steelers' first punt with two minutes left.

Jones, a better quarterback away than at home, orchestrated a top-notch two-minute, multi-score drive for Slayton. Slayton finished the game with 108 yards on four catches. But there was no touchdown for either team in the first half, and the Giants settled for a 44-yard field goal. At the end of the half the score was 9:9.

Giants rookie running back Tyrone Tracy Jr., who finished the game with 145 yards on 20 carries and a touchdown, came out of the locker room hot. But the Steelers' star edge rushers, TJ Watt and Alex Highsmith, forced a punt with consecutive sacks. Wilson and the offense couldn't get anything going, leading to a three-and-out.

Disaster struck for the Giants on the next drive. An illegal shift penalty, a delay of game penalty and another Highsmith sack completely derailed the Giants' attempted response.

Finally, the Steelers threw off the lid. Wide receiver Calvin Austin III returned a punt 73 yards for a touchdown – another great play for coordinator Danny Smith and his special teams team, who have been outstanding all year.

The Steelers defense slowed down and forced another three-pointer. The Steelers haven't given up a single point in the third quarter. Wilson converted a third down to tight end Pat Freiermuth on the ensuing drive. After a false start penalty, the Steelers were stuck on 3rd-and-11. Wilson threw his patented moonball to wide receiver Van Jefferson, who had a massive 36-yard completion down the sideline.

On the next third down, Wilson threw another moonball, this time to Austin III, who finished the game with 54 yards on three catches and two total touchdowns, and Austin III reached the end zone. With this throw, Wilson has thrown one touchdown pass in his last 21 games.

The Steelers defense held firm, but only for a limited time. Three straight scores against Nabers proved ineffective, but Tracy Jr. managed a 45-yard touchdown on third-and-16. Jones targeted Nabers for the two-pointer, but the pass was incomplete, cutting the Giants' deficit to 15-23.

The Steelers offense continued. Wilson and Pickens showed incredible connection last week against the other New York team, but weren't as effective tonight, with two touchdowns taken off the board. But then Wilson caught Pickens one-on-one down the sideline for a 43-yard catch, bringing the Steelers to the Giants' five-yard line. Again, the Steelers offense failed to convert in the red zone. Boswell extended the Steelers' lead to 26-15.

Slayton and Tracy Jr. each had gains of 18 and 17 yards, respectively. But one short completion and two incompletions later, the Giants had to settle for a field goal to make the game a point.

After Harris broke the century mark on the ground, Wilson opted for a rare fight when disaster struck. Giants linebacker Bobby Okereke knocked the ball out of Wilson's arms and forced the first turnover of the game, giving the Giants excellent field position.

TJ Watt, who hadn't gotten a sack in the last two games, finally made his big comeback and got it done against the man who was talking nonsense to the former DPOY earlier in the week. Watt took on Giants right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor, bent the edge, strip-sacked Jones and jumped on the ball, saving the game for the home team.

Watt is getting closer to the Steelers. He was there all season. Tonight, with the game decided, Watt showed up again as the entire nation watched. The Steelers are 6-2 and take sole possession of first place in the AFC North.

Cornerback Beanie Bishop Jr., an undrafted rookie out of West Virginia who caught his first two interceptions against the Jets last week, again showed he has a feel for the ball. Bishop Jr. caught a broken pass for his third career interception, ending the game.

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