Pickens and Russ are working on something amazing. Mike Tomlin's decision to start Russell Wilson instead of George Pickens was the finest thing that could have happened to Pickens' career (and disposition). Pickens and his new quarterback continued their magic in a defensive battle Monday night, hooking up four times for 74 yards, including two touchdowns that were wiped out, one by penalty and another by replay review, after he caught five passes for 111 yards and a touchdown in his first game with Wilson last week. Wilson obviously enjoys looking in Pickens' direction, particularly downfield, and he has unlocked the Steelers' most potent weapon, adding a fresh danger to an offense in need of one.Additionally, it creates opportunities for players like Van Jefferson, who contributed four catches for 62 yards, and balances out an offense that has had a few strong performances from Najee Harris, who has gained 19 carries for 114 yards in the last two games. After two victories, they aren't looking back, which was what Tomlin anticipated would happen after switching from the somewhat contentious Justin Fields to Wilson.
The Giants struggle and then miss a chance. The Giants had scored nine points through three quarters, including three field goals, whereas New York's offense had managed ten points in their prior two games. They were only 3 for 8 on third down and hadn't threatened to get to the end zone since their second drive of the evening, despite having gained 222 yards going into the fourth quarter. A two-touchdown deficit appeared to wake up this Giants offense, which had some unexpected success on the ground in the fourth, proving that urgency was the best motivator. However, the Giants ultimately squandered their finest opportunities. After forcing a Wilson fumble, New York regained control and then fumbled it away by leaving right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor on an island against T.J. Watt, the world's best edge rusher, which naturally led to a strip-sack on a crucial third down. That was only the most recent instance of the Giants not giving their tackles some help in pass protection, and it ended up being the most expensive (and frustrating, given that it might have been prevented with a running back's chip). For the majority of this season, that has been the Giants' narrative: They make a lot of mistakes in terms of strategy and execution (for example, their hilariously unsuccessful two-point convert), and they lose when they have opportunities to rally. One could see Jones' game-changing interception coming from a great distance. Your 2024 Giants are these.
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