Giants.com brings you an instant postgame recap of Sunday's matchup in Pittsburgh:
AT A GLANCE
The six-game winning streak has come to an end. The New York Giants fell to the Pittsburgh Steelers, 24-14, at Heinz Field in Week 13, dropping them to 8-4 on the season with their first loss since Oct. 9 in Green Bay.
UP NEXT
With four games to play, the Giants return to MetLife Stadium for an NFC East showdown on Sunday night with the first-place Dallas Cowboys, who won their 11th consecutive game in Week 13 against the Minnesota Vikings to improve to 11-1. The Cowboys' only loss came to the Giants in the season opener at AT&T Stadium.
WHAT WE LEARNED ABOUT THE OFFENSE
LT Ereck Flowers was called for holding in the end zone on the Giants' second drive, resulting in a safety and Pittsburgh's first two points of the game…QB Eli Manning threw his first interception since Week 10 when he tried to hit TE Larry Donnell in the end zone from nine yards out. But LB Lawrence Timmons jumped in front of the pass, returning it 58 yards the other way to the Giants 40. Pittsburgh, which entered Week 13 with the No. 1 red-zone defense allowing touchdowns on just 41.7 percent of opponents' drives, turned the takeaway into a touchdown and an 11-0 lead midway through the second quarter…Rookie WR Sterling Shepard, who received an apology from Manning for not being targeted once last week, had four receptions for 21 yards, including a one-yard touchdown with 26 seconds left in the game…The Giants didn't score until RB Rashad Jennings' 13-yard catch-and-run from Manning with 6:30 to play in the third quarter. The short field was set up by a Giants' takeaway deep in their territory…Manning completed 24 of 39 passes for 195 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. That marks back-to-back games with fewer than 200 yards for Manning, who passed for 194 yards in the Week 12 win over Cleveland…The Giants rushed for 56 yards on 14 carries, ending their three-game streak with more than 100 yards on the ground.
WHAT WE LEARNED ABOUT THE DEFENSE
DE Jason Pierre-Paul, the reigning NFC Defensive Player of the Week, left late in the first half with a groin injury and did not return. On the next play, DE Olivier Vernon took down QB Ben Roethlisberger, extending his sack streak to five consecutive games. Vernon finished with two sacks and now has eight on the season (his career-high is 11.5 in 2013 with the Dolphins)…RB Le'Veon Bell gashed the Giants for 118 yards on 29 carries and 64 more yards on six receptions…LB Jonathan Casillas provided a brief spark for the Giants by forcing Bell to fumble deep in Giants territory, and rookie CB Eli Apple recovered at the 17. Two players later, the Giants found the end zone. However, the Steelers countered with an 88-yard drive that resulted in a 20-yard touchdown to Ladarius Green, who finished the game with six receptions for 110 yards and the score…Apple later recorded his first career interception late in the third quarter on Roethlisberger's pass intended for Eli Rogers.
WHAT WE LEARNED ABOUT THE SPECIAL TEAMS
Dwayne Harris was back to being the primary return specialist on both punts and kickoffs until leaving in the second half with an ankle injury. Bobby Rainey and Beckham handled those duties last week in Cleveland…K Robbie Gould, who had missed three extra point attempts in the last two games, made his lone try on Sunday…P Brad Wing, a former Steeler, averaged 44.3 yards on four punts.
INACTIVES
NYG: LG Justin Pugh (knee), S Nat Berhe (concussion), LB Mark Herzlich (concussion), DE Owa Odighizuwa (knee), OL Adam Gettis, QB Josh Johnson, WR Tavarres King.
PIT: WR Darrius Heyward-Bey (foot), RB DeAngelo Williams (knee), K Chris Boswell, QB Zach Mettenberger, RB Daryl Richardson, OT Brian Mihalik, TE Xavier Grimble.
LINEUP CHANGES
NYG:Marshall Newhouse for Pugh at LG.
PIT: None.
GIANTS GAME CAPTAINS
DT Damon Harrison, RG John Jerry, and P Brad Wing were the game captains. QB Eli Manning, LB Jonathan Casillas, and LS Zak DeOssie are season-long captains.
INJURY REPORT
NYG:CB Coty Sensabaugh (rib), DT Johnathan Hankins (bruised thigh, returned), DE Jason Pierre-Paul (groin), WR Dwayne Harris (ankle).
PIT: DT Javon Hargrave (possible concussion), S Shamarko Thomas (possible concussion).
View photos from the sidelines as the Giants take on the Steelers at Heinz Field
