Giants’ grit can only mask depressing reality for so long

PITTSBURGH — Details, details, details. 

That was a connection that was repeated complete and complete again successful nan Giants locker room after they fell to nan Steelers, 26-18, Monday nighttime astatine Acrisure Stadium. 

It was a loser’s lament, and it came from each area of nan losing locker room. 

The Giants overachieved for overmuch of Monday night, but successful nan end, they screwed up nan small things, and it costs them. 

Details, details. 

The only item that matters, though, is this: 2-6. 

That’s nan Giants’ grounds astatine nan near-halfway constituent to this season, which is bleeding into nan dreaded irrelevancy stage. 

Sure, nan Giants came into nan crippled pinch a terrific scheme to neutralize nan vaunted Steelers protect beforehand from eating Daniel Jones live 1 week aft he’d been sacked 7 times and deed doubly arsenic galore arsenic that successful nan blowout nonaccomplishment to nan Eagles. 

Sure, rookie moving Tyrone Tracy produced a profession night, rushing for 145 yards and a TD. Sure, receiver Darius Slayton was a move heavy threat, catching 4 passes for 108 yards. 

The Giants, against important odds, delivered a gritty, well-coached, no-quit capacity laced pinch guile against nan favored Steelers successful their home. 

The Steelers entered nan crippled pinch a 5-2 grounds to nan Giants’ 2-5 and they’d won 21 consecutive “Monday Night Football” location games making love backmost to 1991. 

The Giants? 

They came to Pittsburgh pinch their play connected life support and Jones an endangered species. 

The likelihood were stacked heavy against nan Giants connected this night. And yet, they had nan shot successful Pittsburgh territory doubly successful nan last 3 minutes down 8 points pinch a chance to necktie nan crippled and turned it complete twice. 

Details, details. 

On 3rd down, Steelers separator rushed T.J. Watt was inadvertently near one-on-one pinch correct tackle Jermaine Eluemunor and dusted him to sack Jones, unit a fumble and retrieve it. 

The Giants sewage nan shot backmost for 1 last-gasp effort and, again, were connected Pittsburgh’s 45-yard statement erstwhile Jones overthrew moving backmost Devin Singletary and nan shot sailed into nan arms of Steelers cornerback Beanie Bishop Jr. pinch 42 seconds remaining. 

“I overthrew him,’’ Jones said. 

The Giants allowed a 73-yard punt return for a touchdown to Pittsburgh’s Calvin Austin III successful nan 3rd 4th that collapsed a 9-9 halftime tie. Austin weaved his measurement astir nan Giants sum squad 116 yards successful full running. 

“I’m a small disappointment because we’re a bully team, and we support beating ourselves each week,’’ Giants protect tackle Dexter Lawrence said. 

“It’s very frustrating,’’ Jones said. “We wounded ourselves a batch tonight, and that’s nan astir frustrating portion astir it. We’ve sewage to beryllium much detailed, starting pinch me. Some of nan bully worldly that happened was negated by mistakes.’’ 

Daboll praised his squad but could do truthful only truthful much. 

“I thought location were a batch of different things that we did well, but not enough,’’ Daboll said. “I was proud of nan measurement they competed for 60 minutes. We knew this is simply a reliable spot to play. There were a batch of bully things … conscionable not capable of them.’’ 

Slayton said, “What was astir disappointing is they were a really bully shot squad and we had them correct location astatine nan end.’’ 

Maybe nan worst item missed of nan nighttime came erstwhile rookie first-round prime Malik Nabers was called for an forbidden mobility that negated a Jones TD walk to tight extremity Chris Manhertz. 

It was 1 of galore pre-snap penalties committed by nan Giants that group them backmost clip aft time. 

“Details,’’ Slayton said. “We’ve sewage to beryllium lined up better. We’ve sewage to do a amended occupation of holding our water. That’s what killed us.’’ 

The specifications killed them. 

“I’ve gotta get into specifications more,’’ Nabers said. “I had a batch of miscues erstwhile I was retired there. I’ve sewage to attraction connected nan details. Details triumph shot games.’’ 

No 1 said it better. 

There was nary discontinue successful nan Giants. So, respect that, if you like. 

The depressing portion is they simply weren’t bully enough. Again. 

Close losses against favored opponents astatine nan extremity of nan time are conscionable losses successful nan standings. And nan Giants person excessively galore of them. 

Again.