• RB Devin Singletary, New York Giants — under 30.5 rushing yards: Upon his return to the lineup after missing two games with a groin injury, Devin Singletary appeared to have been usurped on the depth chart by first-year back Tyrone Tracy, who outsnapped the veteran 37-12.
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Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
Week 8 wraps up Monday night with a non-conference clash between one of the AFC’s hottest teams and one of the NFC’s coldest teams.
The Pittsburgh Steelers come into this game riding the momentum of two dominant wins and a 5-2 record against the spread. Their recent performances have pushed them to the NFL’s third-highest against-the-spread margin (+7.6), and they have produced three overs in their last four games.
Pittsburgh’s success has been driven largely by a strong ground game on both sides of the ball. In October, the Steelers’ offense ranked 11th in EPA per play and third in EPA per rush. Najee Harris has led the way, posting the NFL’s highest rushing grade (90.5) and leading the league in yards after contact (206) over that span.
The Giants have been far less consistent in the betting market, dropping their last two games against the spread after a three-week stretch of covers. New York has been an underdog in every game this season, largely due to their offensive struggles, which have also led to just one game hitting the over on the total.
The Giants’ passing attack has reached problematic lows in their last three games. Daniel Jones has posted a 59.2 PFF passing grade, the lowest of any quarterback with 100 or more dropbacks over that span, alongside a bottom-five explosive pass rate of 8.0%.
New York has relied heavily on its pass rush, which has delivered a league-leading 18 sacks, a 36.7% pass-rush productivity rate (2nd), and 62 total pressures (4th) over the last three games. However, their coverage unit has struggled, allowing the NFL’s highest completion rate (81.4%) and the fifth-highest open-target rate (62.9%).
Upon his return to the lineup after missing two games with a groin injury, Devin Singletary appeared to have been usurped on the depth chart by first-year back Tyrone Tracy, who outsnapped the veteran 37-12.
The Giants’ run game has struggled to generate movement up front, ranking 29th in yards before contact per attempt (1.0), which has limited backfield production. As a result, Singletary has surpassed his yardage line in only two of five games this season, last achieving it in Week 3, while averaging just 3.9 yards per carry, with over 80% of that yardage coming after contact.
This inefficiency spells trouble against a Pittsburgh defense that has been stout against the run. In their last three games, they’ve earned the second-highest team grade against the run (83.8), fueled by three forced fumbles (most in the NFL) and a 3.23 average depth of tackle. Singletary, who’s already fumbled twice this season, could be at risk against such a disruptive unit.
Just last week, Pittsburgh held Jets RB Breece Hall to 38 yards on 12 carries, allowing a mere 0.2 yards before contact per attempt and recording a 41.7% run-stuff rate.
The loss of Andrew Thomas for the year has left this offensive line in a tough spot, particularly in pass protection.
Just last week, they surrendered seven sacks to Philadelphia—a concerning sign as they face Pittsburgh’s formidable pass rush. Led by T.J. Watt, the Steelers have posted the NFL’s highest team pass-rushing grade (86.9) in 2024.
With recent struggles in the passing game, including zero passing touchdowns over the past two games, the Giants may look for creative ways to involve their top playmaker. Although Nabers hasn’t seen much action in the run game, with just three carries this season, New York must find ways to put the ball in his hands if they hope to compete in this matchup.
