There are a number of self-inflicted reasons why the Giants lost to the Steelers on Monday night, but they appear to have been on the wrong side of a missed call.

According to ESPN NFL rules analyst Russell Yurk, Pittsburgh’s go-ahead punt return touchdown in the third quarter of the Giants’ 26-18 loss on Monday night could have been called off because there was enough kicker interference to warrant a penalty .

“There’s definitely contact on the lower part of (player Matt Haack’s) leg and the ground leg – and that’s probably enough to call a foul,” Yurk said during the broadcast of the game.

The touchdown, the first score of the game by either team, gave Pittsburgh a 16-9 lead with 4:38 left in the third quarter and helped put an end to what had previously been a close game.

The Giants stumbled after a drive that included two penalties and a sack and resulted in minus-seven total yards, leaving the teams in a 9-1 tie.

Haack lined up near the Giants’ 5-yard line, made a clean catch and delivered a timely kick.

But as the ball left his foot, Steelers linebacker Jeremiah Moon made an attempt to block the punt.

Moon had no contact with the ball, but rather full contact with Haack’s non-kicking leg.

The punter fell awkwardly over the linebacker while Steelers returner Calvin Austin III weaved his way 54 yards further down the field on his way through the G-Men for a 73-yard touchdown.

As he pondered out loud why a foul wasn’t called on that play, Yurk – the NFL’s former vice president of instant replay and administration – said: “It looked like No. 45 (Tomon Fox) made a blocking move on (Haack). .”

In the replay shown above Yurk’s comments, Fox was seen pushing against Moon as he charged towards the punter.

But Fox released his pressure long before the defender touched the kicker – Moon took two more steps and reversed his approach angle before crashing into Haack.

There was a penalty for the move, but not for Moon.

The Giants were accused of using an illegal formation, which Steelers coach Mike Tomlin immediately denied.

Had Moon been deemed a gross violation against the punter, the penalties would have been offset and the Giants would have kicked again.

The loss was the Giants’ third straight, falling to 2-6, and they will face the Commanders at MetLife Stadium on Sunday at 1 p.m