Bahr’s Field Goal Blunts Steelers’ Comeback : NFL: Pittsburgh rallies from 20-0 deficit, but his 44-yard kick gives the Giants a 23-20 victory.

The New York Giants managed to blow a 20-0 third-quarter lead in 22 minutes.

Then, with four seconds to go, Matt Bahr kicked a 44-yard field goal that erased all those Giant frustrations and salvaged a 23-20 victory over Pittsburgh Monday night.

Steeler backup quarterback Neil O’Donnell replaced Bubby Brister with seven minutes left in the third quarter and Pittsburgh trailing, 20-0, before a crowd of 57,608. O’Donnell threw for 152 yards in the final 1 1/2 quarters, completing 11 of 21 passes.

First, he drove the Steelers to two quick field goals by Gary Anderson, from 25 and 39 yards, then connected with Louis Lipps from 16 yards out with 4:37 left.

“Neil showed great poise,” said Pittsburgh running back Barry Foster, who had 60 yards in seven carries, most during the comeback.

“He’s good and he needs to play. He was something we needed. We were kind of out of control out there in the first half, and he came in and regrouped us, got us believing again. That turned us around.”

The Pittsburgh defense then stopped the Giants for a third straight series. Next, O’Donnell drove Pittsburgh 68 yards in only 1:29, capping it with a five-yard touchdown pass to Eric Green that tied the score with 50 seconds left.

But Green was penalized for celebrating in the end zone and Anderson had to kick off from his 30. The ball went out of bounds and the Giants got the ball at their 40.

Giant quarterback Jeff Hostetler, who was 14 for 25 for 116 yards and ran six times for 48 more, took over.

Hostetler connected with Dave Meggett for 16 yards and scrambled for 18 more. Hostetler grounded the ball at the Pittsburgh 26 and on came Bahr, whose late field goals have decided four of New York’s last six victories.

It was the first time this season the Giants (4-3) have won consecutively and their first victory on the road. The Steelers (3-3) had a four-game home winning streak broken.

New York scored three of the first four times it had the ball as Hostetler threw 12 yards for a touchdown to Howard Cross and Bahr kicked field goals of 45 and 40 yards.

Then Meggett took a handoff from the shotgun on a third-down play and raced 30 yards for a touchdown and a 20-0 lead.