Preseason football games aren’t really about wins and losses; they’re mostly about finding out about specific players and how they’ll help shape the upcoming regular season.

But while the Steelers still have many questions about a lot of players–both young and old–one in particular they may be feeling good about today is Sean Spence, the third year linebacker who played in his first exhibition game since suffering a horrific knee injury in the preseason finale of his rookie season in 2012.

Spence started at inside linebacker and recorded three tackles, a total that doesn’t seem impressive on paper, but if you watched Saturday night’s game at MetLife Stadium, you know Spence was all over the field and in and around a lot of the action.

As for the Steelers as a whole, it was predictably a short night for quarterback Ben Roethlsiberger, who only played a series before exiting. But before he did, he led the offense on a field goal drive.

• However, Giants running back Rashad Jennings raced 73 yards on the next play from scrimmage for a 7-3 advantage.

Pittsburgh trailed most of  the game and failed to score an offensive touchdown, as back-up QBs Bruce Gradkowski and Landry Jones faced pressure most of the evening.

But trailing 13-9 early in the fourth quarter, backup linebacker Howard Jones scooped up a backwards lateral and galloped 28 yards to give the Steelers their only lead of the night, at 16-13.

The Giants answered with a go-ahead touchdown with less than three minutes remaining. And after rookie receiver Martavis Bryant fumbled deep in New York territory, the Steelers were 0-1 for a third straight August.

Next up is a home date with the Bills Saturday night at Heinz Field.

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