Garage ceiling sheetrock
If the ceiling is flat without any swails or bulges then it is quite likely that the one joist is out of alignment with the others. It may have bowed up or was never aligned properly in the first place. 

If the ceiling sheetrock was in stress being installed onto that particular joist it is entirely possible for the nails or screws to pull through the material from the back without disturbing the surface on the bottom. Usually in the case of popping nails the cause is that the nail pushes out toward the finished surface.

If the ceiling surface is flat, which you can tell by pushing the edge of a long straight board up against the ceiling from below, you would not want to try reattaching the sheet to the same joist. It would be more appropriate to fasten a board against the side of that one joist that projects down to the upper surface of the sheetrock. Then secure the sheetrock by screwing into that new board.

On the other hand if the ceiling has bulges and swails then you will have to re-evaluate and take appropriate steps. This could span the range of possibilities of accepting the way it is to complete removal of all or parts of the ceiling and shimming joists and replacing the sheetrock.