Strength Meets Strength In Steelers-Giants Tilt
The Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Giants, though both 5-1 heading into their head-to-head date at Heinz Field on Sunday, are not mirror images of one another.
Defensively, the Steelers are a zone-blitzing 3-4 unit that has long emphasized stopping the run with hard-hitting play from its front seven and defensive backs.
The Giants, meanwhile are a 4-3 group that predicates its scheme on the ability of its front four to get to the quarterback.
On offense, Pittsburgh possesses strong-armed quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and a bevy of talented receivers, but the Steelers generally remain the run- first unit they have been since Franco Harris was doing the running in the 70's.
The Giants are a strong rushing team as well, and in fact own the league's No. 1 running attack as Week 8 begins, but it is arguably a passing game including triggerman Eli Manning and targets like Plaxico Burress, Amani Toomer, and Steve Smith that puts a bigger scare into opposing defensive coordinators.
They're different, no doubt about it, but the Steelers and Giants are also pretty much the same.
The recent track record is quite similar, with both organizations winning recent Super Bowls in much the same manner. Pittsburgh worked feverishly to make the 2005 Playoffs as a Wild Card entry, then promptly became the first team in NFL history to win four straight games away from home en route to a Super Bowl title.
Two seasons later, Big Blue followed an almost-identical path, making the postseason field as a Wild Card then storming through Tampa Bay, Dallas, Green Bay and onto Arizona where they stunned the Patriots in Super Bowl XLII.
In addition to their similar recent fortunes, both clubs harbor serious, realistic Super Bowl aspirations in 2008.
The Steelers have quietly compiled a 5-1 mark that arguably has them ranked as one of the top two contenders in the AFC, along with the still-unbeaten Tennessee Titans. Mike Tomlin's squad maintained its two-game advantage over Baltimore in the AFC North last week, dismissing the Bengals (38-10) despite playing without running back Willie Parker (knee) and safety Troy Polamalu (concussion).
The Giants also remained above the fray in Week 8, holding off the visiting 49ers (29-17) to maintain a half-game edge over the second-place Washington Redskins in the NFC East.
New York, which has won nine of its last 10 games dating back to last season, will head to Pittsburgh putting the best record in the NFC on the line.
SERIES HISTORY
The Steelers lead the series with the Giants, which dates back to the 1933 season, by a 43-28-3 count. Pittsburgh was a 33-30 winner when the teams last met, in 2004, at the Meadowlands. The Giants won the previous meeting, taking a 30-10 decision at home in 2000, and were 23-20 winners when they last visited Pittsburgh in 1991. The Steelers' most recent home triumph in the series occurred in 1971.
Giants head coach Tom Coughlin is 8-8 in his career against the Steelers, including 8-7 while head coach in Jacksonville (1995-2002). Pittsburgh's Tomlin will be meeting both Coughlin and the Giants for the first time as a head coach.
WHEN THE GIANTS HAVE THE BALL
As mentioned, the Giants are No. 1 in NFL rushing offense (169.7), and also pace the league in yards per carry (5.6) and rushes of 20 yards or longer (11). The bruising Brandon Jacobs (516 rushing yards, 6 TD) is literally a big part of that dynamic, but backups Derrick Ward (337 rushing yards, 13 receptions) and Ahmad Bradshaw (147 rushing yards, 3 receptions, 2 TD) have had their moments this season as well. Jacobs had 69 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries against the 49ers last week; Ward notched 50 yards receiving out of the backfield; and Ward made his eight carries count for 28 yards. Meanwhile, Eli Manning (1389 passing yards, 8 TD, 4 INT) has been at the helm of an offense that has committed a league-low-tying four turnovers on the season, and is the only club in the NFL that has yet to lose a fumble. Ex- Steeler Plaxico Burress (25 receptions, 3 TD) returned to the lineup after a one-game team suspension last Sunday, and caught a touchdown pass. Secondary options Amani Toomer (20 receptions, 1 TD) and Steve Smith (26 receptions) combined for seven catches and 70 yards. Manning has been sacked just six times in six games thus far on the year.
The Steelers enter Week 8 with their reputation as a defensive stalwart intact, as Pittsburgh leads the league in total defense (228.3 yards per game), passing defense (158.7 yards per game), sacks (25), and rushes allowed of 20 yards or longer (0). However, injuries are somewhat of a concern, as cornerback Bryant McFadden is out for Sunday with a forearm injury and safety Troy Polamalu (30 tackles, 3 INT) is attempting to battle back from a concussion that kept him out against Cincinnati last Sunday. That will put more pressure on a furious pass rush led by linebackers James Harrison (36 tackles, 8.5 sacks) and LaMarr Woodley (27 tackles, 7.5 sacks, 1 INT), who have already combined for more sacks than 20 different NFL teams have collectively. Woodley is also tied for the league lead in defensive fumble recoveries (3). Looking to slow Jacobs and the Giants running game will be, among others, nose tackle Casey Hampton (3 tackles) and Aaron Smith (20 tackles, 2 sacks), with inside linebackers James Farrior (39 tackles, 1.5 sacks) and Larry Foote (24 tackles, 1.5 sacks) working behind them. Hampton (groin) missed the Cincinnati game but is probable to return on Sunday. The Steelers are second in the league against the run (69.7 yards per game).
WHEN THE STEELERS HAVE THE BALL
The big question for the Pittsburgh offense this week will be the status of running back Willie Parker (263 rushing yards, 3 TD), who has missed three games with a knee problem. Parker is listed as questionable, and if he can't go, Mewelde Moore (238 rushing yards, 11 receptions, 3 TD) will again have to step in. Moore, who started the year fourth on the depth chart at running back, tallied 120 yards on 20 carries with two touchdowns against the Bengals last week, receiving the team's game ball in the process. When the Steelers put it in the air, Ben Roethlisberger (1163 passing yards, 9 TD, 3 INT) will look primarily to Hines Ward (28 receptions, 5 TD) and Santonio Holmes (22 receptions, 1 TD). Ward caught four balls for 60 yards and a touchdown against the Bengals, moving into a five-way tie for the NFL lead in touchdown catches (5), but made greater headlines for a blindside hit that broke the jaw of Bengals linebacker Keith Rivers and ended his season. Holmes, meanwhile, led the Steelers with 89 receiving yards. Perhaps more encouragingly, a beleaguered Pittsburgh offensive line that had allowed 19 sacks through the first five games did not surrender one versus Cincinnati.
You have to believe the names of Justin Tuck (25 tackles, 5 sacks, 1 INT) and Fred Robbins (18 tackles, 5 sacks) will be featured prominently on Pittsburgh's scouting report of the Giants entering this contest. Tuck and Robbins have accounted for 10 of New York's total of 21 sacks on the year, and Roethlisberger is going to have a long day if the Steelers can't figure out a way to block them. On the bright side for Pittsburgh, when Big Ben puts the ball in the air, he won't have to worry much about turnovers. The Giants come into Week 8 with a league-low-tying five takeaways on the year, and two of those were recorded by safety Michael Johnson (21 tackles, 2 INT) off of turnover-laden San Francisco QB J.T. O'Sullivan last week. Aaron Ross (27 tackles) and Corey Webster (18 tackles, 1 sack) are likely to be matched up on Ward and Holmes, respectively. The Giants are fifth in the league against the run (84.5 yards per game) thanks to the interior presence of Robbins and Barry Cofield (18 tackles, 2 sacks), with middle linebacker Antonio Pierce (27 tackles, 1 sack) among those working well behind them.
FANTASY FOCUS
It's a good week to start the principles in the Giants passing game, since the depleted Steelers secondary is going to have some trouble stopping Manning's connections with Burress, Toomer, and even Steve Smith. Don't think about taking Jacobs out of your starting lineup either, but be prepared for less- than-standard numbers against a still-formidable Pittsburgh run-stopping group. Feel free to roll with the Giants defense, which will get its sacks against Roethlisbeger, and don't be afraid to use kicker John Carney either.
Roethlisberger figures to be under fire all day, but he'll have the opportunity to make some plays against a Giants secondary that remains a question mark. For the same reason, you can feel secure starting Ward, Holmes, and perhaps even tight end Heath Miller. In the running game, Moore and Parker owners must be sure to monitor the latter's injury status. Kicker Jeff Reed is a good starting option, but this may be a week to leave the Steeler "D" on the bench.
OVERALL ANALYSIS
It's probably not fair to call the Steelers paper tigers just because their five wins have come against opponents that are a combined 10-21, but there can be little disputing that Pittsburgh has some flaws. The Steelers o-line will have trouble protecting Roethlisberger from the Giants pass rush, for starters, and the QB won't just be able to hand off to Moore and/or Parker to mitigate that problem. On the other side of the ball, the absence of McFadden and less-than-100-percent status of Polamalu makes a shaky secondary weak, and New York looks set to exploit the coverage problems by targeting the likes of Burress, Toomer, and Steve Smith on a regular basis. The Steelers aren't going to be embarrassed by the defending champs, but they don't look to have the offensive or defensive punch to come away with the win here.
Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Giants 24, Steelers 17
