NY Giants Opponent Profile: Giants-Steelers Rivalry Is A Family Affair
By Curt Macysyn
When the New York Giants (8-3) and Pittsburgh Steelers (6-5) get together, it seems like a family reunion. Well, in many respects, it is a family reunion. The Rooneys and the Maras are stalwarts of the National Football League. Both families were founding members of their respective teams, and both families still control those operations today. These two families, brought together by football, are now blood relatives through marriage. In fact, Patricia Rooney Mara eschewed her first name in favor of her screen name, Rooney Mara. But enough about history—this contest pits two eager teams fighting for a playoff berth and should be a good one.
Pittsburgh Steelers Season Record: 6-5
In December, it is pretty commonplace to see the Pittsburgh Steelers at the top of the AFC North standings. This year is no different even though they're tied with the Ravens at 6-5, even though Pittsburgh has had to withstand its perennial Ben Roethlisberger injury. Quite frankly, no one knew what to make of the Steelers after a 4-1 start turned into an early fall four-game losing swoon. Head coach Mike Tomlin has righted the ship, and the team has won two in a row.
Steelers on Offense:
As if there are not enough similarities to bind these teams, both squads boast signal callers from the vaunted 2004 NFL Draft. Many an argument has ensued over whether Eli Manning or Ben Roethlisberger is the better quarterback. We refrain from making a declaration, except to point out that both have won at least one Super Bowl title. The Steelers currently rank in the top one-third of offenses in the league, gaining 364.8 total yards per game. Their 24.2 points per game is slightly above average; ranking 13th in the NFL.
Roethlisberger completes 65 percent of his passes (242 of 373) for 2745 passing yards. Big Ben has 27 touchdown passes and only seven interceptions on the year. The receivers are led by Pro Bowler Antonio Brown, who already has 82 catches this season. He has 998 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns on the year. Eli Rogers has 29 receptions and Sammie Coates has caught 20 passes this year.
Former Michigan State Spartan Le'Veon Bell remains a dual threat with 699 rushing yards and 57 receptions out of the backfield. DeAngleo Williams spells Bell, in what may be one of the best one-two running back punch in the NFL. Williams has 276 rushing yards, but his yards per carry is less than Bell's average (4.6 vs. 3.7) .
Steelers On Defense:
The Giants may have difficulty rushing against Pittsburgh's ninth ranked run defense. The Steelers give up only 95.3 yards per game on the ground, but they were gashed by LeGarrett Blount (127 yards) and Jay Ajayi (207 yards) recently. In the air, Pittsburgh ranks 22nd in pass defense, surrendering 263.5 passing yards each game. The Steelers have sacked the quarterback 24 times this year, with wily old veteran James Harrison leading the way with four quarterback sacks. Protecting Eli Manning will be of paramount importance, but Pittsburgh utilizes many fronts to get to the passer, as 10 different players have notched sacks.
Linebacker Lawrence Timmons leads the way with 82 total tackles, with veteran safety Mike Mitchell having 52 tackles. Unlike previous teams, these Steelers are not ball hawks. The team only has seven interceptions this year, with young cornerback Artie Burns being the only player with more than one interception.
Players to Watch: Le'Veon Bell and Ryan Shazier
Le'Veon Bell represents a true dual threat out of the backfield. Even if the Giants shut down his running game, Bell can do damage as a receiver out of the backfield. Expect Giants linebackers Keenan Robinson and Jonathan Casillas to try and stifle the explosive Bell in space. New York's stout front four should limit Bell's productivity on the ground, and if Robinson and Casillas do not control Bell out of the backfield, safety Landon Collins may get the call from the bullpen.
Ryan Shazier is Odell Beckham's contemporary from the 2014 NFL Draft, and he exudes talent from his linebacker position. The only knock on Shazier remains his ability to stay healthy, as he has never played a full season in the NFL. The third-year linebacker has speed to burn, but he can also be a stout tackler. Look for Shazier to be set as an edge rusher to challenge the footwork of Ereck Flowers and Bobby Hart.
Outlook:
At first blush, these look like two evenly matched teams, but Las Vegas installed the Steelers as a six-point favorite. Every week the G-Men struggle early and then turn on the passion after halftime. And every week fans complain that the team has not played well. But an 8-3 record means something is going right, and this week the G-Men get stellar efforts from Eli Manning and Odell Beckham, Jr., as Ben McAdoo gets the first signature victory of his career.
