Calling it how I see it on paper...

[hungrrrry]

The Good:

Steelers

-The Steelers are rank #1 against the pass and only allow 91 yds/game (9th)....
-They have beaten the eagles and skins...one team that beat us narrowly and the other we beat narrowly (granted the Steelers just barely beat the Eagles but they handled the Skins much better than we did...as well division games are usually tougher so the steelers may have benefitted from a lack of heart in both games against oppeonents from our division)
-Big Ben is having his best season as a QB statistically, just not in the win column
-The Steelers offense has explosive receivers as we do and an exceptional TE
-The secondary could cause us to be one-dimensional which helps the D-line/run defense.
-Getting the Giants during Hurricane turmoil

Giants

-The Giants passing game is ranked #6 (just ahead of the steelers)
-We also have a top ten TE
-The running game is still inconsistant but with a lot of promise and ranked #12 which is significantly better than last season.
-The only losses have been to hated division rivals (2-2) and two of our wins are to hated division rivals...emotion drives these wins and losses more times than not...for both teams.
-Our secondary is getting a "ball-hawk" label...I like that
-We have JPP and a lot of quality depth at D-line
-Our Special teams has done very well this season and Wilson's returns are very promising as is Lawrence Tynes and Steve Weatherford

The ugly

Pittsburg

-The Steelers D-line looks rough and could lose the battle in the trenches to our O-line (unless Diehl has a bad game...as expected)
-No Polamalu which leaves them without the heart of thei defense (but it doesn't hinder the secondary much)
-The Steelers are 1-3 on the road and have to travel on gameday as there are no accomodations for them due to hurricane Sandy
-Notoriously Big Ben gets flustered the more he gets sacked and begins making errant plays.
-BaconCheeseburger also has been complaining about the Pittsburg offensive play calling

Giants

-Defensively, the Giants are getting torched by the TE and RB in the passing game and that should be no different in this match-up
-The defensive line is not getting to the QB enough this season, putting a lot of pressure on the secondary and LB's in coverage.
-The run-defense is inconsistant and often allows big games by intermediate level players
-The secondary also has a label of "burnt toast" as it seems to not be on the same page as the opposing offense is showing and this leads to Perry Fewell...consequently the Dline production is also hurt by this.
-The Giants LB's are of the leagues bottom dwellers even though they are considerably talented and athletic.

The Outlook
When you look at this game in such a way you have to notice how well we match up in certain spots and where the glaring differences are

Picking the weaknesses to attack:
-Pittsburg will rely heavily on the "dink and dunk" plays that Ben despises and eat us up with intermediate plays since they have very capable WR's to stretch the field on us.
-The Giants will need to run the ball and hope the Oline provides Eli with A LOT of time to pick part the secondary

Hopes:
-Pittsburg will hope to make some big plays downfield occassionally, to keep us honest
-Pittsburg will also hope RB Redman can have much more production on the ground than he has in the past.
-The Giants will hope to cause a few turnovers...something Pittsburg doesn't do much
-Both teams will hope and need the Secondary to score points

Who wins and why?
-Pittsburg's likely to win as they will be able to stetch the field, use the TE and RB in passing situations and run on our discombobulated run defense enough to open up play-action and making enough big plays down the field to keep ahead and tiring our defense. Pittsburgs secondary will give Eli fits and causing us to rely more on the run closing down our offensive productivity and getting too many "3 and outs."

I think the over/under on this game can be set at 45 and Pitsburg could have 31 of those if they play us like Dallas did minus the turnovers...and it doesn't look like the game where we get many of those our way.Eli may throw 2 INT's today.

You can say it is all speculation...I did mention that this is "how I see it"...add any and all of your thoughts if you prefer!

I am starving for crow soup, though!

[CowboysSuck]

I also see Pittsburgh winning, If there was a gun to my head.

I'm hoping we can get the offense going early, as this is what will decide the game IMO.

If the offense comes out an puts up only 100yds in the first half, we will lose by 17+ points, BOOK IT. They are not the Cowboys, IF we have the first half we did last week (92 yards, a couple FG's or something?..putrid) we WILL lose.

[Flip Empty]

I'm also finding it hard to pick against Pittsburgh. They're playing well and the Giants aren't.

I'm always happy to be proven wrong.

[giantsfan420]

You guys are seriously overeating Pittsburgh. Their run game had to good back to back games that's it for this season the run game has struggled. Their defense has struggled throughout the season. The last two weeks their defense has done better but they're still not there same d. Ryan Clark n woodley are doubtful and if they cant go there secondaries going to be without their starting safeties Which is huge for our pass offense. I honestly don't think Pittsburgh can keep up they are a good team but I have us winning by 10.

[Morehead State]

You guys are seriously overeating Pittsburgh. Their run game had to good back to back games that's it for this season the run game has struggled. Their defense has struggled throughout the season. The last two weeks their defense has done better but they're still not there same d. Ryan Clark n woodley are doubtful and if they cant go there secondaries going to be without their starting safeties Which is huge for our pass offense. I honestly don't think Pittsburgh can keep up they are a good team but I have us winning by 10.

Maybe but they are a solid team. They don't beat themselves like Dallas.
We can't get away with the kind of ball we've been playing the last 2 weeks against this team.

[Ruttiger711]

I think we need to be physical w their receivers - cant let them get over the top w Wallace or Sanders. Problem is that leaves Miller underneath as well as Brown. Both of them could have a BIG day.

This COULD be the game that our dline comes up big though. Ben's a mobile qb and extends plays with brute strength and not necessarily "elusiveness". I don't they'll have to focus on containing as much and may have the luxury of being more aggressive. Our D will get to Ben but they have to wrap him up. If Bens gets away he can hit Miller underneath or Wallace over the top. - Bad news.

I know sacks aren't a direct measure of the D's performance, but a couple early ones and pressure THROUGHOUT the game will lead us to victory. I'm confident in the O for no other reason than I just am.

Just my opinion.

[Buddy333]

The Giants defense stinks. At least it has for most of the season with the exception of beating a bad team and a good one dimensional team. So maybe they can rely on the offense and win in a shoot out? Not the way they played the last two weeks and October is over. Then again, they seem to like a challenge so I could see them showing up today. I could also see the start of the annual second half slide today. We shall see.

[hungrrrry]

Maybe but they are a solid team. They don't beat themselves like Dallas.
We can't get away with the kind of ball we've been playing the last 2 weeks against this team.

I agree with this 1oo%

As I said...our front 4 have had several rough games against the run...Redman is no one special but isn't it amazing that our defense always makes a guy like this look like a Pro-bowler?...Pittsburg has not faced a pair of WR's like Cruz and Nicks but Nicks needs to be on his game and his injury behind him. We have Bennett and Hixon as well so I have high hopes but our offense has been sluggish the last couple weeks which is of great concern since our defense is surrendering an alarming number of yards per game. Granted, those numbers haven't translated into points for the other teams but Ben will be the best QB we have faced so far and his TD:INT ratio is very very good!

Don't discount what you see week in and week out and lately we have struggled and Pittsburg has done well...momentum is a great thing!

Huricane Sandy cannot be used for an excuse for either team...while NY is battling the local problems caused by it, Pittsburg has to travel on gameday to get here and play. No one benefits on this issue so lets not get the excuse ready.

[Flip Empty]

I honestly don't think Pittsburgh can keep up they are a good team but I have us winning by 10.

While it's fair to say you have the Giants winning every game by 10 , looking at the Steelers' schedule, you may have a point - the Steelers haven't beaten a good team this year.

[Captain Chaos]

I really think the match up that the Steelers played albeit early on in the season was Denver, they lost that game and they had Palamalu... I think it will be a good game and hoping for a G'men victory!