Week 9 Gameday Thread: Steelers @ Giants - Sun Nov. 4, 2012

[ricardisimo]

Steelers on the road against Giants

Pittsburgh Steelers (4-3) at New York Giants (6-2)
Date: Sunday, Nov. 4, 2012
Kickoff: 4:25 p.m., ET
Site: MetLife Stadium (82,500) • East Rutherford, N.J.
Playing Surface: FieldTurf
TV Coverage: CBS (locally KDKA-TV, channel 2)
Announcers: Jim Nantz (play-by-play)Phil Simms (analyst)
Local Radio: Steelers Radio NetworkWDVE-FM (102.5)/WBGG-AM (970)
Announcers: Bill Hillgrove (play-by-play)Tunch Ilkin (analyst)Craig Wolfley (sideline)
National Radio: Sports USA Radio
Announcers: Larry Kahn (play-by-play)Ross Tucker (analyst)Spanish Radio: Grupo Imagen - Destrito Federal (Mexico City)XEDA-FM 90.5

Steelers notes for Giants game

THE COACHES

Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin
Overall regular-season record: 59-28 (.678)/sixth season Regular-season record at Pittsburgh: 59-28 (.678)/sixth seasonPlayoff Record/Years: 5-3/four years

New York Giants Head Coach Tom Coughlin
Overall regular-season record: 148-116 (.561)/17th season Regular-season record at New York: 80-56 (.588)/ninth seasonPlayoff Record/Years: 12-7/nine years

SERIES HISTORY
Series History: Series began in 1933Overall: Giants lead 46-29-3At Pittsburgh: Giants lead 22-14-3At New York: Giants lead 24-15Neutral Sites: n/aLast Regular-Season Meeting: Oct. 26, 2008(in Pittsburgh) New York 21, Pittsburgh 14Postseason Series: n/aThis matchup marks only the fifth time these two teams havemet since 1994 with both teams splitting the last four contests…aside from a 30-10 Giants win in 2000, the other four matchups since 1991 have been decided by seven points or less,with both teams winning two games apiece…Sunday will be theSteelers first regular season visit to the new MetLife Stadium that houses both the Giants and the New York Jets and opened for its inaugural football season in 2010…both franchises boast father/son ownership combinations in the Hall of Fame, Art Rooney Sr.and his son Dan in Pittsburgh and Tim Mara and his son,Wellington, for the Giants…this game features two of the three active quarterbacks who have won more than one Super Bowl inPittsburgh’s Ben Roethlisberger and New York’s EliManning…this is the second time in as many matchups between the two teams that the Giants come into the game as the defending World Champions.

STEELERS-GIANTS CONNECTIONS

LOCAL CONNECTIONS
• Steelers G Willie Colon is a native of Bronx, N.Y. and a graduateof Cardinal Hayes High School, just across the river from the Giants home stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. Colon played his collegiate ball at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y.• Steelers S Ryan Clark broke into the league with the Giants when he signed with them as undrafted rookie free agent in 2002and spent the 2002 and 2003 seasons on the Giants’ practicesquad.• Giants FB Henry Hynoski played his collegiate football at theUniversity of Pittsburgh from 2007-2010. Before becoming a Panther, Hynoski, a native of Elysburg, Pa., finished his high schoolcareer as the 6th leading rusher in Pennsylvania state high school history with 7,165 yards to go along with 113 career touchdowns and was named the Associated Press Class A State Player of theYear following his final prep season.• Giants offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride held the same position with the Steelers from 1999-2000.

PRO CONNECTIONS
• Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley and Giants offensive line coach Pat Flaherty were both on the Chicago Bears coaching staff from 2001-2003. Haley also worked with Giants secondary/cornerbacks coach Peter Giunta with the New York Jets in 1995-1996. Haley was an assistant in the Jets’ scouting department and Giunta coached defensive backs.• Steelers offensive line coach Sean Kugler and Giants defensive coordinator Perry Fewell coached together for the Buffalo Billsfrom 2007-2009.• In 2003 when Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau was the head coach of the Buffalo Bills, Giants offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride called the plays for the Buffalo offense.• Steelers LB Larry Foote (1998-2001) and Steelers LB LaMarr Woodley (2003-2006) both played at the University of Michiganduring Giants linebackers coach Jim Herrmann’s nearly two decade stint at Michigan as a linebackers coach and then as defensive coordinator (1986-2005).
• Steelers WR Jerricho Cotchery was member of the New York Jets in 2009 when Giants assistant special teams coach Larry Izzo was playing his final season of pro football as a linebacker with New York.• Steelers QB Byron Leftwich was in his only season with theTampa Bay Buccaneers in 2009 when Giants defensive line coach Robert Nunn held the same position with Tampa.• Steelers WR Jerricho Cotchery and Giants P Steve Weatherford were teammates with the New York Jets in 2009 and 2010.• Steelers K Shaun Suisham and Giants TE Martellus Bennett were teammates in Dallas during Suisham’s brief stint with the Cowboys in 2009. Suisham was also a teammate of Giants CB Justin Tyron in 2008 and 2009 when they were both with the Washington Redskins.
• Steelers QB Byron Leftwich and Giants LB Michael Boley were teammates with the Atlanta Falcons in 2007.• Steelers LB Brandon Johnson and Giants LB Keith Rivers wereteammates with the Cincinnati Bengals from 2008 to 2010.• Steelers LB Brandon Johnson and TE Leonard Pope and Giants CB Antrel Rolle played together with the Arizona Cardinals from 2006-2007. Pope and Rolle played together through the 2008season. Also, Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley held the same position with Arizona from 2007 to 2008, when these three players were with the Cardinals.COLLEGE CONNECTIONS
• Steelers RB Rashard Mendenhall and Giants P Steve Weatherford were teammates at the University of Illinois in 2005.• Steelers LB Larry Foote and Giants C David Baas wereteammates at the University of Michigan from 2000-2001.• Steelers S Ryan Clark and Giants CB Corey Webster played together at Louisiana State University during the 2001 season.• Steelers C/G Doug Legursky and Giants RB Ahmad Bradshaw were teammates at Marshall University from 2004-2006.• Steelers WR Jerricho Cotchery and Giants T Sean Locklear played together at North Carolina State from 2000-2003.• Steelers LB Jason Worilds was teammates with Giants CB Jayron Hosley and Giants RB David Wilson at Virginia Tech in2009.• Steelers DE Cam Heyward and T Mike Adams were teammates at Ohio State with Giants C Jim Cordle from 2008-2009. Heyward and Cordle also played together in 2007.• Steelers LB Adrian Robinson was in the midst of his career at Temple University in 2008 and 2009 when Giants wide receiverscoach Kevin M. Gilbride was on the Owls’ coaching staff. Also,Giants assistant offensive line coach Matt Rhule was a coach at Temple from 2006-2011.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

PITTSBURGH TEAM NOTES• With a win, Pittsburgh would improve to 5-4 against the Giants (4-2 on the road) since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970.• Including the postseason, the Steelers are looking to improve to102-60-1 all-time against the NFC, including 3-0 this season.• If the Steelers win it would be only the second time in franchise history that Pittsburgh has beaten both the Giants and Jets in the same season (2004).• Pittsburgh is looking to improve to 28-7 against NFC teams during the regular season since 2004.• The Steelers defense is looking to keep its seventh opponent in the last eight games to under 100 yards rushing.

PITTSBURGH INDIVIDUAL NOTES

Head Coach Mike Tomlin
• With a win, will improve to 60-28 during the regular season.• Looking to improve to 17-6 during the regular-season against NFC teams.

QB Ben Roethlisberger
• Looking to improve to 24-7 against NFC teams during the regular season.
• Looking to record a passer rating of 120.0 for the fourth time this season, which would tie for the second most times he has registereda passer rating of at least 120.0 in the same regular season (four in 2004 / five in 2009).
• Is looking to throw for at least 360 yards for the third time thisseason, which would tie 2011 (3) for the second most times he has thrown for at least 360 yards in one season (2009, 4).

RB Rashard Mendenhall
• Is one rushing touchdown shy of becoming the fifth player in franchise history with 30 career rushing touchdowns.

RB Jonathan Dwyer
• Looking to be the first Steelers’ player since Willie Parker in 2007 to register three consecutive 100 yard rushing games.

TE Heath Miller
• Needs one receiving touchdown to pass Elbie Nickel (37) for the most receiving touchdowns by a Steelers’ tight end.• Is one receiving touchdown shy of tying his single-season career high of seven, set in 16 games in 2007.

WR Mike Wallace
• If he records at least 100 yards receiving, it will mark the 14th 100-yard game of his career.

S Troy Polamalu
• Needs one interception to become the ninth Steelers’ player to record 30 career interceptions.• With one fumble return for a touchdown, will tie Jason Gildon (3) for the most fumbles returned for touchdowns in franchise history.• Is one defensive touchdown shy of tying Carnell Lake, Dwayne Woodruff and Jack Butler (5) for the second-most defensive touchdowns in Steelers history (Rod Woodson, 6).• Needs one interception return for a touchdown to tie Carnell Lake, Dwayne Woodruff, Deshea Townsend and Tony Campagno(3) for the fourth-most in franchise history.

LB James Harrison
• Needs one sack to tie Joey Porter (60.0) for second place on the Steelers’ sacks list, dating back to 1982 when sacks became an official statistic.

LB LaMarr Woodley
• Looking to tie his single-season career high (2010) with his second interception of the season.

LB Jason Worilds
• Needs one sack to pass his single-season career high of three, set in 12 games last season.

[ricardisimo]

Steelers vs. Giants: Matchups to watch


November 4, 2012 12:26 am
By Gerry Dulac / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Game plan

When the Giants have the ball: The offense revolves around QB Eli Manning and his ability to get the ball to his sure-handed receivers, primarily Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks. Manning is second in the NFC with 2,301 yards passing and third in the conference in fourth-quarter passing (103.5 rating). He also has been sacked only six times, fewest among NFL QBs. Cruz is second in the NFC in receptions (52), third in receiving yards with 650 and tied for the NFL lead in TDs (7). TE Martellus Bennett was signed in free agency and has become a favorite target, ranking second on the team with 29 catches. The Steelers have moved up to No. 1 in the league in pass defense after allowing Andy Dalton and Robert Griffin III to pass for a combined 282 yards. They have allowed a league-low 13 passes of 20 yards or more. That will be tested against Manning. The Giants ranked last in rush offense last season but have done a better job this season. They rank 12th in the NFL with 917 yards (4.4 ypc) led by Ahmad Bradshaw.
When the Steelers have the ball: The biggest issue will be handling the pressure from the Giants' defensive line and avoiding the turnovers their secondary likes to create. Ben Roethlisberger has thrown only three INTs in 268 attempts, but all three have been on the road. He's also been sacked only five times in the past five games, but all five have been on the road. The Giants lead the NFL with 16 INTs and 24 takeaways and do more than just force a turnover -- they make big plays as a result. They average 21.9 yards per interception return. DE Jason Pierre-Paul returned an interception 28 yards for a touchdown against the Cowboys. But while the Giants' pressure forces turnovers, it has also left the secondary vulnerable. They have allowed more pass plays of 20 yards or longer (35) than any team in the league. That could create opportunities for WR Mike Wallace. Cowboys TE Jason Witten had a club-record 18 catches against the Giants last week, so it could be another big game for TE Heath Miller.

Keep an eye on

S Stevie Brown ... He has stepped in as the starter after an injury to Kenny Phillips and leads the team with seven takeaways -- five interceptions and two fumble recoveries. Brown, in his third season out of Michigan but first with New York after stints in Oakland and Indianapolis, had two interceptions, a fumble recovery and a team-high six solo tackles last week against the Cowboys while earning NFC defensive player of the week honors. What's more, Brown has averaged 33.6 yards on his three interception returns.

Intangibles

The Giants lead the all-time series, 46-29-3, and have won four of the past six meetings, although this marks just their fifth game since 1994. The Steelers won the last meeting at Giants Stadium, 33-30, in 2004, but this marks their first trip to MetLife Stadium, which opened in 2010. ... The Giants have won their past four games and have averaged 33.3 points in their six victories this season. The Steelers have won their past two games and allowed opponents an average of 13.2 points in their four victories. ... The Steelers are 16-6 against NFC teams under Mike Tomlin, including 2-0 this season. Roethlisberger is 23-7 vs. the NFC.

To win, the Giants must ...

1. Have Manning be Eli(te). He needs to solve a Steelers pass defense that has done a good job of containing young QBs the past two games.
2. Keep Ben penned. Letting a play break down will only create more stress on their feast-or-famine secondary.
3. Be on Cruz control. He is the Giants' big-play receiver who already has catches of 77 and 80 yards this season.

To win, the Steelers must ...

1. Go to the Wall(ace). The Giants have allowed more passes of 20 yards or longer than any team in the league.
2. Be coming at Eli. The defense will need to generate inside pressure to keep Manning from stepping up in the pocket.
3. Max protect. Starks has performed very well in pass protection and will need to do more of that against Pierre-Paul.


First Published November 4, 2012 12:00 am

[White_Steel_Wolfe]

GO STEELERS!

[NYC_Steeler]

Lewis almost had an int on that bomb from Eli.

[NYC_Steeler]

3 and out, nice.

[NYC_Steeler]

Downed at the 2 - dang.

[White_Steel_Wolfe]

Lets go OFFENSE!

[SteelMusic]

'Bout to grab a cold Southern Tier 2XIPA and enjoy this game. Legggoooo Boyz!

[Pirate]

LET'S GO BEN!!!

[nikstar]

Ben looks to be rocking a glove on his throwing hand.