My Hines Ward Blog

This week the reigning Super Bowl Champion New York football Giants stroll into Pittsburgh. Both teams are sporting impressive records of 5 and 1. This is a challenge for both franchises.

The first aspect to consider is this is a home game for the Steelers. So we will give them a small advantage with that. However this same Giant team has won on the road. See Super Bowl run through the playoffs of 2008 as Exhibit A.

The next factor we can consider is the schedule. Is this a trap game or a set up game? Well both teams have tough games following this one. The Steelers will head to Washington DC after the Giants and the Giants will go back home to face the Cowboys. For the Giants the Cowboy game is more daunting in that it is a division game and the Cowboys are hurting and spiraling out of control so the Giants would love to stomp on them. Also after the Cowboys the Giants will travel to another division city. They will play the Philadelphia Eagles. So I would say that the schedule effect also weighs in the Steelers advantage. The Steelers will face the Giants, Washington and then Indianapolis. All non division games.

How much any of that stuff truly matters? I have always felt that was more of a media creation. But who knows right? The fact is both of the teams are capable of reeling off 3 or more wins in a row and yet any of the next few teams they play are quite capable of beating either of them.

So what do I think will happen this week?

I see the Giants strength on offense playing into a strength of our defense. Brandon Jacobs is a beast of a running back and the Giants love to pound to him at the opposing defense. He has over 500 yards already this season and has scored 6 touchdowns. Derrick Ward has added 337 yards on 47 carries with Ahmad Bradshaw adding a modest 147 yards. The Giants backfield has piled up over 1000 yards and lead the league thus far. The Steelers defense have only yielded 418 total rushing yards against them.

This will be a crucial aspect of the game. # 1 rushing team against the #2 rushing defense! I am confident that the Steelers will contain the Giants rushing attack. If they plan on winning they will have to.

When the Giants throw the ball they have been reasonably successful. They are ranked #11 in passing offense. The Steelers are leading the league in passing defense. So here we have #11 throwing the ball facing the #1 passing defense.

In fact this week the Steelers took over the #1 ranking in overall defense in the NFL from the Baltimore Ravens. The Giants are presently the #7 overall ranked offense however. But I am confident that the Steelers will continue their defensive dominance at home against the Giants.

It is important however to consider part of the Giants identity in their Super Bowl run last season was their own dominant defense. In fact they baffled the Patriots in the Super Bowl. This season so far the Giants are ranked #4 overall as a defense.

So Pittsburgh offensive coordinator Bruce Arians needs to devise a good game plan of his own. Preferably one that doesn't include Ben Roethlisberger eating grass or being browbeaten. In this match-up we have Pittsburgh the #25 overall NFL offense against the #4 ranked defense. Advantage Giants.

Clearly the injuries to Willie Parker have led to an unusually modest rushing attack from the Steelers this year. They are ranked an unimpressive #22 with 656 total yards from their backfield. However in the last 2 weeks Mewelde Moore has stepped up and added 219 yards to that total. Hopefully that is a sign of re-establishing their running presence. They will have to step up against the #5 ranked Giants rushing defense.

Ben Roethlisberger has a respectable 98.1 QB rating and is completing a nice 63 % of his passes and lately Santonio Holmes and Nate Washington have been complementing Hines ward very nicely as wide outs. But the Steelers are still a pedestrian #21 ranked passing offense. They are facing the #11 ranked passing defense.

These numbers thus far should be digested with the knowledge that so far the Steelers have played against 3 teams at 3 wins and 3 losses in Philly, Jacksonville and Baltimore and a Houston team that is 2 and 4. The Giants have faced a 5 and 2 Washington, a 2 and 4 St. Louis, a 2 and 5 San Francisco, and a 1 and 5 Seattle. Both teams have faced the 2 and 4 Cleveland Browns and each had an extra bye week against the 0 for 7 Cincinnati Bengals.

In the end I am hedging toward a Pittsburgh win. Losing to the Giants is clearly possible but I think the Steelers pull this one out at home.

That means I am presuming that Moore will continue to have run production and that if Wille Parker goes he may add a spark. I also am banking on no turnovers from Pittsburgh and praying for 2 from the Giants. I think that Ben will get 3 shots downfield and will hit one deep. It is also assumed by me that the defense will remain #1 for another week.

Pittsburgh 17 NY Giants 15

The injury list is as follows as of Thursday 10/23. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has McFadden out for 5 weeks.

Keyaron Fox LB Hamstring Did Not Participate In Practice --
Bryant McFadden CB Forearm Did Not Participate In Practice --
Marvel Smith T Back Did Not Participate In Practice --
Aaron Smith DE Not Injury Related Did Not Participate In Practice --
Najeh Davenport RB Not Injury Related Full Participation in Practice --
Brett Keisel DE Not Injury Related Full Participation in Practice --
Deshea Townsend CB Not Injury Related Full Participation in Practice --
Hines Ward WR Not Injury Related Full Participation in Practice --
Willie Parker RB Knee Limited Participation in Practice --
Plaxico Burress WR Shoulder Did Not Participate In Practice --
Gerris Wilkinson LB Knee Did Not Participate In Practice --
Antonio Pierce LB Quadricep Full Participation in Practice --
David Diehl T Back Limited Participation in Practice --

Andy is a blogger for http://www.Steelermaniacs.com which is a Pittsburgh Steeler's fansite where fans can read Steeler's news, join discussions, play in our flash arcade, shop, and much more.