New York Giants vs. Pittsburgh Steelers: Keys to victory, prediction

Profitable the turnover battle and trying to keep Daniel Jones upright is critical if the New York Giants want to upset the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Jason Leach

Week one of the NFL year is lastly in this article! Regardless of not possessing a preseason because of to COVID-19, all 32 teams are assured that their year will finish with them hoisting the Lombardi Trophy in February at Super Bowl fifty five.

The New York Giants and their rookie head mentor Joe Decide has a tricky to start with endeavor as they facial area a Pittsburgh Steelers group that is always coached well and has 1 of the greatest defenses in the league.

Huge Blue heads into their Monday night showdown with the Steelers as decisive underdogs. But Decide will have his group ready and if they can execute a couple keys, they can earn their year opener for the to start with time considering the fact that 2016.

Below are the keys to victory for the Giants.

one. Win the turnover battle

The Steelers have quite a few strengths coming into this sport as they have 1 of the greatest coaches in the league in Mike Tomlin, Pro Bowl players on equally sides of the ball, and a defense that led the league in sacks past year with 54.

A way to negate the Steelers’ strengths is to earn the turnover battle and build scoring chances for the offense. Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger hasn’t played football in a 12 months and will be rusty and if the Giants front seven can implement tension, he’ll be susceptible to turnovers.

A lot more importantly, Daniel Jones will have to display that he’s preset the turnover woes that plagued him as a rookie.

If the Giants can be +2 or better in the turnover battle, it bodes well for them pulling off the upset.

2. Hold Daniel Jones upright

The Giants’ revamped offensive line that consists of rookie Andrew Thomas, right tackle Cam Fleming, and new centre Nick Gates will facial area arguably their toughest opposition of the year in Week one.

As we described, the Steelers led the league in sacks past year many thanks in significant aspect to edge rushers T.J. Watt and Bud Dupree who mixed for 26 sacks past year. Thomas and Fleming will have to maintain their personal against Watt and Dupree and hold Jones upright or else it will be a prolonged night for Huge Blue.

three. Hold feeding Saquon

It’s with out query that Saquon Barkley is the Giants’ greatest playmaker and he’s a menace to rating from anyplace on the area. The a lot more he receives his palms on the ball—rushing and receiving—the a lot more New York’s chances of successful improves.

It won’t be straightforward for Barkley to run against the tricky Steelers front seven. But sooner or later, if Barkley receives sufficient touches, he’ll break 1 for a prolonged obtain. Barkley wants to have 25 or a lot more touches on Monday.

4. Don’t get beat deep

The most significant concerns for the Giants this year are their inexperience and skinny secondary. It’s crucial that the Giants keep away from conversation lapses in the secondary or else it will outcome in a landing.

Roethlisberger will check out to exploit the secondary with his most loved focus on in JuJu Smith-Schuster. It will be up to James Bradberry, Logan Ryan, and the relaxation of the Giants secondary to make certain Smith-Schuster and the relaxation of the Steelers pass catchers do not beat them deep.

5. Particular teams will have to be unique

With Joe Decide possessing a unique teams track record, this is 1 period of the sport that should really favor the Giants. The Giants unique teams device is good with punter Riley Dixon and unique teams ace Nate Ebner, but we also could see a trick perform from this device that could identify the final result of the sport.

Prediction

The Giants will be better coached this year under Decide and will display development. But it’s a tall endeavor to hope a rookie head mentor and a younger roster to beat 1 of the greatest teams in the AFC with out possessing preseason online games. Huge Blue will battle and give the Steelers all they can handle. But in the finish, they’ll occur up just small of victory. Steelers 23, Giants 17.