The New York Giants are sitting nicely in the NFC at 8-3 after an expected win against the Cleveland Browns. The Giants continue to look impressive on defense and even showed an improved look on offense. If the Giants continue this momentum, Sunday should mean their seventh win in a row and ninth win of the season overall. As the G-Men prepare for a battle on the road against the Pittsburgh Steelers, here are the Giants keys to Victory:
New York Giants Week 13 Keys to Victory
Eliminate the Turnovers
Pittsburgh may not have the best defense in the league, but their defense does come equipped with a high scoring offense. New York simply cannot afford to turn the ball over against the Steelers. Over the last two weeks, Eli Manning has managed to keep the ball away from opposing defense and has not thrown any interceptions.
However, the Giants continue to have at least one fumble each week. Last week their special teams unit turned the ball over during a punt return. The week before, against the Chicago Bears, Odell Beckham Jr. had a fumble of his own. This week New York needs better ball control and to eliminate turnovers on offense and special teams to limit the number of scoring opportunities for Pittsburgh.
Eli Manning Must Trust His Receivers
The one thing teams can count on when facing the Giants is that Manning will look to get the ball to Odell Beckham, Jr. The bright side to this is that Beckham typically manages to get open despite the opposing team coverage. But Manning cannot forget about his other receivers.
Each week there is a glimpse of Victor Cruz and Sterling Shepard, and Manning should never count out either of them. Both Cruz and Shepard have an immense amount of talent and are definitely among the trusted receivers Manning can rely on to be consistent. If the former Ole Miss quarterback can spread the ball around, the Giants are likely to score more on offense and limit the amount of time their defense is on the field.
The Secondary Must Shut Down Antonio Brown
One of the biggest threats the New York this Sunday will be Antonio Brown. Brown is a play-maker, and without a doubt one of the best receivers in the league. The talented wideout will do whatever it takes to get to the ball. This means New York cannot afford any blown coverages, especially when it comes to Brown.
The Giants need a big showing from Landon Collins, Janoris Jenkins, Eli Apple, and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. If Ben Roethlisberger can get the ball to Brown, this means trouble for New York. If New York can keep Brown locked down that could mean a low scoring game for the Steelers and a victory for the Giants.
The Defensive Line Must Stop Le’Veon Bell
The Giants are looking at back-to-back games against two of the best running backs in the entire NFL when they face the Steelers and Le’Veon Bell and then the Dallas Cowboys and Ezekiel Elliot. To have any chance of winning this week against Pittsburgh the Giants defensive line must find a way to contain Bell. It may have only been against the Browns, but last week, New York’s defensive line was able to sack Josh McCown seven times and forced three fumbles.
Jason Pierre-Paul had a terrific game with three sacks, five tackles, a forced fumble, and a fumble returned for a touchdown. If JPP and the entire defensive line can have a showing like last weej, both Roethlisberger and Bell may have a tough time escaping and getting the ball anywhere.
While Pittsburgh has had an up and down season, they are on a two game winning streak, which New York will be looking to put a stop to as the Giants try to continue on their road to the playoffs.
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