Giants at Steelers: Highlights, score and recap

Highlights, recap and score for the Pittsburgh Steelers against the New York Giants at Heinz Field in Week 13.

The Pittsburgh Steelers can keep their playoff hopes alive by beating the New York Giants at Heinz Field this Sunday. Big Blue enter Week 13 two games behind the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC East, but remain a strong contender to reach the postseason at 8-3.

Meanwhile, the Steelers need to keep pace with the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC North. The rivals are an identical 6-5 after 12 weeks.

Beating the Giants will demand a consistent pass rush from an inconsistent Steelers defense. Coordinator Keith Butler’s biggest challenge has been finding ways to generate more pressure.

Pittsburgh’s D’ has produced just 24 sacks this season. Looking for more, Butler has been trying to find the right combination off the edges, per Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

The outside linebackers have just 9.5 sacks total with ageless James Harrison leading the team with four. His ability to pressure the quarterback and play against the run, even at 38, is why he was promoted over (Jarvis) Jones to start the past two games.

But they still rotate those two along with starter Anthony Chickillo and Arthur Moats on the left, and now (Bud) Dupree.

The Steelers need their outside linebackers to consistently bring heat off the edges. Butler should also move them around and rush Harrison and Co. through the middle.

It would be a smart ploy against a quarterback as static in the pocket as the Giants’ Eli Manning.

Even at 35, Manning is putting together a splendid season. He’s thrown for 20 touchdowns and completed 90.1 percent of his passes.

If Manning’s given time, he’ll exploit playmaking wide receivers Victor Cruz, rookie Sterling Shepard and Odell Beckham Jr., one of the NFL‘s best, against an overmatched Steelers secondary.

Highlights

Highlights will be updated and added as and when they happen.

Three Stars

Here’s a prediction for which players will thrive this week.

1. Eli Manning

Even a few schematic wrinkles from Butler won’t stop Manning from putting up big numbers this week. Big Blue’s signal-caller just has too many weapons to target.

Manning still looks for Beckham most often, but he’s also managed to spread the ball around at times. Shepard and Cruz have both tallied over 400 yards receiving.

If the Steelers can’t collapse the pocket consistently, Manning will pick holes in their zone shells.

2. Ladarius Green

The Steelers have an obvious matchup advantage whenever they release Ladarius Green over the middle against the Giants. Big Blue’s defense simply doesn’t have the athletes at the linebacker level to stay with such a dynamic, joker-style tight end.

In fact, the Giants have been yielding yards in chunks against tight ends recently, according to Rotowire at CBS Sports: “Helping Green’s cause this weekend is a matchup against the Giants, who have allowed 16.1 YPC and one touchdown to tight ends over the last four games.”

Green has averaged 19.4 yards on five catches since returning from injury in Week 10. He’s a safe bet for some big plays this week.

3. Stephon Tuitt

Slowly but surely, Stephon Tuitt is emerging as a difference-maker up front for the Pittsburgh defense. The former Notre Dame behemoth is tough to move in the running game, and a force as an interior pass-rusher.

Tuitt has registered three sacks in as many games recently. He’s a matchup nightmare for the Giants O-line.

The group will be weakened on the inside with veteran guard Justin Pugh still unlikely to feature, per ESPN’s Jordan Raanan. Tuitt has the talent to take this game over.