In a final preview ahead of tonight’s game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Giants, former head coach Bill Belichick offered his analysis of Week 8’s final game. Appearing on the Pat McAfee Show every Monday afternoon, Belichick believes this will be a battle won in the trenches.
“Offensively, I think this is a tough matchup for the Giants offensive line,” Belichick told the show. “The Steelers’ defensive line front is really good. Highsmith and Watt on the edge, Heyward inside, I mean, they’re tough to handle.”
Pittsburgh’s front has help lead the No. 2 scoring defense this season allowing just 14.4 points per game. The pass rush group is getting healthier with Alex Highsmith’s return. He and Watt have favorable matchups against potentially two backup Giants’ tackles after losing LT Andrew Thomas for the season while RT Jermaine Eluemunor is questionable with a hip/groin injury. It’s possible New York is forced to play ex-Steeler Chris Hubbard at left tackle after signing him off the San Francisco 49ers’ practice squad earlier this week.
The Giants have struggled to have success on the ground and have one of football’s most pass-heavy schemes. For a unit struggling to protect QB Daniel Jones and lack top-tier talent at the skill positions sans WR Malik Nabers, it’s put additional strain on their 30th-ranked offense.
Likewise, New York’s d-line is a strength and could give Pittsburgh trouble up front.
“The Giants have a great defensive line…they gave up some yards on the edge last week running away from Dexter Lawrence and those guys. But Lawrence is a force. I think he’s honestly, this guy might be the MVP in the league defensively.”
Lawrence entered the Week leading the league with nine sacks, the most by a player of his size in NFL history. An all-situations player whose logging 76-percent of his defense’s snaps, he is the Steelers’ top priority up front. Starting fourth-string center Ryan McCollum for the second-straight game, Lawrence could collapse the pocket and plug the run. There’s also DE Brian Burns, acquired this offseason from the Carolina Panthers and has a sack in three-straight games. New York has a league-leading 31 sacks and if they keep that pace going tonight, the Steelers could be playing from behind the sticks.
Still, Belichick is confident in the Steelers’ plan. And Russell Wilson’s ability to make plays downfield.
“The biggest thing I always felt like playing Russell Wilson was you cannot get the ball thrown over your head,” Belichick said. The scrambles are a little bit of an issue…But he kills you on those deep balls. He can throw those 60 and 70 yarders, 50 yarders and just drop ’em in where you’re all over the guy and he still finds space to get the ball in there. So I think the Giants gotta do a good job of not giving up any big plays.”
Wilson flashed that in his Steelers’ debut last week, peppering an overmatched New York Jets’ secondary with big plays. Pittsburgh completed four passes of 30-plus yards, their most in a single game since 2017 against the Detroit Lions. He was helped by spectacular catches by WR George Pickens and TE Pat Freiermuth but Wilson was also getting his timing down after missing the first six games. He flashed pinpoint deep ball accuracy and excellent arm strength in training camp, suggesting his placement will improve in the future.
If Pittsburgh can run the ball with success and use play-action off it while preventing the Giants from ripping off chunk plays, they should move to 6-2 heading into the bye week.
