Perhaps one of the biggest game in this week 8, the Pittsburgh Steelers hosted the defending champs New York Giants at Heinz field.
Every football fans know how tough it is to play at Heinz field with its terrible towels that make you lose concentration. But the Giants were huge against a pressure they never really felt, though. The homefield advantage switch to become an oufield advantage for the visiting team.
Besides things had well begun for the Steelers because they scored first after a long run of Mewelde Moore for a touchdown (photo left).
Then things went weird for Pittsburgh, Ben Roethlisberger (13-29 for 189 yds, 1 touchdown but 4 interceptions) was not aware he faced a very athletic defense so he was sacked 5 times by Giants' front seven, Justin Tuck (1), Mathias Kiwanucka (3, photo left #97) and sophomore Dave tollefson (1).
My point is, Roethlisberger waits too long before releasing the ball, he has too confidence in his legs so he thinks he could escape any pressure but he's wrong.
Let's take a look at Steelers' QB, the key things is not he was sacked 5 times, it is that he was picked off 4 times because he was hurried in his choices, took bad decisions and that's the result of the huge Giants' defensive ends' pressure.
Giants' first touchdown was scored with about 3 minutes to go in regulation on a 3-yard pass from Eli Manning (19 of 32 for 199 yards, 1 touchdown) to Kevin Boss (Photo right #89, 4 receptions for 34 yards and 1 touchdown). By the way, Steve Smith was good in this ball game (3 receptions for 45 yards). Maybe he will become Giants' possession reciever in the future, after Amani Toomer's retirement, beside the deep threat Plaxico Buress.