Our panel of writers came together to preview this week’s Giants game, by each finding a single battle they felt would be the “key to the game” for the Steelers to emerge victorious.

Is this the most difficult game left on the Steelers schedule?

Joe

My key to the game is the defense… will the Steelers D that has been getting pressure, holding offenses to next to nothing point-wise, and creating turnovers, show up again this Sunday? Or was it a fluke against inferior competition?

The Giants have padded their winning streak with poor competition as well, so this Sunday is the game where we find out if Pittsburgh, or New York, are the pretenders in this postseason race.

Eric

My key is the secondary. As of recently the Steelers secondary has been playing really well, despite what many think.

Both Pro Football Focus and Bleacher Report have praised our secondary and given our players high ratings recently.

This week though they will be tested.  The Giants arguably have the best group of receivers we’ll see all season. Odell Beckham Jr. is one of the best receivers in the league and may give our secondary headaches.

Sterling Shepherd and Victor Cruz are both capable of balling-out as well.

In our most recent games we’ve seen our secondary excel while facing subpar quarterbacks and shaky receivers. This week they have the opportunity to show people that this group is legit, and they will need to if the Steelers are gonna win this potential shootout.

Terry

My key is to minimize penalties.

When we go out and play our game with the high octane offense of Ben, Bell, AB (and add in Rogers, Green, James and sleeper David Johnson) stopping Ben is almost impossible, especially with his O-Line.

But the Steelers have a tendency to shoot themselves in the foot with unnecessary penalties: AB with his TD celebrations and 15-yards, face mask penalties with a game won, and my favorite the old block in the back on punt returns, just kills momentum, and gives the opposition something they always seem to capitalize on.

If we limit those unnecessary penalties and play our game, we win.

Brian

For me, this is the biggest key to this game. Which line dominates? Is it our O-line, allowing Le’Veon to run all over?

Is it our D-line, continuing the sack attack that we’ve had the past two weeks.

Or is it the Giants D or O line that dominates. If it is, then we will have a hard time winning this game.

Our O-line needs to keep Ben clean the way they have been, and they will have a much more difficult time this week. Jason Pierre-Paul will be a handful for whomever faces him. If they leave him on a tight end he’s going to abuse whomever it is. He has 7 sacks so far this year, and Olivier Vernon has 5.5, so it’s not a one-man show.

Which unit establishes their dominance, and enforces their will on the other is going to determine who wins this matchup.