(This was post originally published before last week’s game. Currently, as of 10/29, Plaxico Burress is on schedule to start against the Dallas Cowboys this weekend. For fantasy analysis, check out Kaner’s Week 9 Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Advice post.)
Jay Glazer has reported on the Fox NFL Pregame Show that New York Giants WR Plaxico Burress will not start today when the Giants take on the Pittsburgh Steelers. Plaxico Burress reportedly missed several days of for his neck injury this week and the team appears poised to suspend Burress again if he “has another blowup.” He is still eligible to play in the Steelers game, as he apparently will not be deactivited; but if the Giants play well without him, Burress will not be inserted into the game.
In other injury news in the Giants-Steelers game, Steelers RB Willie Parker will be deactivated and not able to play.
This is obviously one of the games of the day in the NFL, as both teams enter play at 5-1 and leaders of their respective divisions. The game is in Pittsburgh, and will be televised on FOX this afternoon, beginning at 4:15. It is hard to pick against the Steelers at home in this one, but that is exactly what my pick is. The New York Giants have shown an uncanny ability in recent years to rise up and play well when they are having locker room distractions. Clearly, the Plaxico Burress mess from this week (he was also fined by the NFL for his actions in last week’s game, which included a verbal spat with coach Tom Coughlin) has been a major distraction.
However, even with one of their best players on the sidelines, I look for the Giants to come through with a hard-fought victory. The Pittsburgh Steelers have had a hard time protecting Ben Roethlisberger this year, and Big Ben is without one of his favorite targets in Santonio Holmes, who was suspended earlier this week for being caught with pot in his car. Additionally, the continued absence of Willie Parker obviously does not help the Steelers’ run game.
Look for a solid outing from Giants QB Eli Manning, in which he focuses on protecting the ball and moving the chains methodically, as well as ball-control effort from the three headed running back monster of Brandon Jacobs-Derrick Ward-Ahmad Bradshaw. The Steelers will have their hands full with Justin Tuck and the Giants’ front 7 and I think that Giants will be able to pull this one out by protecting a slim lead in the 4th quarter with their power running.
New York Giants 24 | Pittsburgh Steelers 21
[tags]pittsburgh steelers, new york giants, plaxico burress, nfl[/tags]
About Jerod Morris
