New York Post
http://www.nypost.com
November 4, 2012
Antrel Rolle said there is a good chance the Steelers’ wide receivers are faster than any the Giants have faced this season. Prince Amukamara agrees.
“For sure. On film, yeah,” Amukamara said. “I’m sure they’re going to be in person too.”
Well, Amukamara, Rolle and the rest of the Giants will find out for themselves tomorrow, when they face the Steelers’ sensational wideout duo of Mike Wallace and Antonio Brown. The Pittsburgh speedsters are potentially the best pair of receivers in football, and the Giants’ secondary will have a formidable challenge containing them at MetLife Stadium.
Getty Images
BIG BROWN: Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown shows his speed as he races past the Bengals’ Adam Jones earlier this season. Tomorrow, Brown and teammate Mike Wallace will provide a challenge to the Giants’ secondary.
The Steelers also have a terrific tight end in Heath Miller, giving Pittsburgh a passing attack the envy of most of the NFL.
In seven games this season, Brown has 40 catches for 480 yards and a touchdown, Wallace has 36 receptions for 459 yards and four TDs and Miller has 35 grabs for 336 yards and six scores. All three are on pace for at least 80 catches, an outstanding total for one receiver, let alone three.
“It’s definitely kind of like last week when facing Dallas,” safety Stevie Brown said, “whenever [we were] facing [Miles] Austin and [Dez] Bryant and [Jason] Witten down there.”
The Giants need to hope not. In their wild 29-24 win over the Cowboys last Sunday, the Giants were torched by Dallas’ receiving trio, which mirrors Pittsburgh’s with two excellent receivers (Austin and Bryant) and one impressive tight end (Witten). Austin had nine catches for 133 yards, Bryant had five for 110 and Witten had 18 for 167.
That may not bode well for the Giants tomorrow against the Steelers’ trio.
“Last week [Austin and Bryant] were bigger receivers,” Amukamara said. “This week, speed. ... [Wallace and Brown are] both freakishly fast and freakishly gifted athletes.
“I’d say Antonio Brown is maybe like a [Victor] Cruz, just very shifty like that.”
Coincidentally, there were just two sets of wide receiver teammates who each went over 1,000 yards last year — Cruz and Hakeem Nicks for the Giants and Wallace and Brown for the Steelers.
Cornerback Jayron Hosley said the Giants’ speed receivers helped with preparing for the Steelers this week, citing Cruz and Jerrel Jernigan, the team’s sixth wideout. Jernigan worked during practice this week as both Brown and Steelers No. 3 wideout Emmanuel Sanders. Jernigan said though the Eagles’ DeSean Jackson is likely the fastest wideout he has seen this season, Brown is the “quickest in stopping, starting and cutting, hands down.”
“I would definitely agree with that one,” Stevie Brown said.
Brown and Wallace complement each other, too.
“Look at the tape. They’re very, very difficult to defend,” coach Tom Coughlin said. “They cause you to have to be in position all over the field. Go ahead and try to double somebody, try to take somebody away from them. They have answers for that.”
Whether the Giants do will be determined tomorrow.
No comments:
Post a Comment