Giants-Steelers: Giants Out-Physical the Physical; Defeat Pittsburgh at Heinz

With the "easy" part of their schedule in the rearview mirror, the New York Giants traveled to Pittsburgh yesterday as they began a 10-game stretch that pits them against many of the NFL's elite. And with a loss to the Cleveland Browns still lingering, many "experts" expected their real troubles to begin on Sunday afternoon.

But as they did last year, the defending Super Bowl Champions stared doubt right in the face and used it as motivation. And after 60 grueling minutes of old-school, intense, and physical football, Big Blue stood victorious.

POSITIVES

1) Defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka

It took seven games, but Kiwi finally announced his presence on Sunday. With Justin Tuck receiving a ton of extra attention, the Giants' other defensive end decided it was finally time to take matters into his own hands. And not only did he do that, but he also took total control of the game, sacking Big Ben three times and adding five tackles for good measure.

2) Safety Kenny Phillips

Like Kiwanuka, it took some time for Phillips to finally announce his presence. But when the opportunity was given to him, he made the most of it. The rookie out of Miami had a game for the ages on Sunday, laying some of the most impressive hits I've ever seen, and eventually hauling in the game-ending interception.

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