5 Steelers who need to thrive in Week 8 vs. Giants

Most around the Steelers organization have felt pretty good ever since they won their game last week to improve to a 5-2 record on the year. That is a nice mark, but Pittsburgh must be prepared for their next matchup in Week 8. They follow this game with a bye week, so the Steelers must not overlook the Giants, who are one of the worst teams in the NFL.

There are plenty of weaknesses going against the Giants heading into this game against the Steelers. It is hard to put one position group over Pittsburgh in terms of talent differential. No matter how much of a better roster the black and gold might have over New York, every Steeler's fan knows how much Mike Tomlin struggles with bad teams. There are no guaranteed wins in the NFL.

Steelers will be counting on these players to get a win in Week 8

Ryan McCollum

Dexter Lawrence has been on a tear to start the season. Ryan McCollum will make his second start for the Steelers at center. He will not be the only guy trying to guard Lawrence, but it will take a group effort to slow him down. McCollum and company must quiet the Giants pass rush enough to give Russell Wilson a shot at looking down the field. If Lawrence has a big day, it could be troublesome.

Alex Highsmith

T.J. Watt still finds ways to impact games for the Steelers, but teams have found ways to slow him down enough as a pass rusher. That is going to lead to more pressure on Alex Highsmith going forward to produce. He has gotten pressure on the quarterback in recent weeks, but he needs to finish. Daniel Jones has been terrible for the Giants, and pressure could force turnovers.

Russell Wilson

A lot of what Wilson does in this game will depend on how his offensive line performs. Pittsburgh's defense should be able to have a strong showing, so Wilson needs to be careful with the football. He can't feel like he needs to force problems down the field. He had a strong showing in his first start, so hopefully, that is a sign of things to come. Wilson will be an X-factor in the outcome of this game.

Minkah Fitzpatrick

Quiet mumbles are turning into vocal whispers around Pittsburgh about Minkah Fitzpatrick's lack of turnovers. He just hasn't produced any for a long time. He got paid a lot of money to help turnover the football, and he hasn't been able to. You can chalk different things up to being out of his control, but big money demands production. Fitzpatrick has been good, but he has a shot at being great in this game.

Jaylen Warren

Last week seemed like a turning point for Jaylen Warren who has been struggling with injuries up to this point in the season. Najee Harris has looked terrific these past two weeks, but it is possible he could slow down at some point. Warren could be the juice the Steelers turn to if Harris struggles against a strong Giants front. The rushing duo might be the only shot at a strong run game.