The Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Giants, though both 5-1 heading into their head-to-head date at Heinz Field on Sunday, are not mirror images of one another.

Defensively, the Steelers are a zone-blitzing 3-4 unit that has long emphasized stopping the run with hard-hitting play from its front seven and defensive backs.

The Giants, meanwhile are a 4-3 group that predicates its scheme on the ability of its front four to get to the quarterback.

On offense, Pittsburgh possesses strong-armed quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and a bevy of talented receivers, but the Steelers generally remain the run- first unit they have been since Franco Harris was doing the running in the 70's.

The Giants are a strong rushing team as well, and in fact own the league's No. 1 running attack as Week 8 begins, but it is arguably a passing game including triggerman Eli Manning and targets like Plaxico Burress, Amani Toomer, and Steve Smith that puts a bigger scare into opposing defensive coordinators.

They're different, no doubt about it, but the Steelers and Giants are also pretty much the same.

The recent track record is quite similar, with both organizations winning recent Super Bowls in much the same manner. Pittsburgh worked feverishly to make the 2005 Playoffs as a Wild Card entry, then promptly became the first team in NFL history to win four straight games away from home en route to a Super Bowl title.

Two seasons later, Big Blue followed an almost-identical path, making the postseason field as a Wild Card then storming through Tampa Bay, Dallas, Green Bay and onto Arizona where they stunned the Patriots in Super Bowl XLII.

In addition to their similar recent fortunes, both clubs harbor serious, realistic Super Bowl aspirations in 2008.

The Steelers have quietly compiled a 5-1 mark that arguably has them ranked as one of the top two contenders in the AFC, along with the still-unbeaten Tennessee Titans. Mike Tomlin's squad maintained its two-game advantage over Baltimore in the AFC North last week, dismissing the Bengals (38-10) despite playing without running back Willie Parker (knee) and safety Troy Polamalu (concussion).

The Giants also remained above the fray in Week 8, holding off the visiting 49ers (29-17) to maintain a half-game edge over the second-place Washington Redskins in the NFC East.

New York, which has won nine of its last 10 games dating back to last season, will head to Pittsburgh putting the best record in the NFC on the line.

SERIES HISTORY

The Steelers lead the series with the Giants, which dates back to the 1933 season, by a 43-28-3 count. Pittsburgh was a 33-30 winner when the teams last met, in 2004, at the Meadowlands. The Giants won the previous meeting, taking a 30-10 decision at home in 2000, and were 23-20 winners when they last visited Pittsburgh in 1991. The Steelers' most recent home triumph in the series occurred in 1971.

Giants head coach Tom Coughlin is 8-8 in his career against the Steelers, including 8-7 while head coach in Jacksonville (1995-2002). Pittsburgh's Tomlin will be meeting both Coughlin and the Giants for the first time as a head coach.

WHEN THE GIANTS HAVE THE BALL

As mentioned, the Giants are No. 1 in NFL rushing offense (169.7), and also pace the league in yards per carry (5.6) and rushes of 20 yards or longer (11). The bruising Brandon Jacobs (516 rushing yards, 6 TD) is literally a big part of that dynamic, but backups Derrick Ward (337 rushing yards, 13 receptions) and Ahmad Bradshaw (147 rushing yards, 3 receptions, 2 TD) have had their moments this season as well. Jacobs had 69 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries against the 49ers last week; Ward notched 50 yards receiving out of the backfield; and Ward made his eight carries count for 28 yards. Meanwhile, Eli Manning (1389 passing yards, 8 TD, 4 INT) has been at the helm of an offense that has committed a league-low-tying four turnovers on the season, and is the only club in the NFL that has yet to lose a fumble. Ex- Steeler Plaxico Burress (25 receptions, 3 TD) returned to the lineup after a one-game team suspension last Sunday, and caught a touchdown pass. Secondary options Amani Toomer (20 receptions, 1 TD) and Steve Smith (26 receptions) combined for seven catches and 70 yards. Manning has been sacked just six times in six games thus far on the year.

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