Joe Judge speaks on opening week against Pittsburgh

Opening week games continue tonight with Joe Judge and the New York Giants hosting the Pittsburgh Steelers. This game will feature Ben Roethlisberger‘s first NFL snaps since missing most of last season with a major elbow injury.

How will Big Ben play?

New York will have to play a guessing game of whether the injury will limit Roethlisberger’s ability, or if he will return to his 2018 play where he threw for 5,000-plus yards and 34 touchdowns. Giants’ head coach Joe Judge prepares to focus on Juju Smith-Schuster as he points to the connection the two players have. Watching tapes of Smith-Schuster and Roethlisberger, Judge said, “There’s obviously chemistry between them.”

Judge points out how impactful of a player Smith-Schuster can be. Juju, Judge said, “stays alive on plays and makes contested catches, this guy’s really just an outstanding player.”

Will no preseason affect the game?

Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the NFL did not have a preseason. This typically allows players a way to slowly work back into full-speed football against other teams. Judge said without preseason play, “you’re gonna see a combination of regular-season and preseason football early on.” Judge wants his team to focus on “playing smart football” and limit as many early season mistakes as possible.

Judge’s key to the game is “being fundamentally sound” against a tough Pittsburgh front.

It will have to be seen if they can live up to that.

Joe Judge’s expectations for the team

Judge has worked to build a “tough, smart, fundamentally sound” team. This is where he keeps his emphasis and where he hopes his team can succeed.

Daniel Jones will be starting his sophomore season. This will also be his first year without Eli Manning on the roster. The Giants hoped that Manning could turn back the clock last season. But when he could not, Jones was catapulted into the starting role earlier that the Giants planned.

Tonight’s game starts at 7:15 p.m. (EST).