Ben Roethlisberger has led the Steelers to three Super Bowl appearances in his time with Pittsburgh.
Ben Roethlisberger has led the Steelers to three Super Bowl appearances in his time with Pittsburgh. Reuters

Two of the best quarterbacks in the NFL are set to square off on Sunday as the Pittsburgh Steelers visit the New York Giants. Eli Manning will face Ben Roethlisberger for just the third time in their careers.

The two signal callers were both a part of the 2004 NFL Draft. Manning went first overall to the Giants and Roethlisberger went to the Steelers at No.11.

Ever since they came into the league, there’s been a debate about which player is better.

By looking at the statistics, Roethlisberger might be the winner. His 92.8 career quarterback rating is much better than Manning’s 82.6. The Steelers quarterback has also been much more accurate, with a 63.4 completion percentage, compared to Manning’s 58.7

Roethlisberger has more Super Bowl appearances than his counterpart. Both have two rings, but Roethlisberger has taken Pittsburgh to three title games.

Manning had a slower start to his career. In the past couple of years, however, he’s been just about as good as any quarterback in the league. He threw for close to 5,000 yards last year and led the Giants to their second championship in five seasons.

While Roethlisberger may have the statistical advantage, Manning is known to be the most “clutch” quarterback in the NFL. He set a record in 2011 with 15 touchdowns in the fourth quarter.

There’s a good chance either Manning or Roethlisberger will be forced to make some big plays down the stretch. It’s expected to be a close game. The consensus betting line at most Las Vegas sportsbooks has the Giants favored by 3.5 points.

New York is usually better on the road, but may have an advantage in this one because of Pittsburgh’s travel plans. Hurricane Sandy forced the Steelers to fly into New Jersey on Sunday morning.

While the star quarterbacks will be ready to go, both teams will be missing key defensive players. Steelers safety Troy Polamalu will miss his fourth straight game with a calf injury. Giants Safety Kenny Phillips will also be sidelined.

Pittsburgh’s top running back, Rashard Mendenhall, is doubtful to play. Giants rusher Ahmad Bradshaw will play, despite a foot injury.

The game will air on CBS at 4:25 p.m. ET. You can watch a live stream online by purchasing NFL Sunday Ticket Max.

National Football League