PITTSBURGH — There was a time in recent seasons past when the Giants barely could crawl, much less walk or, dare we say it, run. The Giants of 2016 already have proven they are not that stumbling, bumbling team. They have mastered crawling and are walking quite nicely, thank you very much.

As for the running, well, wait and see, shall we?

You want to find a team running and sprinting away from the pack, look no further than the Cowboys — who are 11-1, winners of 11 consecutive games and in command of the NFC East. In many years, the Giants sitting at 8-3 would sit atop the division, but not this year. Barring a collapse in Dallas, the Giants realistically are looking to secure their hold of an NFC wild-card playoff berth and reaching the postseason for the first time in five years, as the division title looks beyond their reach.

Sure, a Cowboys loss this past Thursday in Minnesota and a Giants victory on Sunday over the Steelers at Heinz Field would have set up a magnificent showdown next weekend. Now, no matter what happens in the Steel City, the Cowboys will arrive and depart MetLife Stadium in first place. So be it. The Giants, rolling along with a six-game winning streak that has not impressed everyone — they are a six-point underdog to the Steelers, who are dangerous but still 6-5 — embark on a challenging five-game stretch run. They seem anxious to get going and eager for the steep upgrade in quality after disposing of the Bears and Browns.

“Some people take it as being just another game and some people take it as a playoff game,’’ said Landon Collins, the ascendant second-year safety. “For me, I just look at it as a game. It’s a game with another team that’s in our way. You have to fight to the end. Just continue pushing to where you want to go.’’

Unlike his predecessor, Tom Coughlin, Ben McAdoo does not detail the pennant race at the start of team meetings, preferring the focus stays within the walls of the facility and not beyond. That’s where his “farm your own land’’ credo comes in.

“I think the most important thing is that I need to be consistent,’’ McAdoo said. “That’s number one. Number two is they need to get lost in the details. It’s harder for them to do that than it is a coach, just because we’re here all the time. They have a chance to go home in the evenings and get a day off a week. To me, they need to get lost in the details. Let the big picture take care of itself.’’

It is expected to be cold, damp and dreary in a stadium notoriously difficult for the road team, and the Steelers can make life miserable for any defense — with Ben Roethlisberger throwing to Antonio Brown or handing it (or throwing it) to Le’Veon Bell. It is the best three-ring circus in the NFL.

A key will be if the surging Giants defensive line can become the dominant unit in the game. Punishing the Pittsburgh offensive line, along with Eli Manning and the passing attack going against a shaky Steelers secondary, are the main advantages for the Giants.

Even after winning two straight, the Steelers are in desperation mode. They are on the outside looking in in the AFC wild-card race. Their ticket to the playoffs is winning the AFC North, where they are tied with the Ravens but behind in the tiebreaker.

“It’s going to be a grind,’’ Olivier Vernon said. “It’s going to be that type of game, honestly. They’re going to want to win just as much as us. Going into their house, it’s going to be a hostile environment. They’re a playoff team as well. This whole month of December is going to be really big for both of us down the stretch. We are going to see who wants it more.’’

Marquee matchup

Steelers CB Artie Burns and Ross Cockrell vs. Giants WR Odell Beckham Jr.

Yes indeed, the flip-side to this — Steelers WR Antonio Brown vs. Giants CB Janoris Jenkins — is must-see action. Jenkins probably is better equipped to handle his assignment than his counterparts wearing black. Burns, a rookie first-round pick from Miami, has excellent size and is a risk-taker, which could pose problems against the shiftiness of Beckham. Cockrell, a former Bills practice squad player, did an outstanding job earlier this season vs. A.J. Green.

4 downs

Really Big Ben: Watching on TV does not do justice as to how Ben Roethlisberger lives up to what everyone calls him. Big Ben is truly big — 6-foot-5 and 240 pounds of bigness. Defensive players often are taken aback the first time they get on the field and see just how large he is. Put it this way: Big Ben is bigger than Jonathan Casillas and Keenan Robinson, the top two Giants linebackers. He certainly is bigger than safety Landon Collins, named the NFC Defensive Player of the Month for November.

“I’ve been watching that since I was a kid,’’ Collins said of Roethlisberger. “I was always saying how do you miss a sack on him? Well, he’s really strong and big. He’s tough.’’

Roethlisberger has been sacked just 14 times this season.

Tough man contest: James Harrison at 38 years old is not what he once was and is a part-time player for the Steelers. Nevertheless, he leads the team in sacks with four. No wonder, considering he is the franchise leader with 78.5 career sacks and he embodies the rugged, physical, nasty streak Pittsburgh’s defense has been known for — even though this year’s unit hardly can be viewed as world-beaters.

“I don’t call anyone old because I think we’re about the same age,’’ Eli Manning said of Harrison. “He’s got sacks, caused fumbles, interceptions. It seems like he’s on a little bit of a pitch count. He’s not in there but maybe 25, 30 plays a game. When he’s in there, he’s effective.’’

Serve and protect: Despite their revolving-door situation at left guard, the Giants’ offensive line mostly has remained intact. That continuity will be put to the test against the Steelers’ 3-4 defensive front and blitzing linebackers. Manning has been sacked an NFL-low 13 times this season — but to be fair, only some of the credit goes to the guys up front.

“Eli Manning makes such good and quick decisions, he gets that ball out,’’ Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. “He doesn’t get sacked, he hasn’t been sacked over the course of his career. The state of the offensive line appears to be somewhat irrelevant regarding that.’’

Handling prosperity: The Steelers are desperate — if the playoffs started today, they would not be included. The Giants are, well, not. As long as they do not collapse in December, they will make the postseason for the first time since 2011. The Giants haven’t lost since Oct. 9, and are hearing plenty of good stuff about themselves.

“We understand that you guys love us when we are up, and when we are down, you love to put us down, so we understand that and we can’t get too big-headed about it,’’ Victor Cruz said. “We just have to be 1-0 every week and take it how it comes and be humble in victory.’’

Paul’s pick

Steelers have scored 38, 43, 31 and 30 points in games this season. The Giants haven’t scored more than 28 in any game. If this turns into a shootout, can the Giants keep up? Can their passing game really get cranked up and connect with more consistency? Check back Sunday around 7:30 p.m.

Steelers 27, Giants 20