Eagles Vs Steelers: Week 8 Opponent Preview
The Philadelphia Eagles are coming off their bye week and will face the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday afternoon at Lincoln Financial Field. Philadelphia hopes to preserve their perfect record in a matchup against Pittsburgh who comes into the game at 2-5. It has been an up and down year for the Steelers, so what can the Eagles expect to see out of them in Week Eight?
Season Recap
The Steelers opened their season with an overtime win over the Bengals before dropping four straight games. This resulted in the benching of the season opening quarterback, Mitchell Trubisky. The Steelers got their second win in Week Six in an upset over Tom Brady and the Buccaneers. Last week, the Steelers only managed 10 points in a 16-10 loss to the Miami Dolphins on Sunday Night. The Steelers will come into Philadelphia at 2-5 and last in their division while the Eagles are 6-0 and the only undefeated team in football.
Eagles’ Defense Vs Steelers Offense
The Pittsburgh Steelers are one the league’s worst offenses. They are 28th in points scored, 26th in rushing yards and 24th in passing yards. Their 12 turnovers are the fifth most in the league.
Pittsburgh is led by rookie quarterback, Kenny Pickett. Pickett is from Ocean Township, New Jersey and grew up an Eagles fan. He played his college football for the University of Pittsburgh and was drafted with the 30th overall pick this year. His best playmakers include running back Najee Harris and receivers Chase Claypool, Diontae Johnson, and rookie George Pickens. Tight end Pat Freiermuth, a former Penn State star, is another player to watch.
The Eagles should have plenty of favorable matchups in this game. Their defensive line should have no issues pressuring the rookie quarterback and inexperienced Steelers offensive line. The Eagles also have an elite secondary with Darius Slay and James Bradberry who should shut down the Steelers’ receivers. Pittsburgh has not scored more than 23 points once this season and the Eagles have kept five out of their six opponents from scoring more than 21 points.
Eagles’ Offense Vs Steelers Defense
The Eagles have one of the best offenses in the league so far. Quarterback Jalen Hurts has been effective throwing the ball and can do some damage on the ground too. He has plenty of playmakers around him including running back Miles Sanders and receivers Devonta Smith and A.J. Brown. Philadelphia also has an elite offensive line when healthy. The Eagles’ offense should be able to do some damage against an average Steelers defense.
Pittsburgh is giving up 23.1 points per game which is 21st in the NFL. The Steelers rush defense is ranked 18th while their pass defense is ranked 28th. Expect the Eagles to get their passing attack going much like earlier in the season while also maintain a strong running game. The Eagles have scored at least 20 points in all their games this year.
The Steelers players to watch include veteran defensive tackle Cameron Heyward, and safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick is a former Alabama star and has plenty of game changing plays in his career. In Week One, he had a pick-6 off Joe Burrow and blocked a game winning extra point. The Eagles will have to keep an eye on Fitzpatrck but should match up well with the remainder of the Steelers defense.
In Conclusion
On paper, the Eagles should be able to control this game. They come into the weekend as an 11-point favorite and are fresh off a bye week. The Steelers will not be an easy out though. Pittsburgh kept their game against the Dolphins a one-score game and have only been blown out once this year. Expect the Eagles to win but they must take this one seriously like any other game.
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