The Philadelphia Eagles are coming off their first win of the season against the San Francisco 49ers to take on undefeated Pittsburgh Steelers. It’s the “Battle for Pennsylvania,” and the Eagles will be looking to maintain their lead atop the NFC East.
The Steelers have one of – if not the best – defenses in the league led by T.J. Watt and Minkah Fitzpatrick. The Eagles have had offenses woes moving the ball down the field, and Carson Wentz will need a dominant performance against a ferocious pass rush and secondary.
Will the Eagles be able to keep their winning ways going, or will the Steelers be able to remain undefeated? Let’s analyze both teams.
Philadelphia Eagles (1-2-1):
Carson Wentz had a solid performance last week, including an impressive deep pass to Travis Fulgham. The Eagles were missing Jalen Reagor, Alshon Jeffery, DeSean Jackson and J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, so hopefully the Eagles can get at least one or two of their main weapons back.
The Eagles’ defense finally registered a turnover against the 49ers, most notably a pick-six from Alex Singleton. Can the Eagles keep the pressure on Big Ben and the Steelers by forcing more mistakes?
The Eagles are on top of the NFC East with an unimpressive record of 1-2-1. With the Cowboys, Washington Football Team and Giants all struggling, the Eagles have a great chance to give themselves some space in the division.
A win against the Steelers would provide a lot of energy for a team that has struggled since the season started.
Pittsburgh Steelers (3-0):
The Steelers are coming off a unique situation with their unexpected bye week. They were forced to take a week off due to the Titans’ players contracting COVID-19, and this resulted in their bye week getting moved up.
Will this additional rest prove to be beneficial against the battered Eagles?
On defense, T.J. Watt and Minkah Fitzpatrick anchor the Steelers’ defense. Watt is a talented pass rusher (and a defensive-MVP candidate), and Fitzpatrick is an elite secondary stud.
James Conner and Juju Smith-Schuster lead the Steelers offense. Conner is finally finding his rhythm after a slow start to the season, while Smith-Schuster is emerging as a solid WR1.
Chase Claypool is also developing nicely for the Steelers. Will this offense beat up on the Eagles’ weak secondary?
Prediction
Eagles win 24-21, Eagles +7.5, Under 45.5
The Eagles are coming off their first win of the season, and I think it’s going to be a great momentum boost for the team. With Wentz looking more like himself and the defense registering turnovers, the Eagles are starting to get some of their swagger back.
On the flip side, I think the early bye week actually hurts the Steelers. The Steelers are going to have to adjust quite a bit after missing their game against the Titans.
I like the Eagles to pull off a shocker against the Steelers and knock off one of the six remaining undefeated teams. The Steelers are definitely the better team, but there is still a lot of uncertainty surrounding their situation and their personnel.
I’m sorry, mom, but I’m taking my Eagles over your Steelers.
Eric Fenstermaker 