NFL
By: Mark T. Wilson
The Philadelphia Eagles and the Pittsburgh Steelers will meet in Week 8, and both teams must be on their A-game. For the Eagles, it’s all about focus. Coming off their Bye Week, can they keep pushing in that winning direction with the NFC East being so strong and the New York Giants on their heels?
For the Steelers, it’s all about finding some solid footing in a season heading in the wrong direction. Sitting at 2-5, the Steelers must attack this game as if it’s a playoff contest. The midway mark of the season is upon us, and this is when the best start to rise to the top, and the other teams begin to focus on the Draft. At the end of this game, both teams will have a better understanding of where they are and where they’re heading.
Philadelphia Eagles Must Keep Eyes On The Prize
The Philadelphia Eagles are 6-0 for a reason. While they have had a few close calls, the Eagles have the ability to break away from teams on the offensive side of the ball. Coming off a Bye Week after an emotional win against their rival, the Dallas Cowboys, it’s up to Nick Sirianni to keep his team focused on the task at hand. An undefeated season in the NFL is hard to do, but as the old saying goes, one game at a time. The Eagles must remain focused on the task at hand. The win against the Cowboys was big, but the bigger picture is still to control your own destiny.
Take a look at the MLB Playoffs and what the Wild Card scenario did for some teams. Many believe that a week off from playing hurt a team like the Atlanta Braves in their quest. The Philadelphia Eagles are hoping that two weeks without action did not slow the pace they were on. If the name of the game is to remain undefeated, it starts with the Pittsburgh Steelers this Sunday. One game at a time.
Eagles Need To Take Control Early
This is key here. The Philadephia Eagles must not give the Pittsburgh Steelers any confidence heading into the second half. It’s time to make a statement to the rest of the league that this unit is the real deal. Undefeated says a lot, but there are still fans and analysts out there who believe the Eagles are just a byproduct of their record and have the Buffalo Bills as the best team in the NFL.
If the Eagles can jump on the Steelers early and not take their foot off the gas, the Steelers will be forced to rely on the arm and decision-making of their young QB, Kenny Pickett. The important reason is that, in just four games, Pickett has thrown 7 interceptions and just 2 TDs so far. Applying pressure on this kid will be great, but getting out to a big lead will change the Steelers’ game plan tremendously. The Eagles have one of the best secondaries in football and a front seven who can get after the QB.
Eagles Must Attack The Secondary
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a young team with an old coach. Sitting at 2-5, the fingers can be pointed to many different reasons this team is failing. The offensive side of the ball is led by a rookie QB, but the defense, well, they’re just having all sorts of issues in the secondary. While Minkah Fitzpatrick is a stud, the rest of the secondary is struggling. This is where the Eagles must take advantage of their shortcomings.
On the year, the Steelers rank 29th in Passing Yards allowed and 29th in Passing Attempts allowed. Meaning this could be the game where Jalen Hurts could have a field day. Another key worth taking a look at is that the Steelers only have 12 sacks on the season. If they can’t get pressure on Hurts and force some unstable throws, Hurts could easily end the day with 300+ yards passing and 3 TDs.
