The Keystone Classic — Steelers vs Eagles Preview

It’s a battle of in-state rivals this weekend as the two teams that call the great state of Pennsylvania home will go to battle. A rivalry that typically is only played once every four years, will decide who the best team in the state is.

The Philadelphia Eagles (11-2), the current leaders of the NFC East, will take on the Pittsburgh Steelers (10-3), the current leaders of the AFC North. Both teams are still vying for a top seed in their respective conference with only four games to go in the regular season.

The state of Pennsylvania is on the line. It’s Sheetz vs. Wawa, Pierogies vs. Cheesesteaks, a battle between two historic cities for the right to be Pennsylvania’s champion.

Fixing The Passing Game

This past week Eagles star wide receiver A.J. Brown was asked after the Eagles’ 28-22 win over the Carolina Panthers, what could the offense do to improve. His response was “Passing. What we did today is not (good enough). It won’t help us.” Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts passed for only 108 yards last week and found Brown four times for 43 yards.

The comment began to make its way around national and local media, causing people to question if Hurts and Brown were on good terms. On top of that, injured Eagles defensive lineman Brandon Graham commented on the situation while on 94.1 WIP and said “They were friends, but things have changed,” when talking about Brown and Hurts. However, Brown has since said that that comment was misconstrued and that he and Hurts are all good.

So coming off a poor passing performance last weekend, will Kellen Moore and the Eagles’ offense decide to chuck the rock more often than they have all season? Will Brown and Devonta have their best games all season? Or will the Eagles continue to pound the rock with potential MVP candidate Saquon Barkley in his quest to break Eric Dickerson‘s single-season rushing record?

Don’t Let Russ Cook

One of the biggest surprises this season has been the reemergence of Steelers starting quarterback Russell Wilson. Wilson signed a veterans minimum contract with Pittsburgh in the offseason and after missing the first few of the season with an injury, the veteran quarterback has been playing spectacularly. Wilson is 6-1 in seven games with 1,784 yards and a 12-3 passing touchdown to interception ratio.

His outstanding play has given him MVP buzz. While that is a long shot, Wilson is playing some of the best football of his career this season. If the Eagles want any chance of winning this game on Sunday, the defense will have to step up against Wilson and the offense. Step one will be making it so Wilson can’t stay in the pocket and find open receivers. That calls for a big day for not only the secondary but for the pass rush to get after Wilson and the Steelers’ offensive line.

Trouble With Special Teams

If there’s been one thing that has been the real issue throughout the season for the Eagles, it’s the poor play from kicker Jake Elliott. Last week, Elliott missed his only field goal attempt, a 52-yard kick that kept the Panthers in the game. This season Elliott is 0-5 on kicks of 50 yards or more, and while 50-yard kicks were once considered long kicks, in today’s NFL kicks that long need to be almost guaranteed.

Elliott has been the kicker of the Eagles since 2017 and making a change would be a tough decision to make. However, if his struggles continue, the Eagles may have to move on from the veteran in favor of a kicker who can consistently make long kicks.

The game is set to kick off on FOX at 4:25 p.m. Eastern.

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