Eagles-Steelers predictions
The Philadelphia Inquirer Blog - Eagles
Eagles-Steelers predictions
Jeff McLane, Inquirer Staff Writer
JEFF MCLANE
Record, 1-3.
Week 5: At this point, the above record suggests I should get out of the prediction game. The Eagles, who are 3-1/2-point underdogs to the Steelers, are 1-3 against the spread this season. I’m 1-3 straight up. But press on, I must.
My gut says the Eagles win Sunday. I’ve gone against my better judgment the last three weeks. Not gonna do it, as Dana Carvey’s George Bush would say, this week. The book says you don’t bet against the Steelers at home against an NFC opponent. Ben Roethlisberger is 13-1 against the NFC at Heinz Field. Pittsburgh has won nine of their last ten at home.
But this is not a dominating Steelers team – based on the first few weeks of the season and on paper -- and it is aging at some key spots on defense. Safety Troy Polomalu (calf) will play after a two-game absence. He is still a force to be reckoned with, but he doesn’t move quite as well at 31. James Harrison is also expected back, but at this point in his career it’s difficult to predict how much he can play with a chronically injured knee. LaMarr Woodley, at the other outside linebacker spot, is dangerous. He should give Todd Herremans, who has struggled for parts of this season, all he can handle at right tackle.
The thing that worries the most is how Michael Vick and the Eagles offense will fare against Dick LeBeau’s defense after one of his disciples terrorized the quarterback two weeks ago. Cardinals defensive coordinator Ray Horton did an effective job of keeping Vick off kilter with a variety of blitz packages. LeBeau doesn’t have the same caliber of horses up front, though. Defensive ends Brett Keisel and Ziggy Hood are not as unrelenting as the Cardinals’ Calais Campbell and Darnell Dockett.
So Vick should have more time to operate behind a line that got into a groove in the second half last week.
The Steelers offense, meanwhile, has been lopsided. The running game has been non-existent, but running back Rashard Mendenhall will play for the first time this season. Roethlisberger has been sharp this season playing in a scheme that has him getting rid of the ball much earlier than he is used to. In spite of that, the Steelers quarterback has already been sacked nine times in three games. The Eagles defensive line should be licking its chops against an offensive line that is suspect.
I got the Eagles winning another close one in the fourth quarter, which probably means it won’t happen. Eagles 23, Steelers 21.
What goes right: Jeremy Maclin gets back into the swing of things and takes advantage of Steelers cornerback Keenan Lewis.
What goes wrong: The Eagles special teams continue to have their issues.
ZACH BERMAN
Record, 2-2.
Week 5: This is a tough matchup for the Eagles. The Steelers are a considerably more different team when they're healthy than when they're injured, and the return of Polamalu, Harrison, and Mendenhall makes them a better squad than what's on film from this season. That is why the 1-2 record is misleading. It's also worth noting that both losses were on the road, and this game is in Pittsburgh, where the Steelers are especially difficult to play.
Look for a disciplined game from the Steelers, who will set the tempo and not allow the Eagles many big plays. Vick will get pressured from the Steelers' zone blitz scheme, and the Steelers prove to be effective on third downs to extend drives. Pittsburgh will win the time of the possession battle, a critical element in this game. The game will come down to the fourth quarter, and Vick will again lead a clutch drive. But the Steelers will win the game on the final possession, and the Eagles will prepare for the Lions with a 3-2 record.
Steelers 27, Eagles 24
What goes right: The Eagles run the ball a healthy amount, and LeSean McCoy tops 100 yards. The kickoff coverage will also improve.
What goes wrong: Polamalu shows why he's one of the best safeties in NFL history. Roethlisberger leads the Steelers on a fourth-quarter drive.
Zach is close. Steelers 28, Eagles 17. My hope is we come out with no injuries.
Eagles will make life miserable for the Steelers if they jump out to a 21-0 lead on big plays. Then the Eagles will settle in, run the ball, and lay back their ears on the pass rush. More likely, the Steelers will expose us as a finesse team, and pound out a win.— armchairGM- I don't see either team scoring more than 20. 17-14 Birds— bobf876
- Birds 21 - Steelers 10
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EAGLES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!— birds748 - Eagles don't lose this game. I see the defensive line taking down Big Ben several times this game and controlling the time of possession with another heavy dose of Shady (returning to Pittsburgh for the first time in his career?). It will look much like the game in Philly in recent times when they sacked Roethlisberger 8x. Score was 15-6 i think.— sec719
- The Pittsburgh Steelers are an elite team and have been for a decade or more. They were 12-4 last season. Eagles were 8-8 last season and the only time they looked like s Superbowl nteam was when they had T.O., the best receiver in the NFL at that time. Other than that they have been also rans. Close only counts in horses hoes. I mean Vick is winning ugly like Tim Tebow which made all sports reporters say Tebow stunk. I guess winning ugly is okay this year. We'll soon finmd out in January!!!!— mario1239
- Shut up...
— thegamepa - lol, logic is now allowed here. We want to fail to win a championship for a 14th straight year with Fat Andy, but not so bad that we can try to feel good about ourselves with 8 or 9 wins. That way we can say we arent losers. BETTER THN THE REDSKINS ANDY REID YEAR 14.
- Enough already, we got your point. Move on. — swisstafari
- horses hoes? Sorry, I don't generally pick on typos. But this one was just too good....... — dlscholt
- What the f are you talking about? We aren't talking about last season, or the season before, we're talking about Sunday. Who is going to win on Sunday?
Did the Giants look like a Superbowl team last season? Did they?— swisstafari - lol, you dont get it. The Giants run a balanced offensive system within 58/42 pass run. Nothing over 60/40. Nothing over 60/40. again NOTHING OVER 60/40. 60% passing has NEVER WON A SUPERBOWL. EVER. and NEVER WILL UNDER ANDY REID BEING IN CHARGE OF EVERYHTING ON A TEAM. NEVER. I think Eagles fans are afraid of a 4-12 season where a young QB would actually get some experience for once and build to a future championhip run. All Andy does is try to eek out 9 or 10 wins to keep his job, ITS NOT GOING TO WIN A SUPERBOWL. In fact, no coach that has not won one in his first 14 years has also NEVER WON A SUPERBOWL. THE AMOUNT OF EVIDENCE AGAINST ANDYS DUMB OFFENSE IS PATHETIC. Most coaches that have failed that many times STOP TRYING and REITRE. MOST ARENT EVEN AS DUMB AS ANDY TO KEEP TRYING PAST LIKE 10 YEARS IN A ROW. ITS A JOKE.
- Keep changing your numbers CG. It was never above 54, then 55, then 56, then 57, and now 58. Good thing the Eagles pass less than the Giants. PATHETIC!
As for the Steelers, they have a terrible offensive line. Might be worse than the Eagles. Their defense, however, is finally healthy and should be better than it has been lately. Tricky game for the Eagles coming off the emotional high of last week and the Steelers coming off a bye. It should be close. I won't be surprised with a win or loss.— Penfold18 - Yikes! You act like Andy is the only one who supports Andy. What dimension are you in, bud?
The team supports Andy...
The leadership supports Andy...
Many fans support Andy, even ones that hate him...
Many experts support Andy...
I mean, here we are, in year 14, still watching Andy. If it's so obvious, then why hasn't he been fired? Why do fans still watch games? Why don't the analysts turn on him?
I am, by no means, an Andy supporter, but at the same time, using logic that insinuates that if someone coaches for x amount of years, and doesn't win, means they can't win? What?!?!
By the way, triple negatives in a sentence...ouch. Has anyone posting triple negatives ever been right about winning a superbowl? I wonder if you were doomed from that start.— MFPhils - I'm also curious about all these coaches that have failed as many times...How many coaches have won as many games as Andy, or gotten to the post-season as much as Andy, and then quit based on failure? — MFPhils
- MFPhils...its called "logic". I didnt invent, but I use it more then most people on here unfortunately. It is a FACT that no coach that coached for 14 years without winning ever won a SB after that. Reread it and maybe it will sink in. Maybe again. Keep going.
