Eagles-Steelers predictions
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Eagles-Steelers predictions
Jeff McLane
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.
Garner some of your comments are idiotic. Most coaches don't last 14 years....— ceocreates
yes, because many of them RETIRE, move on, or find something better to do once they use logic and actually look back and realize THEY ARE A COMPLETE FAILURE. There are COUNTLESS couaches who have had better win loss records then Andy, but only coached 1, 2, maybe 5 years,and then moved on to do something else. Just because he has coached 14 years, longer then most, doesnt make him in any way "better", and in fact it might prove is he in fact "dumber".- CG25, so then why haven't you figured out that you are a complete failure and move on? Please!!— FLealglesfan
- Could you imagine what he must be like to live with? Sure hope he doesn't have a family. Probably lives in a trailer somewhere deep in the forest. — andimike
- I make 4 million dollars less then Andy Reid, and yet I could get better results. Other coaches make 1 million and get better results. Many make like 2 million, less then half of him and actually WIN CHAMPIONSHIPS. Andy has won VIRTUALLY NOTHING and gets paid VIRTUALLY THE HIGHEST. SO WHO IS THE FAILURE.
- Chumpy,can you stop to think about this for just a second because these numbers you throw out here on a daily basis are so ridiculous.You say that the Giants have a "balanced offensive system" at a 58/42 ratio and that AR's system is "pathetically flawed" at 60/40, do you realize that is two passes more per 100 with the average team having about 70 offensive plays per game that would equate to an extra 1 1/2 passes per game? That hardly makes one system "balanced" and another "pathetically flawed".Now i know you hate AR and I'm not even gonna try to sway you on that but at some point you need to figure out that these numbers add up to nothing but stupidity. — greensob
- greensob, your understanding is just not there. that 58/42 is the max that has EVER won a superbowl, with Eli a great superbowl winning QB in the system, and a run game that they pounded all througout the playoffs to get to the superbowl. Thats why it worked. Every other team to ever win was less then that, and no team at 60% has ever won. So its not the giants at 58 being the norm, its the Giants at 58 being the extreme and 60% IS EVEN MORE EXTREME THEN THE FREAKING EXTREME. AND YES 2% IS A HUGE DIFFERENCE. Thats the equivalent of 3-4 snaps, 3-4 more run plays in a game is the chance to control the clock and wipe at least 2 more minutes off the clock. Thats 2 minutes at the end of the game the other team DOESNT HAVE so they CANT have the ball to go down and score on you. IT MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE. PLEASE LEARN THE GAME. Andy Reid will NEVER EVER EVER win a superbowl being in charge of an entire team NEVER. PROVEN CORRECT. EVERY. YEAR. PLEASE COME UP WITH MORE EXCUSES AS WELL lol
- AS i thought, you wouldnt get it, that ratio you keep throwing out there equates to 1 1/2 plays per game, do the math Chumpy its not 3 to 4, and what the hell does runny time off the clock have to do with anything, maybe your the team that needs a little more time. — greensob
- This game will be over by halftime. Steelers 31-10.
— SteveS11 - The Eagles' third down defense has been consistently good this year. Rothlisberger looks like he's become even better at converting third downs. It should be a competitive game.— NorthPhillyTechie
- Tight game coming. We cannot worry about Pittsburgh running it. We need to tee off on the restroom romantic. Kendricks and Boykin are going to need to come up big. We should move the ball on this D, unless Marty chokes and becomes predictable which is always a strong possibility. Our team has heart and should get this win.— auntesther
- Mario, I'm so confused...If the Steelers record last year made them an elite team, then what does the 1-2 record make them? By your logic, the Eagles are the better team this year.
By the way, close counts enough for 3 wins, so far.— MFPhils - Ridiculous to pick the Eagles in this one.
Just remember how the Steelers' 1st team dominated the Eagles in the preseason game.
I still remember the Steelers taking apart the Eagles in their Superbowl season @ Heinz field in 2004.
Steelers 28, Eagles 13— makrom - Yeah, lots of reasons to give the nod to Pitt in this one, but a result from 2004 is not one of them. The thing I look at is team speed. Pitt's D is slower than its been in recent memory, and we should be able to take advantage of that with our speed on offense. Apart from scheme, this D is nothing like the ultra-athletic Cardinal's D that just shut us down. They're going to blitz Vick all day, but draws will be there, along with screens. Vick's going to get loose running it as well. The only thing that slants this game to Pittsburgh is the bye, the crowd, and the turdhouse trapper extending plays and getting it downfield to receivers forgotten about by the always confused Kurt Coleman. — auntesther
- @CG25, tell me, how many Eagles OLs are pro bowl blockers? I think the line has something to do with offense production. Only a hater would suggest to win a SB you only need a white QB and slim head coach. I guess Dan Marino sucked because he never won a SB and Brad Johnson and Trent Dilfer are great because they did! Stupid and wrong analogy by hater CG25.— allworld2
