Keys to the Keystone Clash: Steelers-Eagles Preview

Rocky or the Fish that Saved Pittsburgh?

Disney on Ice or the Philadelphia 76ers?

Whichever side you are on - I’m sure you are certainly biased and have your reasons as to why you favor one or the other.

It likely has to do with where you grew up, or your current living situation.

As for this preview - lets try to give an objective view at each teams path to victory.

And let's do it debate style - since it’s certainly relevant following last night's VP showdown.

Are you team "Fly Eagles Fly?"

The fly at last night's debate somehow already has way more twitter followers than we will ever see at Yinzer Crazy.

That’s unfortunate - but if the Eagles want to fly like that little turd-seeker did last night on Mike Pence’s head they must follow a similar game-script that they did against the 49ers this past Sunday.

Here are some keys to the game for the Eagles aside from the obvious such as "Carson Wentz has to play well."

This past Sunday night the Eagles went into San Francisco as an 8 point underdog and got their season back on track by creating turnovers.

They had three takeaways including one that went for a touchdown - a game-swinging 4th quarter interception by linebacker Alex Singleton, former Canadian Football defensive player of the year, that put the Eagles squarely back in the hunt in a weak NFC East.

All of this came against 49ers backup Nick Mullens, who has been serviceable in the past but quite frankly looked lost against Philadelphia.

The bad news for the Eagles is that Ben Roethlisberger is not Nick Mullens. 

Ben has been incredibly careful with the rock this year - posting a 7-to-1 TD to Interception ratio in the Steelers three victories. 

But if the Eagles can jump out early, D-coordinator Jim Schwarz can have their guys pin their ears back and try to force Ben into throwing it more than he’d like - potentially resulting in some splash plays once more for the likes of All-Pro corner Darius Slay.

Richard Rodgers and the rest of Wentz’s Weapons were actually pretty damn good against an absolutely loaded 49ers front.

It’s no secret how banged up the Eagles have been on offense so far in 2020. They’ve looked like Rocky in his first fight against Apollo Creed - completely knocked down and out.

Veteran starting wide-outs Alshon Jeffery and DeSean Jackson are older than Al Pacino and don’t pose much of a threat at this point in their career's when actually on the field.

Jeffery has been sidelined since last season with a Lisfranc injury and is 50/50 to play against the Steelers.

Jackson left the game against the Bengals two weeks ago with a hamstring injury and is considered less-likely to suit up on Sunday.

But the real loss is tight-end Dallas Goedert. 

Goedert, a third year player out of was well on his way to becoming a Pro-Bowl caliber player in the league. 

He suffered a fractured ankle against the Bengals and was placed on IR.

He posted a 8-101-1 line in the Eagles opening week loss against Washington - and has elevated his game to the point where defenses can’t entirely focus on stopping Zach Ertz. 

Per Sharp Sports, the Eagles run “12 personnel”, (an offensive designation that regularly features multiple tight-ends on the field) 59% of the time. That’s the highest in all of football.

Without Goedert that formation immediately becomes less dauting for opposing defenses.

So the next man up is former Packers Tight-End Richard Rodgers.

I thought he played admirably filling in for Goedert on Sunday night.

Rodgers discount-double checked the 49ers, posting three catches for 35 yards. He’s always been serviceable, and will certainly be a key-cog to the Eagles success on Sunday.

If he gets in the endzone that means more space to roam free for Ertz and target monster Greg Ward at receiver.

Something to keep an eye on for Steeler fans is how Mike Tomlin and Keith Butler will choose to line-up defensively against Ertz and Rodgers.

Last year they had big-time issues against athletic tight-ends.

Seahawks tight-end Will Dissly gave Devin Bush a heaping helping of welcome to the NFL young fella in week two last season - snatching five balls for 50 yards and two touchdowns to silence Heinz Field and drop the Steelers to 0-2.

The Rams Gerald Everett and Colts Jack Doyle are two other tight-ends who found success when the Steelers tried to use linebackers to shadow them.

And I don’t have a ton of faith in Terrell Edmunds to match up against Ertz - for reasons I don’t have to explain to you (read any of our earlier recaps).

Minkah Fitzpatrick is a difference maker. He's only been targeted on single-coverage routes four times total in the first three weeks.

That's why you haven't heard his name all that often - offenses are simply staying away from his side of the field.

A Richard Rodgers poses no threat to a Minkah Fitzpatrick. Laughable.

It’ll come down to a combination of Minkah Fitzpatrick and linebackers Devin Bush and Vince Williams bracketing the Eagles 12 personnel and likely forcing Carson Wentz to throw more than he would like to his wide receiver group - a combination of inexperienced players and others who quite frankly could be in a home for senior living relatively soon.

The Steelers will win 24-16 to improve to 4-0 on the season and drop the Eagles to 1-3-1, somehow keeping them right in the mix in the NFC East.

It’s challenging when you feel like you’re hitting your stride and then all of a sudden something completely throws that off - like a week four bye when you are just returning from off-season elbow surgery and missing nearly an entire year.

I think ultimately the Steelers front seven against the Eagles offensive line is the biggest mismatch of the game - as it’s not easy being green right now up-front in Philadelphia.

They’ve been decimated by injuries - which has T.J. Watt and Bud Dupree chomping at the bit.

At the end of the day - per usual, it will be Pittsburgh > Philly on Sunday.

Just keep it on the low that I may be enjoying a Cheese-steak while watching the game. Extra whiz. There's not much of a debate there for me.