Pittsburgh Steelers Meet the Opponent: What to expect from the Eagles

The Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles will collide in the first of four preseason games. What should Steelers fans expect to see from the defending Super Bowl champs?

Alas, Pittsburgh Steelers fans. The wait is finally over, as we now gear up for 20 guaranteed weeks where all of Pittsburgh flocks to their television to watch their Steelers play. The first of those includes an inter-state

battle with the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday with kickoff  scheduled at 7:00 PM eastern time.

The Steelers, like many other teams, plan to not extensively play their starters in week one of the preseason. Although most of the starting line-up will play for a handful of plays, some won’t get the opportunity to when the team makes the trip to Lincoln Financial Field. Some of those include quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who will not dress and will likely make his debut in week two.

As for Philadelphia, a team who seemingly got stronger in the off-season, their preseason campaign will begin without their star quarterback as well, as Carson Wentz will sit out as he continues to eye a regular season comeback. Wentz, who has been practicing in full pads, will almost certainly be the starter come week one, barring any crazy setbacks.

With Wentz back at the helm, the Eagles are just as deep and talented as they were in 2017, and with one of the top coaches in the league in Doug Pederson, a Super Bowl-hangover isn’t in the sights of the once-dubbed underdogs.

So what’s in store for the Eagles when the Steelers stroll into town? I was able to catch up with Justin Grasso, Co-Editor of FanSided’s Eagles site Inside the Iggles, for his views and expectations.

DD: This is the first time the Eagles are coming into the preseason as defending Super Bowl champs. What’s the approach for this team?

JG: Normally, when a team that is inexperienced with playing on the biggest stage in football enters into the following year, many expect a Super Bowl hangover. For the Eagles though, the success hasn’t really seemed to get to their heads. This team was very loose last season for the most part, and none of that success early on in 2017 seemed to have affected them.

Like their Pro Bowl right tackle, Lane Johnson said before the playoffs “we’re not just happy to be here, we want to win.” Before the Eagles even played in Super Bowl LII, they threw around the word “dynasty” on many occasions.

Seeing as though some of their biggest stars are in their prime, or still working on getting there, this team could very well be set up for success for years to come. Especially for the 2018 regular season. The only thing different in the team’s mind would be the fact that they had less time to rest in comparison to the 30 other teams. Other than that, the Eagles have been very humble going in as defending champs.

DD: Philly has talent practically everywhere on the depth chart. What are some positions you feel will be impactful in all four quarters?

JG: On the defense, the Eagles secondary could put up a tough battle for the Steelers. Unlike last preseason, the Eagles are surprisingly loaded with talented depth at cornerback this year. Rasul Douglas is heading into his second year and has had a strong offseason so far. Also, Da’Vante Bausby has made a strong case for cracking the final 53-man roster so far.

As far as the offense goes, the Eagles will have a solid rotation going at running back. It’s doubtful that Jay Ajayi, Darren Sproles, and Corey Clement will get a ton of work, but the Eagles do have an interesting battle going on at the back-end of the depth chart. Players like Donnel Pumphrey, Josh Adams, and Matt Jones have all been working hard to become the fourth or fifth back in the committee for the regular season. So far, all of these guys have stood out at camp.

DD: The Steelers and Eagles have a long history of playing each other in the preseason due to proximity. Is there anything about the Steelers that mirrors the Eagles in ways they do things?

JG: I don’t see the Eagles and Steelers really having much in common. Aside from Carson Wentz being compared to Ben Roethlisberger many times throughout his first two years, there really isn’t much there that is comparable between the two teams.

DD: Lastly, the preseason is a place for guys to make names for themselves. Do you have any special players you feel can make some noise on Thursday?

JG: During the first couple of series with the starters, many can expect Eagles second-year cornerback Sidney Jones to make an early impact. The former second-round pick is hungry and ready to prove to everybody that he can still play at the next level despite tearing his Achilles back at his pro day in college.

For the second half guys, there are quite a few players that could potentially make a name for themselves. The two second-year guys who are looking to turn things around are safety Tre Sullivan and wide receiver Shelton Gibson. So far, they have had a strong training camp. Also, the Eagles highest draft pick from the 2018 NFL Draft Dallas Goedert could potentially be a nightmare in the red zone. He is already looking to be utilized a lot with the first team offense, despite already having Zach Ertz on board.

Last but not least, Eagles third-string quarterback Nate Sudfeld could have himself a solid game as well. This will be his first preseason with the Eagles and he will most likely be the starter on Thursday night. The biggest question mark will be if the backup offensive line can keep him protected or not. If so, he could surprise a lot of people.