On the surface, the Steelers have an easy matchup against the Eagles in week 5, but there are still some causes for concern this Sunday
While the Steelers had an early bye week last week, the focus has now completely shifted to the week five matchup against the Eagles. While any NFL matchup is difficult, some are easier than others, and on paper, this week should be a cakewalk for the Steelers. The Eagles are coming off a pathetically bad beginning of the season. Even with a tough 1-2-1 record, the Eagles have still found themselves atop the NFC East.
Despite this being a battle of first-place teams, the Eagles will certainly have their work cut out for them. Star QB Carson Wentz has been nothing short of horrendous so far, posting a QBR of only 45 (his worst ever score) so far. On top of his suffering play, the Eagles pass catchers have struggled to do much, and typical top TE Zach Ertz has barely been noticeable so far. Even Miles Sanders has struggled to make much of an impact this year, leaving this offense a shell of what it used to be.
This should, in theory, make the week five matchup simple for the Steelers. No win is ever guaranteed though, and despite the Steelers’ strong record after the bye week, there is still some cause for concerns. These concerns don’t stem from the Eagles though, because if the Steelers lose this game, it will more than likely be due to the team getting into their own way. All of this said, here are the four causes for concerns for the Steelers week five matchup with the Eagles.
Falling for the trap
It is fair to say that the Steelers were on a hot streak entering week four. Starting the season 3-0 as well as really starting to click during week three made facing this team a daunting task. The sudden shift to a bye week can cause some trouble though, as it has given the Steelers some extra time lose what they had been growing. Ideally, the Steelers will begin week five where they left off, but what happens if they don’t.
Week five could be the perfect trap game for the Steelers, as they are heavy favorites and coming off of an eventful week. If the team lets their guard down, an upset isn’t out of the question here. What happens if the Steelers let up a big play early or give up a costly turnover on the first drive. A momentum shift could be troubling for the Steelers, and it would likely be a primary reason why the Steelers could lose this week against the Eagles.
On top of this, the Eagles have a good front seven. Not a lot has been said about it due to the lack of team success, but this group can rush the QB and stop the run. If they disrupt the flow of the offense early, it could be tough to get back on track in this game. The Steelers can’t fall for the trap here; this matchup is too easy, and the AFC North has gotten way too competitive for the team to slip up against an easy opponent.
Don’t overthink it
Similar to the trap game idea, the Steelers can’t afford to overthink this game. With such an easy matchup on paper, the team may think this is a great time to experiment. Wacky formations, different defenses, and obscure plays can work in certain situations, but can also lead to disastrous results if the play doesn’t work. The team needs to stay on course and focus on getting a win, not being cute and innovative.
Take last year and the sudden reliance on the wild cat formation. While it worked in small doses, the Steelers suddenly began using that formation far too often and it ended poorly. It went from fun and innovative to drive killer over the course of about a week, and it points to the fact you don’t always need to trick the defense. With an offense as good as this, a simple game plan should be more than enough to get the win against the Eagles.
While this could go for every week, players can’t overthink what they are doing either. Overthinking in the moment can lead to mental lapses and wasted plays as well as costly turnovers. One only has to think of some of the issues Diontae Johnson has had so far this season as proof of this. The Steelers need to come in, stick to the schedule, and come out of this week with a win.
Letting off the gas
One of the best aspects of this Steelers team is their ability to blitz and get after the QB, and considering the current state of the Eagles offensive line, it could be a field day for this defense. The Steelers likely know that though and may design a defense more lack in their blitzing hoping to take advantage of a weak Eagles offense. That said, the team would be wise to stay on course and keep heavy pressure on Wentz this week.
While being able to only rush four defenders and still generate pressure is a huge plus, if that is the strategy on Sunday and the Eagles counter that and give Wentz a plethora of time to make plays, he can pick a defense apart. While Wentz has struggled this year, he was on pace for an MVP caliber season in 2017 before getting injured. He has talent, and if the Steelers defense plays relaxed expecting easy pressures and mistakes, they could leave Sunday with a loss.
Blitzing often has worked so far, and the Steelers defense should continue to rush as much as they can this week. If the defense can go for over five sacks, it will likely be more than enough to beat a weaker team. All the Steelers should need this week is an early lead. After that, let the rushers go after Wentz for the rest of the game.
Messing up the RBs
One of the biggest positives of the Steelers week three win over the Texans was their usage at RB. While Conner toted the ball the most as the prototypical “bell cow”, the team helped divide up his workload to keep him fresh. Anthony McFarland say a lot of burn early in the second half and was relied on as the main runner for the first few plays. As well, Benny Snell saw the field for short-yardage work, not gaining the yards per se but getting some needed first downs.
Going into this week, the Steelers need to employ a similar approach to their runners as they did against the Texans. Let Conner handle the early duties, McFarland handle 5-8 change of pace carries, and have Snell do the dirty work for short yardage. Assuming the Steelers get a lead, transition Conner out of the game and let Snell serve as the finisher. No matter what, the team must use a healthy mix at the RB position.
Conner is the most talented back, but his workload needs to be monitored. If the Steelers can get a full season out of him even in a monitored capacity, the team will be all the better for it. As well, mixing in McFarland and Snell will give the Steelers a look at what 2021 could be assuming Conner leaves. This group has talent, and it is high time the team utilizes it properly.
As evident by the concerns all being about the Steelers, this should be an easy win this week. The only way a loss will likely occur is if the Steelers get in their own way. Keep these concerns in mind, and hopefully, none of them will show up come Sunday.