The Steelers are desperate for a win, and here are four bold predictions as they try to beat an NFL-leading Eagles team.
The Steelers put their goodwill win over the Buccaneers quickly to rest as they came out flat against the Dolphins. Now 2-5, this team desperately needs to win if they want any hope of salvaging their season before the bye week. Unfortunately for them, the Eagles are currently the last remaining undefeated team and boast a powerful offense and a stout defense.
While the Steelers season is essentially over, a loss here really cements that status. Pittsburgh would have to win almost every one of their final games after the bye week in order to even sniff the playoffs. The odds don’t look good though, as the Eagles are playing like a well-oiled machine and are coming off their own bye week. Here are four bold predictions for the Steelers vs. the Eagles.
Jalen Hurts has the best QB performance against the Steelers
The Steelers haven’t been horrible against the quarterback this season, but I have a bad feeling that Jalen Hurts is going to embarrass them. To this point, Josh Allen has been the best quarterback performance against this defense, but I think Hurts tops that this game. That is saying something considering Allen had around 475 total yards and four touchdowns.
I think Hurts tops 350 passing yards in this game while also adding over 100 more yards on the ground. He scores five total times, three times through the air and twice on the ground. It is an embarrassing performance for a team that has almost no identity on either side of the ball. The Steelers play from behind early and essentially all game.
Chase Claypool breaks out
Chase Claypool has beaten back a slow start to the season and has quickly established a rapport out of the slot. He is effective in the short and intermediate game and uses his athleticism and size to move the chains. Over the past few weeks, Claypool has become a consistent and pleasant surprise out of the slot for this offense.
I think Claypool channels his rookie season and breaks out against the Eagles. As a rookie, Claypool scored four times and was a dynamic weapon all over the field. He isn’t quite that good this week, but he still is a productive threat with 100 total yards and a pair of scores. Don’t be surprised if a good game leads to his trade rumors heating up before the deadline.
Steelers can’t keep it close
As highlighted earlier, I think the Eagles offense moves the ball with relative ease against this defense and scores often. While Claypool breaking out is a boost for this offense, it isn’t nearly enough to hang with Philadelphia. I think this game is akin to the Bills loss, as the Steelers struggle to keep this game close.
The Eagles jump out to an early lead and the Steelers fall flat on their face. Add in some mistakes and turnovers and I think this game is close to over by halftime. I don’t like most of the Steelers matchups here, and I don’t think this game ends up being close. It is yet another bitter loss to follow this team into the bye week.
Pickett continues his cold streak
Ever since Kenny Pickett got the nod for this offense, this has been a game I have been dreading. The Eagles offense will make it likely that Pickett has to win through the air. That said, Pickett has proven to be extremely turnover prone so far in his career. He faces an Eagles defense that has a great pass rush and an advantageous secondary.
I think this is a recipe for disaster for Pickett. Four interceptions to go along with only a pair of scores (one through the air, the other on the ground) are the final result. While Pickett stans will continue to blame anyone but the rookie, he looks really rough heading into the bye week. No, he doesn’t get benched, nor should he, but he has another tough performance to watch.
A win here is essentially a must for the Steelers, but I can’t say that I like the odds of them coming out of the Eagles game with the victory. These bold predictions seem to back that up, as I’m seeing another very ugly loss for this team by the end of the game.