The Steelers are in Philadelphia for a highly anticipated matchup against the Eagles in the 'Battle of Pennsylvania.' Historically, Philadelphia has been a nightmare for Pittsburgh, with the Steelers' last road win in the City of Brotherly Love dating back to 1965.
Beyond the historical struggles, the challenge this week is even greater, as the Eagles boast one of the most talented and complete rosters in the NFL. Riding a nine-game winning streak, Philadelphia is widely regarded as one of the league's elite teams.
For the Steelers to snap the Eagles' streak and take another crucial step toward securing their division, they must focus on these keys to victory to pull off a major upset.
Steelers must shut down Saquon Barkley
Saquon Barkley is the driving force behind the Eagles' offense. On track to break the single-season rushing record, Barkley deserves to be in the MVP conversation. The last time the Steelers faced him, they successfully neutralized his impact, but with the dynamic, multi-faceted Eagles offense, stopping Barkley will be critical to limiting their attack.
This game will likely be decided by who can establish the running game, and with Jalen Hurts and the passing game lacking consistency this season, the key for the Steelers is to focus on Barkley. Mike Tomlin’s defense has historically been effective against mobile quarterbacks, so forcing Hurts to drop back and become one-dimensional will be pivotal.
With the Steelers' opportunistic defense, they’ll need to capitalize on any turnover chances to swing the game in their favor.
Arthur Smith needs to get creative with WR schemes in the absence of George Pickens
With George Pickens sidelined again this Sunday due to a hamstring injury, the rest of the Steelers' wide receiver corps will need to rise to the occasion. While this group may not have the same depth of talent as some of the NFL's top teams, Arthur Smith must be strategic in his playcalling, creating opportunities for players like Mike Williams, Van Jefferson, and Calvin Austin.
The Eagles feature a pair of young, talented rookie corners in Cooper DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell, and simply relying on the WRs to create separation won't cut it. The Steelers' wideouts will need to elevate their game, but the play-caller must also do his part, putting them in positions to succeed and maximize their potential.
Battle of Pennsylvania will be decided in the trenches
This football game will be a battle of strength versus strength. The Eagles boast the best offensive line in the NFL, while the Steelers counter with the top defensive line in football—this matchup will be the key to determining the outcome. The battle in the trenches, on both sides of the ball, will shape the flow of the game.
With Larry Ogunjobi ruled out, the Steelers defensive line faces a slight disadvantage, but make no mistake—this game will be physical from start to finish and could easily come down to the wire. The identity of both teams is rooted in their dominance up front, and that's where the game will be won or lost.