What’s highly imperfect are its byproducts, irritant factoids such as that the Steelers haven’t won in Philadelphia since 1965, a purported half-century of embarrassment mitigated substantially by the factoid that they haven’t played there since 2008 and have only visited the Cradle of Liberty once since the millennium.
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These Birds are anything but predictable, though. That said, I think the offensive line will be up to the task of containing this outstanding defensive front. “We do a good job of going out there and showing we are capable of making plays”.
“Sometimes when you win, you really lose”.
I think Wentz is going to try and do too much and the Steelers strong secondary will take advantage.
Matt Lombardo (1-1): Ben Roethlisberger is among the elite quarterbacks in the National Football League and has two Super Bowl rings. He only had three catches for 22 yards in a win over Cleveland.
FAST FACTS: Williams needs 10 yards to reach 8,000 rushing yards for his career. Wentz is only one to do so with no team turnovers.Wentz is 12-for-14 for 102 yards and one TD on two opening drives. If they win? They’re going to the freaking Super Bowl. “I saw this really big guy saluting for the anthem on the other side”. In fact, there’s an argument to be made that the Steelers had the best offense in the National Football League over the last two years.
He added: “We’re here to win games”.
Pittsburgh was still able to pull out a victory despite its biggest offensive weapon being stymied for most of the afternoon, along with a shaky day behind center from Roethlisberger. But I just can’t pick the Eagles in this one. Cutler and the Bears did just that on successive possessions early in the third quarter, pushing the tide to the Eagles. The Steelers want you to execute your way down the field, daring you to do it without any self-inflicted wounds.
Still there are very few prognosticators around the country who like the Eagles in this one. The Steelers sent tight end Jesse James in motion to create trips left, then snuck Williams out to the right flat completely uncovered. Like the Browns, the Bears utilize a 3-4 base scheme on defense.
On any given Sunday anything can happen, but not this week.
Life as a starter has been so far, so good for Golden, who also started three games as an injury replacement last season before being re-signed this offseason on a three-year deal.
The Pick: Make it Steelers 26, Eagles 23. DeAngelo Williams continues to make the most out of LeVeon Bell’s absence due to suspension, racking up 94 yards on 32 carries while hauling in 4 passes for 38 yards and a receiving touchdown to lead the Pittsburgh ground attack. I remember driving home from the airport after that game and thinking to myself, ‘do I want to keep doing this?
On offense, the Steelers are balanced and powerful, starting with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who goes 6-5, 240 and is not brought down easily.
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: Steelers WR Sammie Coates – The second-year receiver is developing into the offense’s big-play threat.
MORE: Should rookie QBs start or sit?
Wentz and the Eagles have a tough test against the Pittsburgh Steelers who will no doubt look to make things hard for the rookie quarterback.
In two weeks the Eagles have knocked out two QBs. And it doesn’t bode well that they’ll be playing a rookie at cornerback against Antonio Brown. “I have to come to practice and keep gaining his trust”. Wentz has yet to throw an interception. “We could get the University of Louisville or Houston, and they could beat the Browns”.
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The Eagles are just the second of seven 4-3 defenses the Steelers will face this season. Nobody is ideal. Neither are Doug Pederson and Wentz. Quarterback Carson Wentz, a rookie, has looked anything but as he has maturely commanded a balanced Philadelphia offense.
