NFL Game of the Week: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Philadelphia Eagles

It’s a showdown in the Keystone State this Sunday afternoon at 4:25 p.m. eastern standard time as the Pittsburgh Steelers travel to face the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Steelers, holding a 10-3 record and sitting three games atop the AFC North, take on the Eagles following a four-game stretch against divisional opponents where Pittsburgh went 3-1.

Quarterback Russell Wilson has done a solid job of leading the Pittsburgh offense, throwing for 12 touchdowns and only three interceptions in seven games this season.

Wide receiver George Pickens was not at Thursday’s practice, and he is doubtful for Sunday with a hamstring injury.

Besides Pickens, the Steelers are quite limited at the wide receiver position. The next-best pass catcher is Calvin Austin III, with 387 receiving yards on 23 receptions for four receiving touchdowns this year.

The Steelers’ defense has been stout with takeaways this season, as they tie the league lead with the Bills in turnover differential with 17.

Linebacker T.J. Watt is tied for seventh in the NFL with Texans’ Will Anderson Jr. in sacks with 9.5.

Cornerback Donte Jackson will certainly play a factor through the air on Sunday, as his five interceptions ties the AFC lead with Ravens’ Marlon Humphrey.

The Steelers are 2-1 against NFC East opponents this season, with their lone loss being a 20-17 home loss to the Cowboys in Week 5.

Pittsburgh is 5-2 on the road this season, with losses coming to the Colts in Week 4 and the Browns in Week 12.

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The 11-2 Philadelphia Eagles clinched the playoffs and are two games away from clinching the NFC East following a 22-16 win over the Panthers thanks to this knockdown from cornerback Darius Slay:

https://x.com/Eaglesfans9/status/1865863158428033172

The Eagles are on a nine-game winning streak, and they haven’t lost since a Week 4 road loss to the Buccaneers by a score of 33 to 16.

Running back Saquon Barkley has been making money moves in his first season with the Eagles, breaking the Eagles single-season rushing record with 1,623, and he’s 483 rushing yards away from the league single-season record set by Eric Dickerson in 1984.

Quarterback Jalen Hurts is eighth in the NFL in passer rating with 65.3, and his 13 rushing touchdowns this year is the most by a quarterback.

Philadelphia’s defense leads the league in lowest total yards allowed per game with 284.2.

Defensive tackle Alim McNeill has wreaked havoc in the backfield this season, as he leads the active roster in sacks with 3.5 and ties the team lead in tackles for loss with seven.

Linebacker Zack Baun has been a surprising star this year, yet nonetheless his 129 tackles is third in the NFL this season.

Cornerback Darius Slay has 10 pass deflections this year, which ties for ninth in the NFC.

The Eagles are 3-0 against AFC North opponents this season and 4-1 at home, with their lone loss being a 22-21 defeat at the hands of the Falcons in Week 2.

The winner of this game gets bragging rights for the top of the state of Pennsylvania until their next rematch. This fun matchup will broadcast on FOX on Sunday.

Bryan Portney is a first-year broadcast journalism major. To contact him, email bep5295@psu.edu.