6 storylines to follow Sunday vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Each week, previous to kickoff, let`s test a number of the numbers that be counted and preserve them in thoughts whilst the sport begins.
- The Eagles have the NFL’s fifth-ranked passing protection, permitting 188 yards in keeping with sport. And get this: The Eagles are ranked No. 2 in fewest passing yards allowed in keeping with try, 4.nine yards. That’s minuscule. What makes it applicable for Sunday’s sport in opposition to Pittsburgh is that the Steelers have a few actual expertise at extensive receiver with Chase Claypool, Diontae Johnson, and rookie George Pickens.
They will run vertical routes – Pickens is the only to observe here – even as Claypool and Johnson are right catch-and-run receivers. Can rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett get the ball outdoor the numbers to his receivers in opposition to Philadelphia’s extraordinary cornerbacks – Darius Slay and James Bradberry are 1-2 withinside the NFL with the bottom passer score on throws their way? It’s a matchup to observe.
Pickett finished 10 of 12 passes throwing in the numbers in Sunday night’s loss to Miami and turned into 22 of 32 outdoor the numbers, however he threw 3 interceptions on the ones passes, averaging 5.three yards in keeping with passing try because the Steelers fell to the Dolphins, 16-10. Watch out for tight quit Pat Freiermuth, who averages 1.89 yards in keeping with path run, fourth first-class amongst NFL tight ends. He has been focused on 25 percentage of his routes, 1/3 maximum amongst tight ends, and Pickett has finished 87 percentage of his passes whilst focused on the tight quit. The Eagles ought to A) Tackle thoroughly on brief routes; B) Limit Pickens and Claypool at the deep throws; and C) Keep Freiermuth beneathneath wraps withinside the center of the field.
- Takeaways, takeaways, it is been all approximately the takeaways for the Eagles’ protection this season. The Eagles have had at the least one takeaway in every in their six video games and 14 overall, tied for first withinside the NFL in that class coming into Week 8. In fact, the Eagles are the primary group seeing that 1940 to have 14 takeaways and handiest giveaways withinside the starting six video games of a season. No doubt, the turnover ratio will imply lots on Sunday, because it does each week. Only 4 groups have given it away greater than the Steelers’ 12 turnovers, which incorporates a league-excessive nine interceptions. Pickett, making his fourth NFL start, has thrown seven interceptions. When you are capable of upload a verified byskip rusher like Robert Quinn to the mix, you anticipate even greater havoc withinside the offensive backfield and greater possibilities to get palms at the football.
three. Jalen Hurts has received nine directly begins offevolved withinside the ordinary season. This is a amazing statistic and the handiest one which truely matters. His ball security, decision-making, and big-play competencies have all been on factor thru six video games this season and he has been a constant pressure and a guiding hand withinside the fourth region of near video games in current wins over Arizona and Dallas. Plus, he simply has the swagger and the self belief the face of a franchise needs. Hurts is unwavering in his dedication as he is going for his tenth directly ordinary-season victory on Sunday.
- Philadelphia has been prolific withinside the 2d region of video games, outscoring combatants 112-27 and a whopping 70 percentage of the group’s factors have are available in that region. Pretty amazing, for sure, and to be fair, a terrific range of these factors have come on drives that began out withinside the first region of video games. The Eagles need to be greater prolific in quarters one, 3, and 4 as properly due to the fact dominating like they’ve withinside the 2d region of video games may be hard to sustain.
- Since the 1970 NFL merger, there had been 15 video games among 6-zero groups and groups beginning a rookie quarterback, and the 6-zero groups have a blended 12-three document in the ones video games. One of the wins turned into whilst Ben Roethlisberger beat the Eagles in 2004, 27-three. Roethlisberger turned into 11-of-18 with landing passes that day to deal the Eagles their first lack of the season after the Eagles began out the season 7-zero.
- Pittsburgh is a group that traditionally brings pressure, so Hurts ought to be organized for added byskip rushers and, potentially, linebacker T.J. Watt, who stated on Friday that we will have to “wait and see” if he performs on Sunday. He stays on Injured Reserve as he lower back to exercise this week, however might be activated earlier than kickoff. Arizona and Dallas blended to carry an additional byskip rusher forty nine percentage of the time Hurts threw the football, an growth from the 33 percentage Hurts noticed withinside the first 4 video games. How to have fulfillment in opposition to the blitz? It’s some thing the Eagles no question regarded into at some stage in their “self-scout” bye week and the Steelers are going to be competitive and attempt to disrupt Hurts withinside the passing sport and take him out of the going for walks sport. Big second for Hurts in opposition to a protection that continually gives some thing unpredictable.
