David Banks
AUGUST 21, 2014
Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Philadelphia Eagles
The Battle of Pennsylvania will be televised on NFL Network on Thursday
when the Philadelphia Eagles seek their first win of the NFL Preseason when
they host the Pittsburgh Steelers, fresh off of their first win, from Lincoln
Financial Field in Philadelphia at 7:30 ET. The Eagles have been on the short
end of two shootouts so far, losing 34-28 to the Chicago Bears opening week
and then 42-35 to the New England Patriots in Week 2, with both of those
games being on the road. The Steelers opened with a road loss to the Giants
before nipping the Buffalo Bills 19-16 on a last-second field goal last week.
Week 3 is normally the regular season dress rehearsal for most NFL teams
with the starters seeing the most action they will see the entire preseason,
and the Eagles may have added incentive here seeking their first win of 2014,
especially with this being their first game at home. Their quarterbacks did
a fine job last week for the second straight game with starter Nick Foles
completing 8-of-10 passes for 81 yards and a touchdown and backups Mark
Sanchez and Matt Barkley combining to go 20-for-24 for 249 yards and three
touchdowns, although each backup did throw an interception. Philadelphia will take
a much longer look at Foles this game, not that he has much to prove after
an amazing ratio of 27 touchdown passes vs. two interceptions in his
breakout season last year, and they will look for a lot more from the running game.
Yes the Eagles averaged 4.2 YPC vs. the Patriots, but that was primarily
because third string running back Henry Josey gained 56 yards on his eight
carries. At least Josey showed that he is capable in the event that starter
LeSean McCoy is limited in this game or is held out entirely, which is
conceivable as he is battling turf toe. The Eagles even acquired a running back this
week in Kenjon Barner that played for Chip Kelly at Oregon and is thus
familiar with the Eagle offense.
Pittsburgh Head Coach Mike Tomlin had been one of the best preseason
coaches in football over his first six seasons with the club going 19-6 straight
up over those years, but then his Steelers went 0-4 last preseason and made
it five straight preseason losses in Week 1 before breaking through last
week. This is a veteran team that is not accustomed to playing offenses that
play as the blazing fast tempo that the Eagles do, and when you add in
Philadelphia's probable determination to win a game to please its home fans, the
Steelers may have their hands full on defense. And with the Steelers' probably
not having the same urgency to win this game now that they got their win out
of the way, look for them to be more concerned with running their normal
offense when their starters are in the game as they prepare for the regular
season than with trying to match the rapid-paced Eagles point for point, so
expect to see heavy doses of running backs Le'Veon Bell and LeGarrette Blount
as just about the only unknown on the Pittsburgh roster right now is how the
carries between those two running backs will be allocated this year,
although indications right now are that Bell should be the man between the 20s and
Blount looks to be the goal line back.
The Eagles are 8-1 straight up and 7-2 ATS in their last nine preseason
Week 3 dress rehearsals.PICK: PHILADELPHIA EAGLES-3.5
AUGUST 21, 2014
Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Philadelphia Eagles
The Battle of Pennsylvania will be televised on NFL Network on Thursday
when the Philadelphia Eagles seek their first win of the NFL Preseason when
they host the Pittsburgh Steelers, fresh off of their first win, from Lincoln
Financial Field in Philadelphia at 7:30 ET. The Eagles have been on the short
end of two shootouts so far, losing 34-28 to the Chicago Bears opening week
and then 42-35 to the New England Patriots in Week 2, with both of those
games being on the road. The Steelers opened with a road loss to the Giants
before nipping the Buffalo Bills 19-16 on a last-second field goal last week.
Week 3 is normally the regular season dress rehearsal for most NFL teams
with the starters seeing the most action they will see the entire preseason,
and the Eagles may have added incentive here seeking their first win of 2014,
especially with this being their first game at home. Their quarterbacks did
a fine job last week for the second straight game with starter Nick Foles
completing 8-of-10 passes for 81 yards and a touchdown and backups Mark
Sanchez and Matt Barkley combining to go 20-for-24 for 249 yards and three
touchdowns, although each backup did throw an interception. Philadelphia will take
a much longer look at Foles this game, not that he has much to prove after
an amazing ratio of 27 touchdown passes vs. two interceptions in his
breakout season last year, and they will look for a lot more from the running game.
Yes the Eagles averaged 4.2 YPC vs. the Patriots, but that was primarily
because third string running back Henry Josey gained 56 yards on his eight
carries. At least Josey showed that he is capable in the event that starter
LeSean McCoy is limited in this game or is held out entirely, which is
conceivable as he is battling turf toe. The Eagles even acquired a running back this
week in Kenjon Barner that played for Chip Kelly at Oregon and is thus
familiar with the Eagle offense.
Pittsburgh Head Coach Mike Tomlin had been one of the best preseason
coaches in football over his first six seasons with the club going 19-6 straight
up over those years, but then his Steelers went 0-4 last preseason and made
it five straight preseason losses in Week 1 before breaking through last
week. This is a veteran team that is not accustomed to playing offenses that
play as the blazing fast tempo that the Eagles do, and when you add in
Philadelphia's probable determination to win a game to please its home fans, the
Steelers may have their hands full on defense. And with the Steelers' probably
not having the same urgency to win this game now that they got their win out
of the way, look for them to be more concerned with running their normal
offense when their starters are in the game as they prepare for the regular
season than with trying to match the rapid-paced Eagles point for point, so
expect to see heavy doses of running backs Le'Veon Bell and LeGarrette Blount
as just about the only unknown on the Pittsburgh roster right now is how the
carries between those two running backs will be allocated this year,
although indications right now are that Bell should be the man between the 20s and
Blount looks to be the goal line back.
The Eagles are 8-1 straight up and 7-2 ATS in their last nine preseason
Week 3 dress rehearsals.PICK: PHILADELPHIA EAGLES-3.5
