The Philadelphia Eagles will look to enhance to 2-2-1 once they tackle the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 5 at Heinz Area. The Eagles lastly obtained their first win of the 2020 season in Week Four in opposition to the San Francisco 49ers, although it’s value mentioning the crew didn’t face 49ers beginning quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.
The Steelers are favored to defeat the Eagles in Week 5 since they’re 3-Zero on the season. Nevertheless, Pittsburgh might be rusty since its Week Four matchup in opposition to the Tennessee Titans was postponed because of COVID-19.
With that being mentioned, ClutchPoints has made 4 daring predictions for the sport.
1. Carson Wentz will begin to seem like his MVP self once more
Throughout the 2017 season, Carson Wentz was within the MVP dialog. He led the Eagles to an 11-2 document and threw for 3,296 yards and 33 touchdowns.
Sadly, Wentz missed the final three video games of the season because of a season-ending ACL damage in his left knee. Though he put up monster numbers in 2019 (4,039 yards, 27 touchdowns, seven interceptions), the Eagles went solely 9-7 and misplaced to the Seattle Seahawks within the NFL Wild Card Sport.
So far in 2020, Wentz hasn’t seemed good in any respect. He’s thrown seven interceptions in 4 video games in comparison with solely 4 touchdowns. Issues have gotten so dangerous for the previous Professional Bowler that some Eagles followers need to see Jalen Hurts get the beginning job.
Nevertheless, after Wentz and Co. obtained a stable highway win in opposition to the 49ers, issues could also be beginning to flip round for the Eagles. Week 5 in opposition to the Steelers is the proper recreation for Wentz to play like that 2017 MVP model and quiet all of the critics in Philly.
The Steelers are permitting 242 passing yards per recreation on the season, so search for Wentz to gentle it up in opposition to Pittsburgh and present everybody he’s nonetheless able to being a famous person QB.
2. Eagles will choose off Ben Roethlisberger 3 times
After solely enjoying in two video games in 2019, Ben Roethlisberger has come again with a vengeance this season. By means of the Steelers’ first three video games, Massive Ben has seven landing passes and 777 passing yards.
Whereas the Eagles at present have the 20th ranked protection within the NFL when it comes to factors per recreation and solely two defensive interceptions, Roethlisberger has by no means actually carved up the Eagles’ secondary throughout his profession. The Future Corridor of Famer has confronted the Eagles 4 occasions. He’s 2-2 with three touchdowns and three interceptions.
With that being mentioned, search for Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz to be further aggressive in opposition to the Steelers with totally different blitz packages and coverages, which might end in Roethlisberger getting comfortable toes and throwing some errant passes.
3. Miles Sanders will rush for over 100 yards, rating one landing
Eagles operating again Miles Sanders has carried the ball 51 occasions on the season for 236 yards and one landing. The Steelers at present have the No. 1 dashing protection within the NFL when it comes to dashing yards per recreation, as they’re giving up solely 54 a contest.
These are daring takes for a purpose, although, of us. The Eagles need to get some constructive momentum after beginning the season gradual and will definitely want Sanders to have a stellar recreation in opposition to the Steelers’ vaunted protection.
This will probably be Sanders’ first recreation ever within the NFL versus Pittsburgh, so the teenager will probably be motivated to have a profession recreation when not many individuals predict him to have success.
4. Eagles win to enhance to 2-2-1
Because the Steelers’ rhythm was disrupted after the postponement of the Titans recreation, search for the Eagles to return out aggressive on each side of the ball early within the first quarter to ship a message to Pittsburgh.
Eagles head coach Doug Pederson is a Tremendous-Bowl-winning coach for a purpose. He nonetheless has the complete belief and respect of his locker room and the gamers have doubtless heard all of the noise within the media about how Pederson has misplaced his contact on offense and may rent an offensive coordinator.
Generally, groups rally round one another when the naysayers get actually loud as they do in Philadelphia. Search for the Eagles to play with lots of ardour and fireplace in opposition to the Steelers and are available away with an enormous highway win to increase their lead within the NFC East.
It could not at all times be fairly, however the Eagles are clearly one of the best crew within the NFC East because the New York Giants, Washington Soccer Group and Dallas Cowboys are dysfunctional from high to backside.
The Eagles have stability on the quarterback and head teaching spot, a very powerful positions within the NFL. Whereas the Steelers with Roethlisberger and Mike Tomlin have that as effectively, Philadelphia has extra to play for at this level within the younger season.
