Eagles vs. Steelers notes
27 September 2016 Eagles News
This time, it wasn’t just the Browns or the Bears. This time, it was the Pittsburgh Steelers. Yes, the same Steelers who are a Super Bowl contending team. The Eagles manhandled the Steelers 34-3, it was a great all-around display by the Birds. The Eagles dominated every aspect of the game. Here are some notes on the impressive win.
Firstly, Carson Wentz has officially won over every Philadelphia Eagles fan. I think it is safe to say everyone in Philadelphia is aboard the Wentz Wagon. He finished Sunday 23-31 for 301 yards and two touchdowns. To think Wentz would not be the Eagles starting quarterback if Teddy Bridgewater did not get hurt is just crazy. Wentz has played like a ten-year veteran quarterback. ProFootballFocus.com has ranked him as the number one quarterback in the NFL right now. Wentz has been very impressive during this three-game stretch, I think it is safe to say the Eagles have found their quarterback.
The number 21 pretty much sums up this game. 21 is the amount of rushing yards the Eagles allowed Steelers running back Deangelo Williams to pick up. Last season, Williams was tenth in the league rushing and so far this season, Wiliams had been dominant running the football. Going into Sunday’s matchup, Williams was averaging 120 yards a game. The Eagles did a great job of completely shutting Deangelo Williams and the Steelers run game down. The Eagles defensive line is arguably the best in the league and every game they are proving their worth. With Bennie Logan and Fletcher Cox in the inside, it is almost impossible to run up the middle. The defensive ends, especially Connor Barwin and Brandon Graham are having great years so far too. Holding Williams to just 21 yards is impressive, it shows how dominant the Eagles defensive front really is.
If you cannot run on the Eagles, you can expose the shaky secondary, right? Actually, the Eagles have yet to concede a passing touchdown. Roethlisberger threw for 257 yards and no touchdowns Sunday. Antonio Brown alone had 140 of Big Ben’s 257 yards. Brown found some success in this game, however, he did not find the end zone. The Eagles secondary was supposed to be their weak link. The Eagles safety play is huge, both Malcolm Jenkins and Rodney McLeod are playing at a very high level. Jenkins and McLeod are good enough to make up for the shaky cornerbacks. Sunday, against a high-powered offense, this secondary bent, but did not break. They ended up having a pretty solid game.
The Eagles showed a lot of promise after their impressive win over the Steelers. There is a new energy in Philadelphia, we are all starting to believe in this team. Let’s hope the early bye week only makes the Eagles stronger and they are ready to take on the Detroit Lions after the bye.
Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Ryan Neal Carson Wentz, Fletcher Cox, Malcolm Jenkins, Philadelphia Eagles