Eagles vs. Steelers Week 15 game preview and predictions

I feel dangerously good about the Philadelphia Eagles hitting Pittsburgh Steelers today.

“Dangerous” because this trust may be misplaced given the potential pitfalls:

• The Eagles are never able to beat Russell Wilson.
• Mike Tomlin almost always finds a way to make a game up and make it closer than expected, hence his NFL best record straight up and against the spread as underdogs since he was hired.
• The Eagles have hardly been dominant at home this season.
• The Eagles’ moods weren’t exactly pristine as they exited Week 14.

But on that last point, I actually think the way the week played out worked in the Eagles’ favor. I think it’s possible that they channeled frustrations in a positive way and are extra motivated to go out and beat the Steelers. They could make a statement that leaves last week’s ugly win feeling very much in the past.

All eyes will naturally be on the Eagles’ attack and – more specifically – the passing attack. Jalen Hurts holding onto the ball for a long time doesn’t feel like a good recipe against Pittsburgh’s strong pass rush. His ball security will be severely tested.

But I think the Eagles will be especially eager for this game. And I’d say the Eagles’ offensive line deserves the benefit of the doubt when it comes to being able to win their games up front. Hurts has the ability to play better than he did in Week 14. He’ll take advantage of the time he’s given to find AJ Brown over and over and over in a squeaky wheel get the fat performance.

The Steelers’ offense is proving to struggle to score with George Pickens out. Pittsburgh likes to pretend Najee Harris is a lot better than he is and will waste hands on him. These carriers will be gifts to Vic Fangio’s defense. The challenge will be to contain Wilson, who can still extend the game and air it down the field with his signature moon balls. Eagles are typically good at limiting explosives; we’ll have to see if they stick with this.

In what could be a low-scoring game, special teams could be the difference. Chris Boswell is one of the best kickers in the NFL this season. Jake Elliott has struggled and it looks like Nick Sirianni doesn’t fully trust him at the moment. The feeling here is that Elliott could be due for a redemption.

Overall, I think the Eagles beat the Steelers. It is difficult to predict them to do it comfortably, but I think they will get it done.

For more, check out BGN’s weekly NFL game predictions and NFL opts against the spread.

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Score Prediction:

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My predictions:

Score prediction: 23 to 20, Eagles to win.

Cool Prediction: Jake Elliott makes his first 50+ field goal this season as time expires.

Your predictions:

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