Eagles could exploit huge Steelers weaknesses during Week 8 matchup

The Philadelphia Eagles versus Pittsburgh Steelers game isn’t just a matchup of the Keystone State’s NFL franchises. It’s a battle between both good and evil. Okay, maybe it isn’t that serious, but it is an intriguing watch.

While Jalen Hurts and the Eagles’ offense has found success this season, except for a few droughts in the second half of games of course, the Steelers have struggled to score. It hasn’t mattered whether Mitch Trubisky or Kenny Pickett lines up behind center.

Philly’s offense has been on a tear from the word go. They average 26.8 points per game, which is fourth-best at this point of the regular season. Through Week 7, they are top five in yards gained and yards allowed. The Steelers are among the NFL’s bottom five teams in each of those categories.

In other words, two of the Eagles’ biggest strengths coincide with two major chinks in Pittsburgh’s steel armor. At every level of football, we’re often treated to strength versus strength matchups. This isn’t that at all. This is more along the lines of a strength-versus-weakness clash… two times over.

Expect the Eagles to dominate on both sides of the ball and ride that momentum to a double-digit win.

Football is a simple game in many respects. Move the ball on offense while stopping the opponent from doing the same. Okay, maybe that’s an oversimplification. Winning in the NFL is tough. These are the best athletes in the world that we are discussing, even if they’re playing on bad teams.

The Eagles are the NFL’s lone unbeaten team. They have been nothing short of excellent in 2022. They rank fifth in offensive yards per game, averaging 394.5 per contest. They also rank fourth in defensive yards allowed. A 297.8 yards-per-game average is the result of their six opponents’ efforts.

The Steelers have struggled. They’re currently the third-worst offense in the NFL, gaining an average of 298.6 yards per affair. The defense has also been bleak, allowing their opponents to gain 394.3 yards per game. That places them among the NFL’s five worst teams in that category.

Both teams’ trends may not change much on Sunday. Philadelphia outgains their opponents by an average of 96.7 yards per game. The Steelers allow their opponents to outgain them by an average of 95.7 yards per contest. Meanwhile, Jalen Hurts is blossoming into a superstar.

QB1 has accounted for 12 total touchdowns during the Eagles’ six wins. Half have come by way of his arm. The other six have come by way of his legs.

Pittsburgh is void of a consistent offensive playmaker. That’s a huge reason for their 15.3 points-per-game average. That’s the second-worst total in the NFL.

Former first-round selection Najee Harris has been dealing with a sprained Lisfranc joint in his foot since August. The offensive line has struggled to create holes for him to run through.

A disparity in offensive production figures to tip the scales in the Eagles’ favor, and while the Steelers pulled off an upset versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 6, home-field advantage for the Birds gives them another reason to be confident.

Look for Philadelphia to exploit Pittsburgh’s weaknesses in Week 8. FanDuel favors the home team by 10.5 points. That’s probably a decent number.