The 3-0 Pittsburgh Steelers host the unpredictable Philadelphia Eagles for the battle of Pennsylvania in Week 5.
The Pittsburgh Steelers received an early bye week because several Tennessee Titans players and staff members tested positive for COVID-19. The extra days off gave Mike Tomlin’s team plenty of time to evaluate Pittsburgh’s next opponent. The Philadelphia Eagles are wildly unpredictable, which could cause problems for the Steelers on Sunday.
The Eagles and the NFC East face heavy criticism for their slow start this season, but don’t underestimate a team led by Doug Pederson. Plus, Philadelphia’s defensive line is one of the NFL’s best this year. Pederson’s team has enough talent to give the Steelers some trouble.
However, if Pittsburgh fulfills these bold predictions, Tomlin’s team should run away with the victory.
5. Conner’s hot streak continues
Questions abounded about James Conner entering the 2020 season. After averaging one touchdown and over 100 yards from scrimmage per game in 2018, the former Pro Bowler fell apart last season. Conner only appeared in ten games and finished the season with fewer than 500 rushing yards. However, the 25-year-old is rebounding well.
After a forgettable performance in Week 1 highlighted by a minor injury, Conner set about reasserting himself as Pittsburgh’s lead running back. He’s produced 215 rushing yards while averaging 6.3 yards per carry over the past two weeks. Philadelphia’s defensive front poses the biggest challenge of the young season for Conner. Hopefully, he can keep Pittsburgh’s ground game moving in the right direction.
The Eagles have a top-12 run defense, allowing 108.8 rushing yards per game. The Steelers are averaging 139.7 rushing yards per week, which puts them among the top-ten rushing offenses. Ben Roethlisberger’s offense can survive without a running game, but Big Ben’s job gets much more manageable when Conner is cooking. Look for Pittsburgh to establish the ground game early.
In 2019, Conner only had one 100-yard rushing performance. He already has two in this season’s first three weeks. The young running back is exceeding expectations during a contract year, which should help his bank account this coming offseason.