Pittsburgh Steelers Offense vs Philadephia Eagles Defense



Big Ben Will Lead the Powerful Passing
Attack vs the Eagles Defense


Its Thursday, which means that here at the Black n' Gold Blitz we continue breaking down the upcoming Steelers game vs the Philadelphia Eagles.  Yesterday we covered the Steelers D vs the Eagles Offense, and today we flip the switch.  I'm going to give you 5 key story lines to watch as the Steelers Offense looks to keep up their fast pace against a somewhat challenging Eagles Defense.

- Who's got the 'Candy Bar' - I had to laugh when I saw this article on profootballtalk.com.  Everyone knows Nnamdi and Rodgers-Cromartie, but since Asante Samuel has left the Eagles, they've been forced to go with rookie Brandon Boykin.  Boykin has been the weak link of the Eagles secondary as he has given up several big plays in their first 4 games.  Steelers WR Antonio Brown referred to Boykin in this way, "Thats the candy bar.  He's given up alot of plays.  Whoever gets that guy definitely has to take advantage."  Pretty strong words, but I love the "Candy Bar" reference.  Classic line if you ask me, but Brown has a point.  If the Eagles are going to constantly roll the safety coverage to help keep Boykin from making a big mistake, they are leaving Nnamdi and Cromartie on islands vs either Antonio Brown, Emmanuel Sanders, Mike Wallace, or Jerricho Cotchery.  Also, don't forget about Heath Miller.  When it comes to the Steelers WR core vs the Eagles secondary, I like the Steelers hands down...

- Take the Air Out of the Ball - My buddy (and fellow Black n' Gold Blitz Contributor) Mason Noland and I agree on this subject.  You don't have to be a running team to be successful, but you do have to run the ball when its necessary.  The Steelers need to show the ability to get a quick lead with their passing attack, and then grind out the game with long, time consuming drives that result in points, but more importantly keep the Steelers Defense on the bench.  Rashard Mendenhall's return will certainly help matters in the running game, but Steelers fans who think he will step in and be the dynamic back we are used to seeing are sadly mistaken.  It is going to take Mendy some time to get his groove going again.  Don't be surprised to see him hesitate on the first few carries...remember that in January of last year he had his ACL surgically repaired.  Even Barron Batch of the Steelers talked about how he was hesitant on his knee during this preseason and that was a full calendar year after he tore his ACL.  The OLine needs to start getting nasty in the trenches to open up those holes for the RBs to run through.

- Sling the Rock - This might seem like I'm contradicting myself after the last paragraph, but I think we need to remember what the Steelers' offensive strengths are.  Its in the passing game.  You have a stud QB and some stud WRs...time to use them.  I like the Steelers ability to protect Ben in this game, but if the Eagles' "wide 9" pass rushers start to get the edge on Gilbert and Starks, it could get ugly.  Look for the Steelers to dink and dunk their way down the field as they have in their first 3 games...control the clock, and ultimately give the Steelers the best chance to win in the end.  I don't mind throwing the ball, but the Steelers need to stay out of obvious passing downs.  Penalties were a huge problem in the Oakland game and put the offense behind the 8-ball on more than one occasion.  Its great the Steelers can convert on 3rd and 18, but they shouldn't make it a habit.  Time to sling the rock...

- Avoid the Costly Turnover - Something the Steelers did so well in their 1st 2 games went south in a hurry in Oakland.  The Steelers only committed one turnover in the first 2 games, and then had 2 in the Oakland game (they fumbled the ball 4 times, losing 2).  Its a safe bet that if the Steelers don't fumble the football vs the Raiders they probably win the football game.  I hope Tomlin gives Jonathan Dwyer another shot on Sunday to redeem himself after his costly fumble, but we know Brown and Wallace will get their chances.  Be sure to protect the football.  If the Steelers win the turnover battle, there is a good chance they pull out a much needed win vs their cross state rivals.

- RedZone = TD, not FG - The Steelers redzone offense has improved tremendously, and I hope Bruce Arians is seeing what Heath Miller can do in the redzone.  Miller as been the Steelers number 1 target in the red area and he has 4 TDs to show for it.  The Eagles defense is stingy, and scoring points will be at a premium, but the Steelers need to convert Red Zone opportunities to TDs, not FGs.  The less Shaun Suisham stays OFF the field the better the Steelers will be...trust me.  Look for Heath to have another solid outing as he continues to thrive in Todd Haley's offense.

This should be a great matchup of two very similar teams.  Both teams have high flying offenses that can score points and defenses that have been stingy in their own right.  If you ask me, the costly turnover and the "splash play" (as Mike Tomlin says) will be the key in this game.  Look for more coverage tomorrow and my prediction on the game.