The battle of Pennsylvania will be front and center of the football world as the Pittsburgh Steelers make the short trip to Philadelphia to do war with the undefeated Eagles. It is time to check out NFL odds series where our Steelers-Eagles prediction and pick will come true.
Undergoing one of the worst seasons in recent memory, the Pittsburgh Steelers are in a rebuilding year that has prioritized finding out whether or not Kenny Pickett can be the franchise quarterback that the Steel City is counting on him to be. Coming into this one at 2-5, the Steelers' season hangs in the balance and must defeat the in-state Eagles to save their small sliver of a chance to reach the postseason.
After having the week off with a bye last weekend, the 6-0 Eagles are ready to fly high the rest of the way as they have looked like arguably one of the best teams in the NFL thus far. While QB Jalen Hurts has seemingly taken that next step as a passer this season, Philadelphia has relied on a ball-hawking defense that doesn't give opposing offenses time to breathe when on the gridiron. With the city of Brotherly Love basking in the sports world with the Phillies beginning World Series play this weekend, it surely is a great time to be a Philly sports fan at the moment.
Here are the Steelers-Eagles NFL odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NFL Odds: Steelers-Eagles Odds
Pittsburgh Steelers: +10.5 (-106)
Philadelphia Eagles: -10.5 (-114)
Over: 42.5 (-108)
Under: 42.5 (-112)
Why The Steelers Could Cover The Spread
Many expected the Steelers to take a step back when longtime QB Ben Roethlisberger decided to hang up the cleats after the conclusion of the 2021 season, that is exactly what has taken place this year. While the fans weren't expecting their squad to make the postseason this year, Steelers fanatics can take solace in getting to watch Kenny Pickett do his thing week in and week out.
If Pittsburgh is going to shock the football world on Sunday versus the elite Eagles, the Steelers will need to create a friendly offensive game plan for Pickett and company to move the ball which should be a challenging test versus Philly's stymieing defensive unit. Without a doubt, Pickett has shown flashes that he can compete at this level, but the fact of the matter is that he is a rookie quarterback that is prone to make mistakes.
With that being said, Pittsburgh will need to pound the rock with running back Najee Harris to keep the Eagles' defense honest. On paper, the Steelers' offensive line has struggled mightily up to this point, but if Pittsburgh can create some running lanes and provide their rookie signal caller with some time to throw the football, then the Steelers will have a puncher's chance to cover the spread.
Why The Eagles Could Cover The Spread
After clinching a playoff berth last season before ultimately falling short to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Eagles have looked like an entirely different team this season. In fact, they've looked like a squad that is a true Super Bowl contender out in the NFC as they have proved to this point that they have the tools and personnel to make a run. Not to mention, Philly also has a chance to benefit from a down season in the NFC, as the Packers, Buccaneers, and Rams all look like teams that are far from unbeatable. Simply put, the Eagles have officially arrived.
At first glance, the Eagles may not appear to be in for a hefty challenge in front of the home fans against the Steelers, Philadelphia cannot afford to overlook a Mike Tomlin-led squad. For starters, the Eagles have a major advantage when it comes to their defense being on the field. Whether it's stuffing the run at the line of scrimmage or patrolling the air with passes down the field, the ferociousness on defense that Philadelphia has displayed has been nothing short of greatness. Coming off of the bye week, Philly has had an exuberant amount of time to prepare for an underwhelming Steelers squad and should display their prowess from the get-go.
The biggest X-Factor in this matchup will fall on the shoulders of this dynamic rushing attack that may end up being too strong for the Steelers to stop. Despite Pittsburgh only giving up 87 rushing yards per game defensively, Philadelphia no doubt excels in their running schemes and creating gaping holes for their ball carriers to run through. If Philly can establish the run game early, this will make life easier for Jalen Hurts in the passing game.
Final Steelers-Eagles Prediction & Pick
As much as bettors want to see the underdog Steelers come away with a covering of the spread, the Eagles are just too talented in nearly every aspect for Pittsburgh to keep this one close.
Final Steelers-Eagles Prediction & Pick: Eagles -10.5 (-114)
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