After taking some time off for a little bit of Bye week R&R, Philadelphia Eagles Week 8 is officially here. Soon, fans will be able to watch the NFL's lone undefeated team return to the field for the rare cross-state contest against the Pittsburgh Steelers in a Battle of Pennsylvania decided on the gridiron instead of the hockey rink.
Will the Eagles be able to keep their improbable undefeated run alive, incorporate trade acquisition Robert Quinn into the edge rushing rotation, and send the Steelers back to Primanti country with their proverbial tail between their legs? Or will Pittsburgh bounce back from a tough loss to Miami and steel one from the Birds on their home turf? Needless to say, the storyline and, by extension, Eagles predictions are expansive, with fans the world over excited to see how things shake out.
*Watch NFL games LIVE with fuboTV (click for free trial)*
4 predictions for the Philadelphia Eagles' Week 8 game versus the Pittsburgh Steelers.
4. Kenny Pickett turns the ball over
After beginning the season with Mitch Trubisky under center – going so far as to name the former Bear/Buffalo a captain coming out of camp – Pittsburgh made a change in quarterback in Week 4, when the then 1-2 Steelers inserted 2022 first-round pick Kenny Pickett into the game in an attempt to beat a surprisingly effective New York Jets team.
The results, much like The aforementioned Jets game, haven't gotten the job done.
While Pickett has been completing his passes at a near-10 percent higher clip than his predecessor, the rookie QB has struggled to get the ball where he wants it to go, recording an alarming seven interceptions versus just two touchdowns – good for the third-most interceptions of any quarterback in the league despite having appeared in just four games and thrown just 127 passes.
Needless to say, the Eagles' back-seven is going to eat in Week 8.
3. Darius Slay has another two pick game
Darius Slay is having himself a career resurgence as a member of Jonathan Gannon's defense, and he doesn't particularly seem to care who notices.
Though he's been stricken with injuries through the first six weeks of the 2022 NFL season, having logged 316 defensive snaps thus far, the long-time Detroit Lion has already picked off three passes and defensed four more for a grand total of seven, including a two-interception game against the Minnesota Vikings.
Could Week 8 mark Slay's second two-interception game of the season? Considering Pickett's willingness to sling the ball down deep and let his wide receivers fight for the ball, Slay should have plenty of opportunities to make plays. Expect Slay to put the clamps down on whichever wide receiver Matt Canada decides to put on his side of the field, be that Chase Claypool, Diontae Johnson, and George Pickens, and expect Pickett to throw the ball their away anyway.
2. Start Devonta Smith in fantasy, folks
There are only three teams in the NFL who have allowed more receiving yards than the Steelers in 2022. They're surrendering an average of 275 yards per game through the air and have allowed a total of 13 passing touchdowns, which is good for the sixth-worst mark of any team in the league.
Needless to say, keep an eye on the Eagles' passing offense to go off in Week 8, but who, you may ask, is most likely to be the focal point of Shane Steichen's aerial attack? Bold prediction: Devonta Smith.
Over the past two weeks, the Steelers' defense has surrendered a combined 285 receiving yards to Jaylen Waddle, Chris Godwin, and Stefon Digg, a trio of receivers who have similar player types to Smith. While Brown continues to draw the top spot on opposing game plans, expect Smith to slide under the radar and secure another big-time effort in the middle of a deceptively good season.
1. Jalen Hurts delivers the goods
Week 8 is shaping up to be a big week for Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts. The Steelers are allowing a ton of yards through the air – see the previous prediction – they haven't picked off a pass since Week 4, and outside of Josh Allen in Week 5, haven't faced off against a rusher of Hurts' caliber since January, when Pittsburgh defeated the Baltimore Ravens in overtime of Week 18.
Assuming Miles Sanders comes correct in his first professional game against his hometown team since October of 2020, there's little reason to believe Hurts won't be able to rack up yards through the air, yards on the ground, and, most importantly of all, another win on his resume as the Philadelphia Eagles' starting quarterback.
Follow Us
Subscribe