In an intrastate battle, the Pittsburgh Steelers travel to Philadelphia to play the Eagles. Pittsburgh (10-3) and Philadephia (11-2) are in first place in their respective divisions. This matchup could be an understated Super Bowl preview. Our Steelers vs Eagles prediction is for underdog Pittsburgh to cover the 5.5-point spread.
Head-to-head, Philadelphia leads with a record of 49-29-3.
Offshore Odds: Eagles Are Relatively Heavy Favorites
| Team | Spread | Money Line | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steelers | +5.5 (-105) | +208 | O 43 (-115) |
| Eagles | -5.5 (-115) | -248 | U 43 (-105) |
Suddenly, Pittsburgh Can Get the AFC’s Top Seed
The Steelers, having won seven of eight games after consecutive losses to Indianapolis and Dallas, are in the conversation to get the number one seed in the AFC.
Pittsburgh has a two-game lead over Baltimore in the AFC North and a tough schedule ahead of them, so it will take significant effort to catch Kansas City — who they will play in Week 17. If the teams end up with identical records and Pittsburgh beats Kansas City, the Steelers will have the tiebreaker.
First, they need to get past Philadelphia.
Quarterback Russell Wilson has been tremendous since taking over as the starter ahead of Justin Fields. Head coach Mike Tomlin and first-year offensive coordinator Arthur Smith are using Fields in situations where they need a running QB.
The Steelers lead the NFL in takeaway differential at +17. They are fourth in the league in allowing the fewest rushing yards per game. If anyone can slow down Eagles’ star running back Saquon Barkley, it’s them. If they force Jalen Hurts to throw to win, they have a good chance of coming out on top.
Pittsburgh will be without receiver George Pickens, who has a hamstring injury.
Drama Engulfs the Eagles (Again)
Even when the Eagles are winning, they cannot avoid controversy. In Week 14, they narrowly avoided the biggest upset of the season when they trailed Carolina 16-14 in the fourth quarter before prevailing 22-16.
Jalen Hurts had a subpar game completing 14 of 21 passes for 108 yards, though he did throw two touchdown passes. After the game, defensive end Brandon Graham implied there was a disconnect between Hurts and top receiver A.J. Brown.
Brown had stoked the controversy when he was asked what needed to improve and he said, “Passing.”
Head coach Nick Sirianni addressed it and all parties proclaimed their unity.
The worst thing Philly can do is to try and force the ball downfield to Brown to try and tamp down suggestions of a rift between him and Hurts. Philadelphia’s passing game has seemed weak all season, but that is largely because Barkley has been all-world and they did not need to pass as much.
Steelers vs Eagles Prediction: Pittsburgh Will Keep the Game Within 5.5 Points
If the game is close or the Eagles lose, the infighting will be blamed. In truth, Pittsburgh is a good, opportunistic team with a lot to play for. Philadelphia might win, but the game will end within 5.5 points.
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