PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Eagles are a juggernaut, inexorably rolling toward their seventh playoff berth in the last eight season. The Eagles have now won 10 games in a row, with the Pittsburgh Steelers their latest victims via a 27-13 decision at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday.
The Steelers are a team on the rise, with a new offense led by Arthur Smith and Russell Wilson pumping life into that side of the ball for the first time since Ben Roethlisberger was in his prime.
But they are not yet on the Eagles’ level, and that was made clear by the result on the playing field on Sunday. The Eagles out-gained the Steelers, 401-163, outclassing Pittsburgh unit-for-unit up and down the field.
The Steelers, somehow, kept themselves in the game, mostly thanks to some big turnovers, one by T.J. Watt on defense and another forced by Mark Robinson.
Despite five straight three-and-outs to start the game for the offense, the Steelers finally got into the end zone with a Russel Wilson to Pat Freiermuth touchdown late in the first half and a Chris Boswell field goal got the score to 17-13.
Eagles kicker Jake Elliott regained the touchdown margin with 7:52 to play in the third quarter, but the Steelers took the ball and used a trick play to strike quickly. Wilson took a flea-flicker pitch from Jaylen Warren and found Calvin Austin III racing through the Eagles defense. Two more running plays had the Steelers at the Eagles’ 33-yard line on the march to tying the game.
That was their high water mark. Najee Harris fumbled a pitch toss from Wilson. The Eagles took the ball off the turf and went on a 13-play, 74-yard drive that took 6:33 off the clock and ended the Steelers’ chances when Jalen Hurts used the Eagles’ signature tush push quarterback sneak to go up two touchdowns.
Outside of the fumble and a couple sacks, Hurts did whatever he wanted for most of the night. He finished 25 of 32 for 290 yards with two touchdowns. Wilson managed just 128 yards on 14 of 22 passing with one TD.
Despite missing a big chunk of the second quarter, Saquon Barkley rushed 19 times for 65 yards. DeVonta Smith (11 for 109) and A.J. Brown (8 for 110) torched the Steelers secondary while the defense loaded up to stop the run.
The most important defeat for the Steelers may not have happened on the scoreboard or scoresheet, but in the training room. The team, already playing without starters George Pickens, Larry Ogunjobi and DeShon Elliott, lost Donte Jackson, Justin Fields and T.J. Watt to in-game ailments.
That could put six starters on the shelf for next Saturday’s potential AFC North clincher against the Baltimore Ravens.