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The Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles will do battle during this week’s slate of NFL preseason action on Aug. 12. in Philadelphia. For Pittsburgh, this represents the team’s second exhibition game while Philadelphia opens up its summer slate. Below, we preview this preseason matchup.
Eagles vs Steelers: What you need to know
- The Eagles host Pittsburgh at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Aug. 12 at 7:30 PM EST.
- Sportsnaut forecasts the Pittsburgh Steelers will beat the Philadelphia Eagles, 28-24.
- Odds: The Eagles are one-point favorites with the over/under set at 34.5.
Jalen Hurts vs Dwayne Haskins
The Eagles will not guarantee that Jalen Hurts is going to be under center Week 1 against the Atlanta Falcons. In fact, rumors continue to point in the direction of a potential Deshaun Watson trade depending on how his legal situation plays out.
In Pittsburgh, Ben Roethlisberger will once again be holding a clipboard after sitting out the opener. Instead, all eyes will be on Haskins after he played well against Dallas. The former Washington Football Team first-round pick could challenge for the No. 2 spot.
- Jalen and the Eagles’ offense hurting: Reports from training camp thus far suggest that there’s been some major struggles from Philadelphia’s first-team offense. While Hurts is still the odds-on favorite to be Philadelphia’s starting quarterback, further struggles here could lay the groundwork for Joe Flacco.
- The Dwayne Haskins dynamic: On the other hand, everything we’ve heard from Pittsburgh’s camp this summer suggests that Haskins has matured on the field after two disastrous seasons in D.C. to open his career. Could he be the quarterback of the future? Is it possible Haskins unseats Mason Rudolph to be the No. 2 behind Big Ben?
James Washington vs Pittsburgh Steelers roster bubble
As of right now, it’s clear who the Steelers’ top-three wide receivers are. JuJu Smith-Schuster and stud youngster Chase Claypool will get the start outside with Diontae Johnson starting in the slot.
As for Washington, he could very well be on the roster bubble and is in the process of requesting a trade.
- James Washington could be a goner: Over the course of his first three NFL seasons, this 2018 second-round pick has not upped his game. Last season saw the Oklahoma State product record 30 receptions for 392 yards while catching less than 54% of his targets.
- Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver battle: With Washington looking for a trade, we’re going to be intrigued to see how other youngsters perform Thursday evening. That includes Ray-Ray McCloud, Cody White and Mathew Sexton.
Philadelphia Eagles young receivers vs solid secondary
Reigning Heisman winner and first-round pick Devonta Smith will not play in this game after suffering a minor MCL injury to his knee early in training camp. He’s been Philadelphia’s top receiver this summer. But this does open things up for others.
In Pittsburgh, a veteran secondary likely won’t need to see much action ahead of the regular-season opener. That gives youngsters an opportunity to prove themselves here.
- Eagles wide receiver group: We need to see more from 2020 first-round pick Jalen Reagor after an unproductive rookie campaign. It’s also going to be interesting to see if JJ Arcega-Whiteside even has a future in Philadelphia. A lot of that will depend on how fellow youngster Quez Watkins performs during the preseason.
- Pittsburgh Steelers depth: Joe Haden and Cameron Sutton remain Pittsburgh’s top corners. However, the slot corner position remains up in the air. Right now, it’s between Antoine Brooks Jr. and Arthur Maulet. That’s a big battle. We’re also intrigued to see how unproven cover guys such as Justin Layne and Mark Gilbert perform.
Bottom line: This Eagles vs Steelers preseason matchup is always fun for bragging rights in Pennsylvania. While it won’t matter once the regular season comes calling, expect a highly-entertaining affair. With Pittsburgh’s starters playing more than its counterparts, look for the Steelers to come away with the win.