Eagles Will Face Tough Test On Sunday
by Ed Benkin
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Eagles and Steelers will both be looking to go 3-0 on Sunday, but one 3-0 start would be a big surprise compared to the other.
The Steelers entered the season as a Super Bowl contender and have defeated two playoff teams from 2015 in the first two weeks of the 2016 campaign.
The Eagles entered the season with a host of questions and a rookie quarterback at the helm.
Carson Wentz and company put together impressive wins over the Browns and Bears, but both of the teams that lost to the Eagles are expected to be bottom dwellers this season.
Will this be the game that determines if the Eagles are true contenders? Wide Receiver Nelson Agholor doesn't think so.
"This is game three for us," said Agholor. "They're a great football team and everybody knows that. That's for them to worry about. "For me, it's about what I see on tape, what my coaches tell me to do and execute."
The Eagles will have to execute at a higher level to beat the Steelers on Sunday. Pittsburgh has a host of weapons on offense and a defense which is one of the best in the league at stopping the run.
Offensive Coordinator Frank Reich knows the running game will face a stiff challenge against the Pittsburgh front seven.
"This defense is continually in the top five versus the run," Reich said. "They have great schemes to stop the run. They have great personnel to stop the run. They put you into a pass only mode and then they can run some of their exotic stuff, but I think that's their strength."
The Steelers have one of the best wide receivers in football. Antonio Brown continues to baffle opposing cornerbacks, but Eagles Defensive Coordinator Jim Schwartz knows there is more to the Pittsburgh offense than Brown.
"It's not just him," said Schwartz. "They've got a track meet of wide receivers. They've got some guys that can fly and that can take the top of a defense. They've got a couple different tight ends they can work in there, a running back that's leading the NFL in rushing and a future Hall of Fame quarterback."
It will be up to the Eagles to keep their focus on Sunday as they face one of the best teams in the NFL. For Wide Receiver Jordan Matthews, it will be just another day at the office.
"You always want to bring it back to a level plane," said Matthews. "You treat it business as usual and go out there and do your job and do our best to get a win. I know it's a big game to the state with them being the Pittsburgh Steelers and us being the Philadelphia Eagles, but you can't get wrapped up in that."
