The Steelers are 4-0 for the first time since 1979. But it wasn’t easy.
For yet another game, Pittsburgh wasn’t able to break their streak of 22 games without an opening touchdown and fell flat on their first drive.
It was a sluggish start to what ended up being a high-scoring affair. After three punts to open the game, the Steelers and Eagles traded touchdowns on four drives, the speed finally picked up.
Linebacker Vince Williams set the tone for the Eagles run game — or lack thereof — when he bull-rushed in to tackle running back Miles Sanders for a two-yard loss on the first play of the game.
With the exception of a long 76-yard run by Sanders, in which Pittsburgh was clearly caught off guard, the Steelers held him to a mere four yards.
Both teams did an excellent job stopping the run and there was little to speak of on the ground.
Philly’s quarterback Carson Wentz spread it around to seven different receivers throughout the game, but second-year receiver Travis Fulgham was the Eagles’ playmaker. Not Steven Nelson, nor Mike Hilton or Minkah Fitzpatrick could put a stop to Fulgham, who ended the day with 152 yards and a touchdown.
With a minute left in the 1st quarter, a questionable holding call (there were plenty in this game) on the Eagles took the Steelers down to the goal line where wide receiver Chase Claypool scored his first touchdown of four touchdowns.
As the game went on, Pittsburgh’s front four became less and less effective. After a rough first couple of quarters, Philadelphia’s offensive line was giving Wentz time — a luxury he hadn’t had all season long.
The Birds came back from 17 points down to make it a 31-29 point game near the end.
Just as Wentz was getting comfortable, he threw a comeback-killing interception to Nelson with two minutes left.
In nail-biting fashion, the Steelers pulled off another win to go 4-0 on the season.
[vertical-gallery id=477347]
[lawrence-related id=478675]