Category: 2020 Steelers vs. Eagles NFL Week 5

Steelers offensive line to face biggest test of the season vs Eagles

Is the Steelers offensive line up to the task this week?

Honestly, it is hard to figure out what to make of the Pittsburgh Steelers offensive line. Some games they look great but others are very average. Even within the same game you never know which version you are going to get.

This week, went the Steelers oline take on their biggest challenge of the season with the Philadelphia Eagles. This is a sentiment echoed by head coach Mike Tomlin when he spoke to the media this week.

“I think they have 13 sacks over the last two football games,” said Tomlin. “I thought they really took over that Bengal game toward the end and allowed that game to end in a tie with a dominant rush performance by the likes of Fletcher Cox and Brandon Graham. I saw the same thing this past weekend watching them play, but it goes beyond Cox and Graham. They have a seven- and eight-man rotation that’s a formidable one.”

Fans will recognize one member of this talented group when Javon Hargrave takes the field. Hargrave spent his first four seasons with the Steelers. Hargrave hasn’t had much of an impact in Philadelphia to date but you can bet he’s looking to impress his former team.

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Steelers vs. Eagles: Diontae Johnson a full go for Sunday

Steelers HC Mike Tomlin provided an injury update on Tuesday in his weekly press conference.

For the Steelers, the only good news to come out of the unexpected and early bye week is that wide receiver Diontae Johnson had extra time to clear concussion protocol.

Mike Tomlin confirmed in his weekly press conference that Johnson will play on Sunday.

Through eight quarters, Johnson has posted 149 yards receiving and a touchdown.

Additionally, fullback Derek Watt (hamstring) and safety Marcus Allen (foot) are working their way back. Watt has been doing some running, and Allen is working the pool. We’ll hear more about their status for the Eagles’ matchup later in the week.

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Steelers open as 7-point favorites over the Eagles

The Steelers are big home favorites this week.

The battle for Pennsylvania is this Sunday and the two teams couldn’t be coming at it from different points of view. Both teams lead their respective divisions but while the Pittsburgh Steelers (3-0) lead the talented AFC North, the Philadelphia Eagles (1-2-1) are on top of the Lowly NFL East.

This disparity in records is a huge reason why the Steelers have opened up at seven-point favorites according to BetMGM.

If you watched the Eagles limp to their first win of the season on Sunday night you might wonder why the line isn’t worse for them. Philadelphia’s offensive line is atrocious with plays right into the hands of the Steelers blitzing defense.

These two teams last met in 2016. Philadelphia won this one 34-3 thanks to a huge game by Philadelphia quarterback Carson Wentz and a defense that sacked Ben Roethlisberger four times. This is one of the worst Steelers losses under head coach Mike Tomlin.

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Steelers vs. Eagles: Week 5 battle of Pennsylvania will double as reunion with Javon Hargrave

The Steelers will reunite with their former defensive tackle next week in The Battle of Pennsylvania.

A deep-seated rivalry that began 87 years ago takes the field next Sunday when the 0-2-1 Philadephia Eagles travel to Heinz Field to take on the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Unofficially dubbed “The Battle of Pennsylvania,” the interstate, interconference clash dates back to Nov. 19, 1933. The Steelers and Eagles were, for three decades, in the same NFL Eastern Division, and played twice annually. Post-AFL-NFL merger, they’ve played a dozen times, meeting once every four years.

This contest, their first since 2016, will be the fifth in the Ben Roethlisberger era. The teams are tied at two wins apiece since Big Ben took over in 2004.

Javon Hargrave reunion

AP Photo/Chris Szagola

The Steelers lost a significant piece of their defense when the Philadephia Eagles signed lineman Javon Hargrave in free agency this offseason.

Pittsburgh will reunite with their former tackle in Week 5, but Hargrave hasn’t been as heavily involved as he was with the Steelers.

Initially, we at Steelers Wire weren’t too happy about Pittsburgh not extending Hargrave, but the team seems to know what they’re doing (they usually do). They plugged in Tyson Alualu and didn’t skip a beat — he’s been performing exceptionally well in the void left by Hargrave’s departure.

Isaiah Buggs is there to spell Alualu, and, for added depth, Pittsburgh selected Carlos Davis in the 7th round of the 2020 draft.

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Hargrave was dealt an early blow with an upper-body injury a couple of weeks into Eagles training camp. It was expected he would miss multiple games but, instead, returned Week 2 versus the Los Angeles Rams.

Since getting back on the field, the former third-rounder has been rotating in behind starter Malik Jackson. In 37 pass-rush snaps, Javon has four hurries, and in 20 run snaps, a single tackle and stop.

In Pittsburgh, Hargrave started all but 12 games in four seasons. During that span, Javon contributed 14.5 sacks, 168 tackles (22 for loss), 22 QB hits and two forced fumbles. His rookie season he recovered a fumble and took it in for six points.

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