The midway point of the 2010-11 NFL season has passed and a pack of teams has already begun to separate themselves from the non-contenders. Both the Eagles and Steelers are part of the former. If they met right now, who would have the edge? Below is a position breakdown.
Offensive Line: The Steelers offensive line has been a makeshift group the entire season. They have done a decent job allowing only 16 sacks to their quarterbacks compared to the 25 allowed by the Eagles QB’s. Jason Peters continues to be a huge disappointment to the Eagles. However, the Eagles did a great job protecting Vick against the Redskins blowout. Neither team boasts a great O-Line, but Pittsburgh’s O-line is still very much a work in progress when compared to the Eagles. ADVANTAGE: EAGLES (slightly)
Defensive Line and Linebackers: Trent Cole and Jaqua Parker easily give the Eagles an advantage on the D-line, combining for 12 sacks. However, the Steelers excel greatly in the linebacker position boasting the likes of Lawrence Timmons, James Farrior, and the hard-hitting James Harrison, who is one of the top linebackers in the league. The ability to stuff the run has been long known in Pittsburgh, allowing only a paltry 569 yards on the ground compared to the Eagles 936 yards allowed. ADVANTAGE: STEELERS
Secondary: Asante Samuel continues to be one of the quickest cornerbacks in the league. However, his tackling leaves much to be desired. Second rounder Nate Allen has done a solid job of filling in the void left by Brian Dawkins. On the other end, Pittsburgh cornerbacks Bryant McFadden and Ike Taylor do somewhat decent jobs, but they are susceptible to pinpoint passers such as Tom Brady and Peyton Manning who have the ability to weave the ball into the smallest areas. Then again who isn’t? Troy Polamulu is still one of the league’s hardest hitting safeties and one of the most talented in the league. ADVANTAGE: EAGLES (slightly)
Offense: Both Rashard Mendenhall and LeSean McCoy are two of the top RB’s in the league. Mendenhall is a typical power back where as McCoy is equally as dangerous with his hands. Mike Wallace is a big play waiting to happen under Roethlisberger, who is one of the hardest quarterbacks to bring down, and Hines Ward has been one of the most consistent WR’s in the last decade. On the other side, the Eagles boast one of the most explosive duo’s in the NFL with DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin under the equally as explosive reinvented Michael Vick, whose ability to scramble cannot be understated. Jason Avant is one of the steadiest third down backs in the league. David Akers continues to be one the best kickers in the league, whereas the kicker of the Steelers, Jeff Reed, was recently cut. The Steelers do present a good matchup, but when healthy, the Eagles offense is a force to be reckoned with. ADVANTAGE: EAGLES
On paper, the Eagles seem to have the upper hand, but they have not seen a defense that matches up even closely with the intimidating Steelers D. With no upcoming matchups, the only way these teams would match up would be in the Super Bowl. Who do you guys think would win (without any bias)?
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