Russ was awfully careful to avoid giving the Eagles an edge.
Rubber has officially met the road for most NFL teams by now. This is the stretch run, which means each game has significant implications, whether it’s for postseason seeding or NFL Draft odds.
Perhaps the most interesting game on the Week 15 slate is Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday afternoon. Beyond the in-state rivalry of it all, both Philly and Pittsburgh have a lot to play for. This is a game that could go a long way toward determining the standings in both conferences.
We cannot ignore the unique competitive context of this game either. For the Steelers, it’s a chance to break their 59-year victory drought in Philadelphia. Quite literally, the Steelers have not won a game in Philadelphia since 1965. The Steelers have had more success on their home turf, of course, but Lincoln Financial Field (and its predecessors) have been cursed ground for the Steelers.
Meanwhile, Russell Wilson has experienced the exact opposite throughout his career. He is 4-0 in Philadelphia and 6-0 all time against the Eagles. Wilson has the Eagles’ number historically. So, the unstoppable force will soon meet the unmovable object. Something has to give. One of these streaks has to end.
Wilson was asked about his career-spanning dominance of the Eagles, but he opted for the safe and political answer, refusing to provide Philadelphia’s locker room with added motivation.
Steelers’ Russell Wilson refuses to give the Eagles bulletin board material
This is a good business decision from Wilson, who doesn’t want to poke the bear. Philadelphia’s defensive front is possibly the most intimidating in all of football. I personally wouldn’t want to give Jalen Carter extra incentive to put a helmet through my ribcage.
That said, Steelers fans probably want a bit more cockiness from their franchise leader. Wilson tends to talk a big game. He knows how to pump himself up in front of the media. This is absolutely the “correct” answer to a question about your 6-0 record against the Eagles, but the “fun” answer would have leaned more into the bit. Even a simple “we plan on making it 7-0” would’ve made for quality content.
Instead, we sit here with a mostly docile quote about how long Wilson has been in the league and how nothing is guaranteed, which is true. The Steelers can’t count on the football gods to bless Wilson on Sunday; a collective effort will be required to win.
It should be a great football game. This is a tremendous matchup on paper, featuring two of the dawgiest defenses in the sport. We could be in for a good, old-fashioned rock fight.
We should probably note the simmering discord in Philadelphia’s locker room. The Eagles have won nine straight, so panic is premature, but there is a clear fracture in the relationship between Jalen Hurts and A.J. Brown. One of two things will happen on Sunday. Either Hurts and Brown will connect a dozen times in career-best performances, or the Eagles will embark on their new tradition of late-season collapses for the second year in a row.
The Steelers are a great football team, more than equipped to punish Philadelphia’s offense for any missteps. Now, let’s see if Wilson can poke holes in the Eagles’ dynamic coverage plan.