The NFL’s last unbeaten team, the Philadelphia Eagles (6-0), host their in-state foes, the Pittsburgh Steelers (2-5) Sunday afternoon at Lincoln Financial Field in a cross-conference matchup (1:00 p.m. ET, CBS). The Eagles look to remain alone in first place in what’s been a surprisingly competitive NFC East while the Steelers attempt to get back on track after a close 16-10 loss to the Miami Dolphins on Sunday Night Football.
Philadelphia returns to action after its bye week, most recently defeating Dallas 26-17 in Week 6’s edition of Sunday Night Football. Philadelphia put together another well-rounded effort, jumping out to an early 20-0 lead over Dallas in the first half, picking off QB Cooper Rush two times to give its offense a short field to work with. Dallas made things interesting, scoring 17 unanswered points to get within three early in the fourth quarter. A Jalen Hurts touchdown pass to TE Dallas Goedert all but sealed the win for the Eagles, a game in which their offense remained balanced, passing for 132 yards while rushing for 136.
Meanwhile, Pittsburgh enters Week 8 sitting in last place in the AFC North, looking for some stability on the offensive side of the ball. Rookie QB Kenny Pickett has shown some flashes through four games but enters this week with a subpar 2:7 TD-to-INT rate to go along with the lowest QB rating in the league (66.7). Pickett had the chance to lead the Steelers to a go-ahead scoring drive late last week, but tossed a crucial game-ending interception in the end zone with 18 seconds left. Will the Eagles maintain their undefeated record, or can the Steelers play spoiler and notch what would be one of the bigger upsets so far this season?
WEEK 8 NFL PICKS: ATS | Straight up
Below, we’ll give you all the information you need before placing a wager on Eagles-Steelers, including the updated odds from Caesars Sportsbook, tips, and our prediction for this Week 8 early-afternoon showdown.
Eagles vs. Steelers odds for NFL Week 8
Betting odds courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook
- Spread: Eagles -11 (-110); Steelers +11 (-110)
- Over/Under: 43
- Moneyline: Eagles -550; Steelers +400
Philadelphia sat as a 9.5-point home favorite on the look-ahead line, and since then the Eagles have been bet up to 11-point home chalk. The total has seen a tiny bit of movement after opening at 44 points, ticking down to 43 points, likely due to the Steelers’ offensive woes coupled with Philadelphia’s sound defense.
MORE WEEK 8 NFL: Odds, spreads
Eagles vs. Steelers all-time series
The Eagles lead the all-time series over the Steelers with a 48-29-3 record. The Steelers did win the last meeting between these two teams in a 38-29 victory back in October 2020. Ben Roethlisberger had an efficient game against the Eagles defense that day, completing 27-of-34 passes for three TDs.
Three trends to know
— Philadelphia’s been just as impressive against the spread as they have been straight up, posting a 4-1 ATS mark over its past five games.
–Pittsburgh’s offensive woes coupled with its strong defense have resulted in five of their past seven games going under the total.
— According to BetQL, “only two of Pittsburgh’s five losses have come by more than 10 points. The Steelers have been solid defensively for most of the season, keeping four of their seven opponents to 20 points or fewer.”
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Three things to watch for
Pickett’s effectiveness against the Eagles’ secondary
Pickett did a solid job of taking care of the football in his last season at the University of Pittsburgh, finishing with a 42:7 TD-to-INT ratio. Through his first four games in the NFL, Pickett’s tossed just as many interceptions (seven) to go along with only two passing TDs. Given the potential for a negative game script, Pickett could be forced into more passing situations which isn’t great news against a stout Philadelphia secondary. Entering Week 8, the Eagles’ secondary is holding QBs to a 66 QB rating and a 7:9 TD-to-INT rate. The Eagles most recently picked off Cooper Rush three times, who entered Week 6 having yet to throw an interception. We’ll see how Pickett fares against lockdown corners Darius Slay and James Bradberry.
Steelers’ offensive line in pass protection
To go along with having a stout secondary, the Eagles have one of the better pass rushes in the NFL, sporting PFF’s seventh-highest pass-rush grade (78.6). If Philadelphia’s able to consistently get Pickett under pressure, it sets them up for success. Pickett’s completed only 53.8 percent of his passes for 6.0 yards per attempt to go along with a subpar 56.1 passer rating when under pressure. The Steelers offensive line is a relatively well-rounded unit, but did allow three sacks in both of their games against upper-echelon pass rushes (vs. Jets, @ Bills).
Eagles’ rush defense
The one area where the Eagles’ defense is susceptible is against the run. Philadelphia allows 5.0 YPC on the season (28th in NFL) and while Najee Harris has rushed for just 3.3 YPC, he might be in line for his best rushing output of the season. The Steelers likely need to sustain long drives, taking up a good chunk of the clock to keep the Eagles offense off the field. Philadelphia just allowed 6.2 YPC to Ezekiel Elliot last week, and a 100-yard performance from Harris is certainly possible.
Stat that matters
+12. That’s Philadelphia’s turnover margin six games into the season, leading the league with 14 turnovers created to just two interceptions thrown on offense. Jalen Hurts’ elite ball security coupled with a defense that creates havoc is the main reason why Philadelphia leads the league in turnover margin, but at the same time, it can be a fairly fluky stat chalked up to positive variance. If the Eagles add to their positive turnover margin, they’ll be in great shape to remain undefeated.
Eagles vs. Steelers prediction
As indicated by this double-digit spread, the Eagles are in a solid position to get to 7-0 on the season, but given their defense’s susceptibility on the ground, Pittsburgh can keep this game closer than the current spread indicates. Two touchdowns might be all the Steelers need to stay within the point spread here, and although their offense has had its struggles, Pittsburgh puts together a surprise performance while notching a road cover.
PREDICTION: Eagles 24, Steelers 14. Pittsburgh (+11) covers the spread with the game going UNDER the total (43).
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