PHILADELPHIA -- The Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers are set to meet for the first time in two years, a matchup Steelers coach Mike Tomlin dubbed the "Pennsylvania State Championship" this week. The Steelers haven't won in Philadelphia since 1965 while Pittsburgh quarterback Russell Wilson has never lost to the Eagles -- so something has to give.
"The significance in the game is we got an AFC North opponent, knowing that they're going to be a tough, physical team," said Eagles running back Saquon Barkley. "And from my mindset, how I view it, how I've been watching film, well-coached team, a lot of talent over there.
"Like any weekend it ain't gonna be easy. They're definitely gonna make it tough on us. So we gotta go out there and do what we can to come out with a win."
The Steelers and Eagles are a matchup of two first-place teams, as the Steelers are 10-3 while the Eagles sit at 11-2. Philadelphia is riding a nine-game win streak and can set a franchise record for consecutive wins (10) with a victory Sunday. This is the only week since the merger featuring multiple AFC vs NFC matchups between 10-win teams in Week 15 or earlier (Steelers and Eagles are on and Detroit Lions and Buffalo Bills are the other).
Here's how to watch the Steelers and Eagles in the "Battle of Pennsylvania" along with a preview of the showdown:
Steelers vs. Eagles where to watch
- Date: Sunday, Dec. 15 | Time: 4:25 p.m. ET
- Location: Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia)
- TV: Fox | Live stream: fuboTV (try for free)
- Follow: CBS Sports App
- Odds: Eagles -5.5, OU 43
Saquon Barkley's pursuit of rushing record
Barkley has 1,623 rushing yards on the season, currently on pace to break Eric Dickerson's rushing record of 2,105 yards. He needs to average just 120.5 rushing yards per game over the last four games to pass Dickerson, and currently leads the league with 124.8 rushing yards per game.
At Barkley's current pace, he will finish with 2,122 rushing yards. He's also averaging 6.1 yards per carry, on pace to become the first player to average 100-plus rushing yards per game and 6.0 yards per carry in a season since Adrian Peterson in 2012. Barkley would also become the first player to average 6.1-plus yards per carry and 120-plus yards per game in a season since Barry Sanders in 1997.
The Steelers run defense is the biggest challenge left in Barkley's pursuit of the record. Pittsburgh is fourth in rushing yards allowed per game (91.5), the final hurdle amongst challenging run defense's Barkley has left in pursuing the record. The Washington Commanders are 28th in run defense (137.0), while the New York Giants are 29th (141.7) and the Dallas Cowboys are 30th (141.9) -- the Eagles' remaining opponents.
"I've heard the talks. I know the number. I know what to get," Barkley said. "I kind of messed around with the emotions of how I feel for it. But my mindset is, don't be scared of it, embrace it. It's there. Challenge yourself to try to go get it.
"But at the end of the day, the most important thing is winning football games. If that's in the way while we're winning football games, then that's in the way. If it's not, then it's not."
The challenge of T.J. Watt and Cameron Heyward
The Steelers have two of the top pass rushers in football in Watt and Heyward, as both have lived up to their reputation in 2024. Watt has 9.5 sacks this season (tied for seventh in the NFL) while Heyward has 8.0 (tied for 14th). Still one of the elite edge rushers, Watt has just 39 pressures and a 9.4% pressure rate but he's still getting to the quarterback with his 25 quarterback hits (second in NFL).
Heyward still has the reputation as one of the top interior pass rushers in football, ranking second among interior linemen with 19 quarterback hits. He leads the Steelers with 46 pressures and a 13.9% pressure rate.
The Eagles offensive line is one of the best units in football, but has allowed 36 sacks and its 9.9% sacks allowed rate is 30th in the NFL. Watt and Heyward are certainly going to be in the backfield, especially if Jalen Hurts continues his streak of holding on to the ball too long.
"It's going to be a great game. It's going to be a great matchup," said Eagles tackle Jordan Mailata. "So I think the depth that they have, the Steelers D-Line is credit to them for building that but we have depth too, and we've got a great five up front, and it's going to be a battle for sure."
Prediction
Are the Eagles over the "distraction" of A.J. Brown and his passing comments from last week? The vibe of the locker room shows that's the case, as the focus is solely on the 10-win Steelers this week. Wilson has never lost to the Eagles, but he also hasn't played against Philadelphia since his days with the Seattle Seahawks.
The Steelers are a typically a good running team, and have averaged 122.4 rushing yards per game since Week 10. They also have averaged just 3.6 yards per carry during that stretch (29th in NFL). Against an aggressive Eagles defense against the run, that's going to be a problem for the Steelers if they don't get their run issues corrected.
The Eagles offense has not been playing up to its potential for several weeks. They have an opportunity to change that narrative on Sunday. Look for Brown to have a big day.
Score: Eagles 29, Steelers 20
