A Closer Look at the Steelers with 5 Questions and Answers

Go more in-depth with the Eagles' Sunday opponent, the Pittsburgh Steelers, with beat writer Noah Strackbein as he answers 5 questions about the team for me

The Eagles can relate to the Pittsburgh Steelers, who will visit Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday at 1 p.m. (CBS).

It was only last year that it was the Eagles who were sitting at 2-5 after their first seven games like the Steelers are now. Philly recovered in time to finish 9-8 and make it into the playoffs as the last seed.

This year is a different story for Nick Sirianni’s team, sitting at 6-0 coming off their bye.

Here is a closer look at the opposition with five question answered by SI All Steelers publisher Noah Strackbein.

Q: Do you agree with starting Kenny Pickett over Mitch Trubisky?

Noah Strackbein: Yes. The Steelers aren't a team built to win now, and if any quarterback is going to struggle, it might as well be the rookie working out his kinks. Pickett is your typical NFL rookie quarterback. 

He tries to make plays that aren't there, is still developing chemistry with his receivers, and is making a lot of mistakes. If Mitch Trubisky was winning football games, then the move wouldn't have been justified, but if the Steelers are going to lose, you might as well let Pickett get his rookie woes over with now.

Q: How is Mike Tomlin handling the potential of his first losing season?

Strackbein: Tomlin is and will always be Tomlin. He tackles everything head-on, doesn't shy away from criticism and remains focused on "win now.” Until the Steelers are eliminated from the playoffs and their season is officially over, he's going to approach each week like this team can turn everything around. 

It might not be realistic, but it keeps the locker room confident, which is where he thrives as a head coach.

Q: What has been the impact of losing a stud like T.J. Watt?

Strackbein: Losing T.J. Watt was the worst thing that could have happened to the Steelers' defense. There have been a lot of injuries within the group, and all have played a pretty significant role in their roller-coaster season. None have been as detrimental as Watt, though.

The Steelers have the NFL's sack leader in Alex Highsmith and they still don't have a quality pass rush. Through seven games, they've recorded 12 sacks, 6.5 of them coming from Highsmith and another from Watt in Week 1. 

Guys like Cam Heyward and Malik Reed have finally started generating some rush in recent weeks, but it hasn't been enough to make an impact.

The team's 1-9 record without Watt seems to hold more ground each week.

Q: Who is one under-the-radar player on both the offense and the defense?

Strackbein: On offense, the under-the-radar player for the Steelers remains George Pickens. While the rookie has plenty of hype around him, his lack of utilization keeps him near the bottom of the list of threats for opposing defenses. 

Fans around the NFL may be starting to think that this wideout has more hype than ability, but eventually, he's going to break off a big game. For the Steelers, they're hoping that's this week.

On defense, it's Terrell Edmunds. The veteran safety is playing on a contract year for a second-straight season and making the most of it. Edmunds is Pittsburgh's go-to to defend pass-catching tight ends, help contain mobile quarterbacks and help in the run game. 

He excels in all of those areas. With Minkah Fitzpatrick next to him, he doesn't get the credit he deserves, but he's one of the most reliable players on the Steelers' roster.

Q: What is your final score prediction and why?

Strackbein: Steelers fans might not like this one, but it doesn't feel like a game that's going to be close. The Eagles aren't slowing down and Pittsburgh's offense is coming off a 10-point performance that almost felt like a good game for them. Without any expectations that the group gets better in Week 8, Philadelphia should walk away big winners in this one.

Eagles 28 Steelers 10

Ed Kracz is the publisher of SI.com’s Fan Nation Eagles Today and co-host of the Eagles Unfiltered Podcast. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles or www.eaglesmaven.com and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.