Five Storylines for Eagles vs. Steelers

From the bye week to the turnover machine the Eagles have become and more

PHILADELPHIA – Here are five storylines as the still-unbeaten Eagles (6-0) host a Pittsburgh Steelers that is just 2-5 and hoping to right the ship before a lost season becomes inevitable.

BYE WEEK BLUES

There are enough good leaders on this team, including veterans such as Jason Kelce and Brandon Graham to not let complacency set in, but it’s only human nature for something like that to happen.

“Actually I don’t think it’s that difficult,” said Kelce. “I think the break kind of lets everybody rest, kind of get away from the game a little bit. I find usually that first week back, guys have more energy and more focus because you’ve kind of broken up the monotony of the season a little bit.

“You have to emphasize it and I think Nick (Sirianni) and the coaches are doing a good job making sure the guys are in the right mindset.”

SECOND-HALF URGENCY

The Eagles have started quickly in all six games. 

They have led at halftime in all six games and have outscored their opponents, 112-27, in the second quarter, but if they come out slowly while looking to get their legs under them again after a week off, scoring in the second half will be pivotal to keep the Steelers from entertaining any upset hopes.

It will be interesting to see if the coaches’ self-scouting during the bye week – particularly that of offensive coordinator Shane Steichen – will avail itself against the Steelers.

JALEN HURTS

The quarterback has turned the ball over just twice. Those turnovers were interceptions as he has yet to fumble. He has 12 touchdowns – six rushing and six passing.

The bye week allowed Hurts to self-scout, too. It also allowed some time away, something he has a hard time doing given his work ethic and passion for the game.

“It is tough,” he said about taking a week off. “That’s where my peace is, is in this game and obviously helping people off the field, servicing people, uplifting people, but there’s a different peace in playing this game that I value a lot. 

"You only get a certain amount of time to do it and I've been blessed truly to come to work and do something that I love. I have an eagerness to be the best at it and grow at it every day.”

PITT PALS

This game seems tailor-made for the Eagles to add to their total of nine interceptions. Rookie Kenny Pickett has thrown seven picks in just four games.

Pickett, who grew up a fan of Philadelphia sports in Ocean Township, N.J., thanks to his father, also has a good friend on the team, Avonte Maddox, who has one of the Eagles’ interceptions this season.

The two played together at Pitt.

“We texted about getting the jerseys after the game,” said Pickett. “He’s one of my favorite teammates I think I had at Pitt. I’ve had a lot of great ones, but you watch how hard he plays. It translates to the NFL, the passion he plays with. 

"Great guy, unbelievable player, so a lot of respect to him and another huge weapon on their defense, and they’ve got them on all three levels.”

Maddox wasn’t seen in the locker room this week to give his take on Pickett.

TURNOVERS

The Eagles are very good at getting them; the Steelers are not.

Pittsburgh has coughed it up 12 times, with Pickett giving it up seven times via interceptions in four games played.

The Eagles lead the league in interceptions with nine, with Darius Slay and Chauncey Gardner-Johnson having three apiece.

They are plus-12 in turnover ratio, far and away the league leader in that category with the closest team to them, the Cowboys, at plus-6.

It would certainly be beneficial in reaching 7-0 to keep the turnover train steaming along.

"I think it's more so on everyone's mind,” said LB T.J. Edwards. “I think it's one of those things where you talk about it a lot. But this year, we're talking about it every day, and we've talked about it since OTAs.

"I think everyone has it on their mind and honestly, it being a selfless group of everyone wants to make plays and feeding off each other in terms of one week, it's one guy, next week, it's another guy. You just want to be that guy."

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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.