Keystone Clash: Steelers Travel to Philly to take on the Birds this Sunday

     The battle for Pennsylvania renews its rivalry this Sunday as the undefeated Steelers travel to Lincoln Financial Field to battle the Philadelphia Eagles. 

     Big Ben and the Steelers will come into this showdown on Sunday, looking to make a statement. In weeks one and two, they played below average teams in Houston and Cleveland, but face a legitimate contender in the Eagles this time around. The Eagles are very sound team fundamentally on both sides of the ball. On offense, Philadelphia boasts one of the leagues most feared attacks.

     Donovan Mcnabb's offensive line has been amazing in these first two games as it has given him the time to find his receiver's for big plays.

     Brian Westbrook is the total package at running back and is a matchup nightmare every Sunday. Westbrook does everything well, he has terrific vision, great open field speed, deceptive power, and is a great receiver.

     Desean Jackson has given the Eagles the spark they'vebeen looking for at receiver since Terrell Owens. The so called "weakness" of the team has been very good through two weeks without starters Reggie Brown and Kevin Curtis. Veteran receivers, Hank Baskett, Jason Avant and Greg Lewis have filled in affably for Curtis and Brown. They hope to continue that success this Sunday against the Steelers secondary.

     On defense they struggled against the Cowboys, but who's defense won't struggle against the explosive Dallas offense this year?

     Asante Samuel, Sheldon brown and Lito Sheppard form one of the leagues best corner back trios and are all playmakers. Safety Brian Dawkins is clearly in the twilight of his career and has struggled mightily in coverage but is still the hitter and tackler he has been for 13 years. Quintin Mikell is a rising star at strong safety, he is very sound fundamentally, he is a reliable tackler and is solid in coverage.

     Their defensive line is punishing and has the ability to stop the run as well as get to the passer. Trent Cole is the best pass rusher of the group, but the lack of a threat on the other side of the line has led to double teams in each of the first two weeks, which has led to Cole's slow start. Mike Patterson and Brodrick Bunkley are rising stars at defensive tackle. Both have the ability to rush the passer and both are solid at stopping the run.

     Linebackers Omar Gaither, Stewart Bradley and Chris Gocong are very young and are all very talented. They all are solid against the run and are very aggressive. However that aggressiveness comes back to bite them at times as they can be caught over-pursuing on stretch plays.

     For the Eagles, this is really a pickle game. Pittsburgh is very solid on both sides of the ball and they do everything well.

     Ben Rothlisberger will see limited reps throwing the ball this week in practice due to a shoulder injury suffered in Sundays' win over the Browns. Even with the shoulder injury, Rothlisberger is still a great quarterback and has the arm strength to stretch the field and make the difficult passes.

     Willie Parker has returned, and what a great sign for the Steeler faithful that is. Parker can run by you with his great speed as well as run over you with his deceptive power. Rashard Mendenhall gives Pittsburgh a solid one-two punch running the football with his great combination of speed and power.

     At receiver, Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes have been a great combo, and they got a lift in the offseason, when Mike Tomlin drafted Limas Sweed in the second round. Sweed adds depth to a solid receiving core with his size, speed and ability to shield the defender from the ball. Tight End Heath Miller is a great receiver and should give the Eagles fits on Sunday.

     On defense, the Steelers are solid at all positions and continue to be one of the leagues fiercest and stingiest defenses. Pittsburgh's defense has really played well thus far, giving up a total of only 23 points.

     The defensive line of the Steelers is very strong and is very intense, with Aaron Smith, Casey Hampton and Brett Keisel. They put great pressure on the quarterback and are very solid against the run.

     The Steelers boast what is probably the leagues best group of linebackers, James Farrior, LaMarr Woodley, Larry Foote, and rising star James Harrison are all playmakers and are very sound fundamentally. They all are reliable tacklers, cover well and put solid pressure on the quarterback.

     Pittsburgh's secondary can be a bit suspect at times but still get the job done. At corner back, Deshea Townsend and Ike Taylor don't have great recovering speed but both are solid in coverage and can stop the best of receivers. Safety Troy Polomalu is a fierce hitter and is very reliable in coverage. Ryan Clark is a reliable tackler but can be beat deep when matched up with a speedy receiver.

     The Steelers are coming into this game facing a very upset Eagles team that will come into this week three with a scary amount of intensity. Here are the Steelers key's to victory in week 3:

1. Match the Eagles intensity and let them make mistakes.

2. When they pass the ball, they need to protect Rothlisberger and keep him on his feet.

3. Run the ball with success.

4. Pressure Donovan McNabb and force him to make plays out of the pocket.

5. Stop Brian Westbrook and Desean Jackson, forcing McNabb to utilize his other receivers.

     This is a big test for the frustrated Eagles. Pittsburgh is a very tough team and won't make big mistakes. Here are the Eagles keys to victory over the Steelers:

1. Avoid the big play on defense, don't let Santonio Holmes get one on one with Brian Dawkins.

2. Stop Willie Parker and force the Steelers to become one dimensional, forcing Ben Rothlisberger to rely on his injured shoulder.

3. AVOID LATE GAME TURNOVERS. The Eagles have lost too many games in recent years due to turnovers late in the game.

4. Protect Donovan McNabb, give him time in the pocket to complete his passes and run the ball when needed.

5. Utilize the versatility of Brian Westbrook and Desean Jackson. Those two together can really be a nightmare for defensive coordinators.

     This will be a very intense showdown with a lot on the line for an early season game. There is no clear cut favorite in this one as I see both teams being evenly matched. Right now as I see it, the Eagles will win 24-16. But that prediction is subject to change as the week progresses.