Pittsburgh Steelers

Philadelphia Eagles Become Contenders with Win Over Pittsburgh Steelers

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

foxsports

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz may get most of the attention, but the real story from Week 3 is how the team may just be a contender.

Carson Wentz is well worth talking about. 23-of-31 for 301 yards, two touchdowns, and a 125.9 passer rating against the Pittsburgh Steelers makes that so. As put by Fox Sports’ Chris Chase, he’s “electrifying” the Eagles.

And the Eagles are responding.

Now in rare air at 3-0, the Eagles are going to be a hot team to pick in coming games and a team to watch as midseason nears and the playoffs inch closer. With the New York Giants falling to the Washington Redskins, the Eagles are in complete control of their destiny.

That’s exactly as it should be, especially after the 34-3 beatdown they just laid on the Pittsburgh Steelers—who are contenders each and every season. From defense to special teams to offense, the Eagles looked like one of the more complete teams in the NFL and deserved to have a bit of a coming-out party at the Steelers’ expense.

Players across the Eagles’ roster are making plays week in and week out. It’s only Week 3, but the Eagles are showing no signs of slowing down. In fact, they only look to be getting better.

From Darren Sproles’ 73-yard catch and run to Fletcher Cox’s strip sack, players who have had their talents wasted in recent years are finally delivering. Whether it’s Wentz being the catalyst or otherwise, there’s something going right with the Eagles. Head coach Doug Pederson deserves a ton of credit, too. He has organized a brilliant coaching staff headlined by defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz and offensive coordinator Frank Reich. These coaches make sure the Eagles are ready to play each time out. The team looks prepared, they know what the opponent is going to do in key situations, and they execute better than the vast majority of NFL teams.

The improvement is a return to form that many Eagles fans anticipated when Chip Kelly took over in 2013. His constant fiddling and tinkering with the team left plenty to be desired. Pederson is turning things around, bringing them back on track.

While the Eagles are highlighting their wins with Wentz’s play at quarterback, but it’s the defense that is the true star. Philly entered Week 3 with the second-ranked scoring defense and the fourth-ranked defense in yards allowed. After limiting the Steelers to just three points and 251 yards, they have proven that those numbers are no fluke.

The Cleveland Browns and Chicago Bears aren’t competitive in 2016 and the wins over them were no big deal. The Week 3 victory dominance over the Steelers changes everything. This is a team that can go the distance and compete.

This a team that’s a true contender.