Steelers News: Recent success against the NFC East

It has been a one-of-a-kind offseason for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2020. Unable to attend most player pro days and participating in the NFL’s first virtual draft, the Steelers keep pushing forward toward a return to football activities. Just because the Steelers are unable to hold their typical OTA’s and the NFL has cancelled the 2020 Hall of Fame Game doesn’t mean we stop providing you with features, commentary and opinions to tide you over throughout the offseason!

Today in the black-and-gold links article we take a look at the last four regular-season matchups against the NFC East.

Let’s get to the news:

• The Steelers are .500 or better against each NFC East team over the the last four matchups

Steelers historically do well vs. NFC East

By: Jeff Hartman, DK Pittsburgh Sports

The 2020 NFL regular season has the AFC North paired with the NFC East and the AFC South. The four-year rotation with NFC opponents mixes up the schedule and creates unique matchups for fans to enjoy.

With that said, for the Steelers, it is worth looking at recent history between the four teams that call the NFC East home, and their records vs. the Steelers. Historical data aren’t friendly to the Steelers, considering how poorly the franchise played in its early years. In fact, the Steelers don’t have an overall winning record against any of the four teams in the NFC East.

So, I decided to take a look back at the last four matchups against the NFC East opponents to see how the Steelers stacked up. Take a look:

Redskins: 4-0
Giants: 3-1
Eagles: 2-2
Cowboys: 2-2

As you can see, not one losing record in the bunch. The last time these divisions went head-to-head was in 2016. That year, the Steelers beat the Redskins in Week 1 on Monday Night Football in the nation’s capital, got shellacked in Philadelphia in Week 3, lost a heartbreaker to the Cowboys at Heinz Field in Week 10 and beat the Giants at home in Week 13.

For some games, the location is almost as important as the matchups. As most know, the Steelers haven’t won in Philadelphia since 1965, and while this seems like crazy talk, the numbers don’t lie. Luckily for the Steelers, they will play the Eagles in the friendly confines of Heinz Field in 2020. The streak will have to be revisited in 2024, when someone not named Ben Roethlisberger likely will be the their quarterback.

In 2019, the NFC East standings finished as follows:

Cowboys: 9-7
Eagles: 8-8
Redskins: 4-12
Giants: 3-13

To read the full article, click HERE (Free)

• Looking at the fantasy football value of Steelers new tight end Eric Ebron

Steelers Fantasy: Low Risk Pick in Eric Ebron

By: Noah Strackbein, Sports Illustrated

Eric Ebron brings something to Pittsburgh the Steelers haven’t seen since 2015 - a Pro Bowl tight end.

The most undermined position in the passing game, tight ends have found themselves being one of Ben Roethlisberger’s favorite targets throughout his career.

Ebron comes to the Steelers after signing a two-year, $12 million contract in free agency. The 27-year-old is only two seasons off of a 13 touchdown year in Indianapolis and has said the lingering ankle injury that forced him to require surgery in 2019 is fully behind him.

So let’s ask the question; how confident are we in Ebron being worthy enough for a fantasy football draft pick?

Ebron is currently ranked as the 18th tight end in the 2020 fantasy season. In a league where tight end production is as hit or miss as any, sitting on a player till the later rounds is a strategy many take.

To read the full article, click HERE (Free)

• There are more than one individual awards where Steelers have good odds of winning

Odds are, Steelers in line for individual accolades

By: Jeff Hartman, DK Pittsburgh Sports

There is a tremendous amount of uncertainty surrounding the 2020 NFL regular season. While navigating the uncharted waters of the coronavirus pandemic, the league is pressing on towards training camp at the end of July.

With the regular season seeming like a real possibility, odds are being adjusted for individual accolade awards. Awards like NFL Comeback Player of the Year, Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year and the Most Valuable Player.

Ask any athlete whether he would like a championship or one of those individual awards and 99.9% would say forget the individual honors and get them a ring. But what if one could lead to the other?

Heading into 2020 the Steelers have a couple players who are already high on the list of favorites for several awards. Ben Roethlisberger and the Comeback Player of the Year award, and T.J. Watt for the Defensive Player of the Year award.

Check out the odds for each award, per Oddshark:

Odds To Win The 2020 AP NFL Comeback Player Of The Year Award

Ben Roethlisberger +250
Rob Gronkowski +325
J.J. Watt +650
Matthew Stafford +700
A.J. Green +900
Alex Smith +1200
Andy Dalton +1600
Cam Newton +1800
Nick Foles +1800
Myles Garrett +2000
Antonio Brown +2200

2020 NFL Defensive Player Of The Year Award Odds

To read the full article, click HERE (Free)

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