COMON Network

By COMON Network Team

Final Score – Pittsburgh Steelers (4-0) 38 def. Philadelphia Eagles (1-3-1) 29

The Steelers led 31-14 in the early stages of the third quarter, watched the Eagles bring the game within two, but ended up holding on to win a two-score game to move to 4-0 for the first time since 1979. Chase Claypool scored four times, three times through the air and once rushing, becoming the first Steelers rookie ever to score four total touchdowns in a game and the first player to do so in more than 50 years.

Chase Claypool got the scoring started with a two-yard rush with 1:04 left in the first quarter. Then less than a minute later, Woodland Hills’ product Miles Sanders ran 74 yards to pay dirt to tie the game. In the second quarter, Claypool caught a 32-yard touchdown pass from Ben Roethlisberger, which gave the Steelers a touchdown lead. Sanders punched it in from a yard out to tie it with 6:17 left. The final score of the half came with 1:57 to play, when Chris Boswell connected on a 41-yard field goal.

Claypool scored on a five-yard reception with 13:01 to play in the third, then James Conner scored a one-yard touchdown that gave the Steelers that aforementioned 31-14 lead. Later in the third, Carson Wentz dialed to Greg Ward for a touchdown before connecting on a two-point conversion to make it 31-22. Early in the fourth, Travis Fulgham, who was excellent all day for Philly, caught a four-yard score to pull the Eagles within two. Claypool’s 35-yard scoring catch with 2:59 put the Steelers up two scores for good, and the game was clinched by a Steven Nelson interception of Wentz, his second.

It’s the first time the Steelers have scored 30 or more points since December 2, 2018, 23 games ago. Now the Steelers are 4-0 for the first time since 1979, a Super Bowl year. They’ll host the Cleveland Browns next week.

COMON Network Team Commentary

DONNY CHEDRICK

• Number 13. I don’t even know who number 13 is, but on Sunday I would’ve thought it was Jerry Rice or Randy Moss. He owned the Steelers defense for well over 150 yards and 10-plus receptions. His name is Travis Fulgham. His last name sounds like a science term. He torched the Steelers defense. That has to be eliminated. That defensive backfield isn’t quite what we thought it would be. Hopefully it improves.
• The rookie. This rookie class already looks promising, but Chase Claypool is quickly showing what he’s capable of. One-two-three-FOUR scores on Sunday, two of them through the air and several other highlight reel efforts. Awesome game for the kid. So far he’s the shining star of the 2020 class, as he should be.
• Party like it’s 1979. 4-0 for the first time in over 40 years. Enjoy it. Remember what the team in ‘79 accomplished. It doesn’t mean it will equate to the same outcome, but there’s very little to complain about when your favorite team is perfect after their first four games.

Player of the Game – Chase Claypool (PIT)

KYLE DAWSON

• Chase Claypool was incredible. I don’t even think there’s a big need to go into it. Anyone reading this that has seen a box score or watched the game knows. He got disrespected at the end on his fourth score with Philly opting to leave a linebacker on him with no safety help. What a day for the rookie. Here’s to more of that.
• I know the old adage in the NFL is that a win is a win, but there’s plenty to not be overly pleased with today from the Steelers. I don’t want to dwell on it, but the defense wasn’t good enough today. Going into the year, we expected to watch the Steelers be able to win games with scoring days of 21-28 points pretty easily. Today, the Steelers allowed the Eagles to go 10-14 on third down. Granted the Steelers were 11 of 15 on third offensively, but it’s the third-and-long type plays that are annoying. Joe Haden had a big PBU late on a third-down play but the defense allowed a 3rd-and-17 conversion against zone that was just ugly, and they got picked apart by Travis Fulgham. When the defensive front gets home and pressures the QB this unit looks like a bunch of world beaters. When it doesn’t, well, they get exposed at times. Hopefully the secondary continues to improve. But the other problem is there have been ZERO holding calls on Steelers’ opponents in the first four games, which amazing, really, especially considering TJ Watt got hugged and tackled on consecutive plays today and didn’t get a call.
• Ben Roethlisberger continues to quietly just take care of business. He goes 27-of-34 today for 239 and the three scores to Claypool and didn’t throw a pick. Just one of those for No. 7 through four games. The offense looked really good today even outside of Claypool, maybe with the exception of never getting a downhill running game going, but that’s a good defensive front for the Eagles, so I won’t write home about that.
• Jon Vilma was atrocious on the broadcast. Pronunciation mistakes, telling us Ben had surgery on his left elbow, not knowing the catch rule in regards to needing both feet, not two of one and a lot more. I know it has nothing to do with the game itself, but it hurt my viewing of the game.

Player of the Game – Chase Claypool (PIT)