Pittsburgh Steelers 2020 NFL schedule: 5 must-win games

4. Vs. Philadelphia Eagles

The battle of Pennsylvania comes around once every four years, and this year’s contest with the Philadelphia Eagles should be interesting for Pittsburgh. These teams haven’t met since 2016 when the Eagles embarrassed the Steelers in a 34-3 rout at Lincoln Financial Field.

A lot has changed for the two franchises since that last meeting, including the Eagles’ first Super Bowl victory and three straight playoff appearances. Pittsburgh hasn’t made the postseason since 2017, meaning the Eagles have been the better franchise over the past several years.

There is no doubt that Steelers’ fans would love to find a way to beat the Eagles and regain state bragging rights, but this contest is also an important measuring stick for Pittsburgh. The Eagles have been able to accomplish a ton even without optimal health from Carson Wentz, so finding a way to win here would show the Steelers have made significant progress.

This game is also one that will matter significantly in divisional tiebreakers, specifically the common games category. Divisional opponents play 14 common games out of the 16 on the schedule, so a win here could help if a team like the Baltimore Ravens can’t top the Eagles.

In terms of the wild card picture, this game isn’t as much of a help since the Eagles and Steelers are in different conferences. That fact is a reason why it is down towards the bottom of the must-win list.