The Pennsylvania Derby
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By Hamish Girvan
Derby is not really a common terms in USA Sports however this interstate rivalry occurs for the first time since 2012 in the state of Pennsylvania when the Philadelphia Eagles host the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday (9.25am NZ time)
Both teams have a 2-0 record so far this season with rookie Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz hogging the headlines, becoming the first rookie to win his first two games. The hype is real for this first round draft pick who was selected as the second best quarterback in the draft and the overall no.2 pick. The LA Rams selected Jared Goff as the best in the draft this year and he is currently ranked their third string at that position- something that he cannot have fathomed on Draft Day. Looks like second best for the Eagles has turned to gold
Wentz by the way came from a non-college powerhouse in North Dakota State – only one of 9 players ever drafted in the 2000’s from that University
From a Bison to an Eagle
Carson Wentz was only named starter for the Eagles after they traded their no.1 ranked quarterback for the season, Sam Bradford, to the Minnesota Vikings in the week leading up to the opening game (Bradford by the way has a dream home debut for the Vikings last week beating the Green Bay Packers)
The quarterback who Wentz will face is two times Superbowl winner “Big” Ben Rothlisburger so this will be a real test for the rookie
New Eagles coach Doug Pederson has had h head coach tutelage under current Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid. He spent 4 years at the Eagles for before departing to Kansas City with Reid however the lure of a head coaching role back at the Eagles too much for Pederson after the failed Chip Kelly experiment.
The Eagles easily accounted for the Chicago Bears on Monday Night Football last week while the Steelers got the better of the Bengals in the corresponding round
The Pittsburgh Steelers are understandably a 4.5 point favourite however momentum is also with the Eagles so this will be no pushover.
So predictions are If Carson Wentz comes the through Pennsylvania could be renamed Wentzylvania next week!
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