Eagles’ Darius Slay reveals the Kenny Pickett reason to beat Steelers

The in-state rivalry runs deep between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Pittsburgh Steelers, just ask Eagles defensive back Darius Slay and quarterback Kenny Pickett. Slay explained the key factor behind their dominant win against their in-state opponent.

“We had to get the win for our QB, not (Jalen) Hurts, we’re talking about Kenny Pickett,” Slay said via his X account. “He’s a great dude.” Slay also said that Pickett was a major help in practice preparing the defense for Pittsburgh.

The 14-point victory was a nice one, especially after the close call to the Carolina Panthers a week before. In the matchup against the AFC North leader, the Eagles had over 400 yards of total offense. That was their highest total since Week 12 against the Los Angeles Rams, where Saquon Barkley went ballistic offensively.

One of the more notable elements of the game was the expectation of the team. For example, Bill Belichick sees the Eagles making the Super Bowl after their win. While one win doesn’t define a season, the dominant fashion tells another story. Luckily, Pickett’s knowledge of the Steelers’ offense played a big role.

Darius Slay has confidence in Kenny Pickett and the Eagles

Throughout the season, it’s been the Jalen Hurts show. He’s the de facto No. 1 quarterback on the team as long as he’s healthy. However, Pickett is the clear No. 2 and has legitimate starting experience. After a rocky start to his career with the Steelers, he took a lesser role with the Eagles to learn from one of the best in the league.

During the preseason, the former Pittsburgh football quarterback made a nice impression. Pickett had a strong outing in the Eagles preseason matchup against the Baltimore Ravens. Although it’s only the preseason, having that confidence is essential going into the regular season.

While Pickett hasn’t had to start, he’s been encouraged by people like Slay. One of the top defensive backs in the league is consistently pouring wisdom into a young quarterback. During Week 15’s preparation, the roles were reversed. Pickett was pouring wisdom into Slay and the rest of the Eagles’ defense about how his former team wanted to play.

Even with a new offensive coordinator in Arthur Smith, the Steelers run the same type of offense. Guys like Najee Harris and George Pickens are still on the team, and they’re utilized heavily. Although it’s unknown what Pickett specifically shared, Slay and the rest of the defense were grateful. They limited Pittsburgh to their worst offensive game with Russell Wilson as quarterback.

Philadelphia will look to keep the hot hand going as they aim to secure the NFC East and possibly the No. 1 seed in the conference.