Nostalgia will likely be within the air when the Pittsburgh Steelers play host to the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday in a matchup between 2-0 groups.
Chargers coach John Harbaugh will return to town the place he practically pulled off what would been one of the vital exceptional performs in NFL historical past. Had Aaron Bailey been in a position to maintain on to his Hail Mary on the ultimate play of the 1995 AFC Championship sport, Harbaugh and the Colts would have superior to the Tremendous Bowl, whereas within the course of handing the Steelers a second straight gut-wrenching playoff defeat (the Steelers have been upset by the Chargers at residence within the ’94 AFC title sport).
On the opposite facet, there’s some irony in that Justin Fields will make his Steelers residence debut 20 years after Ben Roethlisberger made his in what was an surprising 12 months for each him and Pittsburgh, who went 15-1 in the course of the common season. Fields is off to an identical robust begin, and so are the Steelers after profitable each of their first two video games on the highway for the primary time in 25 years.
Nostalgia apart, it is a compelling matchup between two groups who’re eerily related. Each Pittsburgh and Los Angeles have robust operating video games and hard defenses which can be spearheaded by a number of the NFL’s greatest linebackers. A giant storyline for this sport is the standing of Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert, who’s questionable to play after he sustained a high-ankle sprain throughout final week’s win over Carolina.
Now that the desk has been set, this is how one can observe the motion in actual time, together with a full breakdown of Sunday’s sport and a prediction as well.
Find out how to watch
Date: Sunday, Sept. 22 | Time: 1 p.m. ET
Location: Acrisure Stadium (Pittsburgh)
TV: CBS | Stream: Paramount+
Observe: CBS Sports activities App
Odds: Steelers -3, O/U 34.5
When the Steelers have the ball
Pittsburgh scored 10 factors (and will have had extra) within the first half final week in Denver however have been fortunate to eek out a discipline objective in the course of the second half.
What modified? Denver went to a one-high security look and crowded the road of scrimmage. The end result was Fields going simply 3 of 8 for 16 yards within the second half, Pittsburgh failing to transform any of their seven third-down conditions, and Najee Harris averaging 2 yards much less per carry within the second half than he did within the first half.
You’ll be able to guess that the Chargers will make use of an identical technique towards the Steelers in an try to cease the run whereas forcing Fields to beat them together with his arm. That may current a stiff problem for Fields because the Chargers possess one of many NFL’s high secondaries, led by three-time Professional Bowler Derwin James. The unit allowed only one landing cross throughout its first two video games.
Actually, I am not anticipating the Steelers to do many issues in another way than the previous two weeks. Pittsburgh largely performed it protected in Atlanta, gave Fields an extended leash to take probabilities in Denver and he’ll probably be given an identical allowance on Sunday. However actually, the Steelers offense goes to proceed to heart on the operating sport and Fields making sufficient performs to maintain the Chargers trustworthy.
Pittsburgh may have a brand new wrinkle for Sunday in rookie wideout Roman Wilson, who will make his NFL debut after getting injured early in coaching camp. The Steelers are hoping that Wilson can assist create extra space for George Pickens, who has performed properly to this point however has but to interrupt out.
The Steelers are additionally hoping to execute higher after penalties final Sunday worn out a 51-yard completion from Fields to Pickens and a Pickens landing catch. Broderick Jones, the Steelers’ 2023 first-round decide who was benched after committing a number of penalties, will begin instead of rookie Troy Fautanu, who was positioned on injured reserve after tweaking his knee throughout Friday’s follow.
Pittsburgh represents the most effective offense Los Angeles has confronted to this point, however the identical factor may be mentioned concerning the Steelers in regard to the Chargers protection. Particularly, the Chargers have been lights out on third down and within the purple zone. The Los Angeles protection is No. 2 within the NFL on third down and No. 1 within the purple zone. That is not signal for the Steelers, who struggled on third down in Denver and have scored only one landing by two video games. Getting sufficient yards on first and second down and avoiding too many third-and-longs goes to be paramount for Pittsburgh.
The Chargers have a number of studs on protection, however the two gamers the Steelers should comprise are cross rushers Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack. Each gamers are able to taking on a sport whereas wreaking havoc on an opponent’s backfield. That is the place the Steelers’ heavy-tight finish set pays dividends.
When the Chargers have the ball
Clearly, Herbert’s standing goes to closely decide what occurs when the Chargers have the ball. If Herbert performs (I am anticipating him to), he will be largely stationary, which is able to undoubtedly result in issues.
Pittsburgh is not known as “Blitzburgh” for nothing. The Steelers protection is constructed round making use of strain, led by former Defensive Participant of the 12 months T.J. Watt and fellow linebackers Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig. Pittsburgh was already planning to strain Herbert, and his damage solely reinforces that plan.
The Chargers are conscious of this, and so they’ll attempt to use the Steelers’ aggressiveness to their benefit. Anticipate Los Angles to offset Pittsburgh’s rush with trick performs, screens, misdirections, and many others. If the Chargers are in a position to get sufficient chunk performs early, that’ll probably power Pittsburgh to chill their jets, which in flip would permit Los Angeles to be the aggressors on offense.
The engine behind the Chargers offense will likely be operating backs J.Okay. Dobbins and Gus Edwards, two gamers the Steelers are very conversant in relationship to their years in Baltimore. Dobbins is lastly wholesome after accidents restricted him to simply 9 video games the earlier two years. He presently leads the NFL in speeding and likewise has the NFL’s longest run (61 yards).
A bowling ball of a again, Dobbins had the most effective video games of his profession in Pittsburgh again in 2022. He rushed for 120 yards and a rating on simply 15 carries whereas main Baltimore to a 16-14 win.
Arguably the largest matchup on this sport is between the Chargers offensive line and the Steelers defensive entrance, particularly the matchup between Watt and Joe Alt, the Chargers beginning proper sort out and No. 5 total decide. If Pittsburgh’s entrance can apply strain whereas additionally containing Dobbins and Edwards, it’ll be an extended day for Herbert and the remainder of the Chargers offense.
But when Herbert has time, relaxation assured that he’ll check Pittsburgh’s vastly improved secondary downfield. That is the place second-year wideout Quentin Johnston goes to be key. Johnson has performed properly to this point, however he will need to win his share of matchups towards Joey Porter Jr., the Steelers’ high nook. Additionally search for the Chargers to attempt to get rookie Ladd McConkey concerned early in an try to offset Pittsburgh’s strain.
One thing tells me that the Chargers will use their tight ends extra on Sunday than they did of their first two video games, particularly Hayden Hurst, who had some success towards Pittsburgh throughout his lone 12 months with the Bengals again in 2022.
Prediction
This sport goes to come back down to 3 keys: Fields’ success within the passing sport, turnovers, and the Chargers’ speeding assault. Whoever wins two of those keys will probably find yourself profitable the sport.
The Chargers cannot permit Fields to get discover his rhythm. However even when he does and the Steelers take an early lead, do not count on the Chargers to desert the operating sport. Los Angeles plans on making Sunday’s sport a marathon, not a dash.
With matchups this tight, the tiebreaker for me is normally the quarterback matchup. Though Fields has performed properly, and though Herbert is bodily compromised, I am taking Herbert and the Chargers as Harbaugh will get his long-awaited win in Pittsburgh.
This, in fact, is contingent on Herbert enjoying. The Steelers ought to win with ease if Easton Stick — who owns an 0-4 profession report as a regular-season starter — is the Chargers quarterback on Sunday.
Predicted rating: Chargers 19-16