Following their loss to the Vikings, the Chargers will look to get back on track against the Steelers on Sunday night.
With that being said, here are four things to watch for in Los Angeles’ Week 11 bout with Pittsburgh:
Can the offense overcome obstacles?
In the early going of the season, the Chargers’ offense was firing on all cylinders. But in their last three of four games, the unit has struggled to establish consistency. It’s been a compilation of dropped passes, pass protection breakdowns, lack of explosive plays, and Justin Herbert experiencing his own woes – missing throws and struggling with his post-snap reads. As a result, the Chargers’ average time of possession is 28:30, which ranks 25th. The Steelers will be without a few starting defenders, including star pass rusher T.J. Watt, which could benefit the offense.
Will the run defense continue to trend upward?
After being the worst against the run the first six games of the season, the Chargers have steadily improved in this area, with their most recent performance holding the Vikings’ rushing attack to just 3.1 yards per carry on 33 attempts. Now, the team will be tasked with slowing Steelers rookie running back Najee Harris, who has 120+ yards from scrimmage in four of the last five games. However, it might not be all that easy, considering Los Angeles could be without defensive linemen Joey Bosa, Jerry Tillery, Christian Covington, Linval Joseph, and linebacker Drue Tranquill.
Polishing up the pass defense
While the Chargers were disciplined against the run in Week 10, the pass defense blundered. In particular, cornerback Tevaughn Campbell was the primary culprit, as he allowed seven catches for 127 yards on eight targets. The Steelers could be without quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who is currently on the Reserve/COVID-19 list. Regardless, the wide receiver duo of Diontae Johnson and Chase Claypool could pose a threat. Fortunately, Los Angeles will be getting cornerback Michael Davis and safety Nasir Adderley back.
Punt coverage unit
The kicking and return units have improved, but the punt coverage continues to be lackluster. The Vikings exploited the group, averaging 23 yards per punt, with a long of 45 yards. Again, the lack of veteran experience was evident, especially after the loss of cornerback Ryan Smith. Steelers punt returner Ray-Ray McCloud has the fourth-most punt return yards (194). The Chargers must be more disciplined to prevent Pittsburgh from shortening its field position.