The Chargers took care of business in primetime, defeating the Steelers by the score of 41-37.
With that being said, here is a look at the players who helped en route to Los Angeles’ victory and the others who had a rough night.
Stars
QB Justin Herbert
After an uneven performance against the Vikings, Herbert shined under the lights. He benefited from getting out of the pocket, the designed play actions, and the simplified reads. Herbert held defenders with his eyes and showed off excellent anticipation, ball placement, and rare velocity on his throws. Furthermore, we got to see his athleticism plenty on the ground. Herbert completed 30 of 41 attempts for 382 passing yards, 90 rushing yards, and three touchdowns.
RB Austin Ekeler
When a team is struggling in a specific area, you look to exploit it. That is what the Chargers did, knowing the Steelers were susceptible to running backs. So Los Angeles got Ekeler going early and often not only on the ground but also as a pass-catcher. He carried the ball 11 times for 50 yards and caught six of his seven targets for 65 yards to go along with four total touchdowns.
Studs
WR Keenan Allen & Mike Williams
Pittsburgh was without cornerback Joe Haden and safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, and the pass-catching duo of Allen and Williams took advantage of the thin Steelers secondary. The two got plenty of open looks and turned it into a combined 19 targets for over 200 receiving yards. While Allen had more receptions (9) and yards (112), Williams was the unlikely hero with the game-winning touchdown in the final minutes.
Rashawn Slater, Matt Feiler & Corey Linsley
Running left means running right. The combination of Slater, Feiler and Linsley has proven to pay dividends this season, but they were incredibly dominant on Sunday, paving the way for Ekeler’s big performance. Even with the imposing presence of defensive tackle Cameron Heyward, Feiler and Linsley ensured he was a non-factor in the run game. Despite allowing one sack, Slater continued to play at a Pro Bowl level. He has allowed just 15 pressures in 10 games.
Defensive tackles
Even without Linval Joseph, Christian Covington, and Jerry Tillery, the interior part of the defensive line played arguably its best game. Showing grit and energy on each rep, Justin Jones, Breiden Fehoko, Forrest Merrill, and Joe Gaziano limited the Steelers’ rushing attack to just 3.1 yards per carry.
EDGE Joey Bosa
The Chargers’ pass rush steadily got to quarterback Ben Roethlisberger throughout the course of the game, but it was Bosa who lived in the backfield the most. Bosa ended up with seven quarterback pressures, four hurries, three run stops, two hits and his lone sack that came on the final drive in which he was lined up along the interior.
Duds
CB Michael Davis & Tevaughn Campbell
After returning to the action from an injury the week before, Davis showed some rust on the field. He allowed seven receptions on 10 targets for 97 yards. But it wasn’t any better for Campbell, who entered the game in place of Asante Samuel Jr. after he left the game due to a concussion. He gave up four catches on five targets for 80 yards. This is the second straight week that the pass defense struggled, and it does not help that Samuel will have to miss some time.
Special teams coverage units
Here we are yet again. This group still has plenty of work to do. The Chargers allowed an average of 31.5 yards per kick return, and their lone punt was blocked, which led to the momentum switch in the fourth quarter. It was Drue Tranquill and Matt Overton who let Miles Killebrew through.
TE Jared Cook
Cook had opportunities to make himself a presence in the passing game like any other week, but blew them with dropped passes. He dropped two, and is now tied for the league lead in drops among tight ends with 5 and is second in drop percentage at 13.9%. It has not been the best year for the veteran.