Tag: chargers steelers

Chargers highlight: Quentin Johnston opens the scoring vs. Steelers

Quentin Johnston is on a tear.

Quentin Johnston is on a tear.

After scoring two touchdowns against the Panthers, Johnston opened the scoring for Los Angeles in Week 3 versus Pittsburgh, giving the Chargers a 7-0 lead.

On a second and 9 from the the Steelers 27 yard line, Herbert took a shotgun snap and looked towards the flat. Pittsburgh’s cornerback drove on the shallow route underneath, leaving Johnston open down the sideline. Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick was late to rotate over and Johnston made the easy catch and outran Fitzpatrick to the end zone.

It’s Johnston’s third touchdown of the season as he’s developed into a much better downfield threat for the Chargers. Last week, he beat Panthers cornerback Jaycee Horn one-on-one for his first touchdown of the game. It’s a huge emergence for Los Angeles, who needs a bona fide no. 1 option in the receiving game to get Justin Herbert and the offense going.

Johnston’s touchdown was set up by a 13 yard pass to Ladd McConkey and a 13 yard run by JK Dobbins off the left side after the Chargers got the ball on their own 41 yard line.

https://twitter.com/chargers/status/1837906791029428398

Staff predictions for Chargers vs. Steelers in Week 3

Find out who the Chargers Wire staff is picking between Los Angeles and Pittsburgh.

The Los Angeles Chargers kick off Week 3 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Who is going to come out victorious?

Here is a look at the predictions from each of our writers at Chargers Wire:

Gavino:

This will be a defensive battle between two of the best teams on that side of the ball. The Chargers have had a lot of success running the football, but I envision them hitting a wall against a really good Steelers front. Plus, Justin Herbert is either going to play slightly banged up with his high ankle sprain or they’re going to resort to one of the backups, Easton Stick or Taylor Heinicke. It’ll be close, but the Bolts get their first loss of the season. Steelers 17, Chargers 14

Alex K:

This is contingent on Justin Herbert playing through his high ankle sprain. A limited version of him would still be preferable to Easton Stick or Taylor Heinicke. Los Angeles will have opportunities to pressure Justin Fields with right tackle Troy Fautanu questionable for Pittsburgh, setting up what should be a low-scoring affair. Chargers 20, Steelers 13

Spencer:

With Justin Herbert’s status in question, it’ll be tough for the Chargers to pull off a win in this one. Add the fact that it’s in Pittsburgh, and Jim Harbaugh has his hands full. A low-scoring affair is expected, as evidenced by the O/U being set at 34.5 points. Herbert’s health puts too many things into question, thus giving the Chargers their first loss of the season. Steelers 20, Chargers 13

Announcers set for Chargers vs. Steelers Week 3 game

Find out who will be calling the Week 3 game between the Chargers and Steelers.

The Chargers will travel to Pittsburgh, PA, to meet the Steelers on Sunday, Sept. 22, at 10:00 a.m. PT.

The Week 3 game will be televised on CBS and Jim Nantz and Tony Romo will have the call.

Los Angeles looks to improve to 3-0 for the first time since 2002. They will lean on their No. 1 ranked rushing attack while Justin Herbert is nursing his ankle injury. The defense should remain sharp against a Steelers offense that has struggled to find efficiency.

Pittsburgh, on the other hand, will try to stay perfect, as they also have a perfect 2-0 record. Like the Chargers, the Steelers will rely on their defense to try to come away with a victory.

The last time the two teams met was in 2021. The Chargers won, 41-37. The Steelers lead the overall series, 24-11-0.

5 Steelers players to watch vs. Chargers

The Steelers have talent on both sides of the ball.

It’s a battle of two undefeated teams in Week 3. The Chargers travel to Pittsburgh to face Mike Tomlin and the 2-0 Steelers in a game that figures to be low scoring.

It’s one that should be decided in the trenches, as physicality is considered a strength for each team. Here some players to keep an eye on this weekend from the Steelers’ side of things.

C Zach Frazier

It seems like the Steelers have found their center of the future. After a few years of poor play from the position, their 2024 second-rounder has looked stellar through the first two weeks. He’s helped stabilize the offensive line, something the team has been lacking for a few years now. Frazier’s matchup against the interior portion of the Chargers’ defensive line, namely Poona Ford, will be a major key to the Week 3 matchup. 

WR George Pickens

Pickens is by far Pittsburgh’s top playmaker, and he has eight catches for 114 yards so far on the season. The rest of the Steelers’ receiving core has combined for just five catches and 28 receiving yards. If there’s one guy that the Chargers can’t let take over the game, it’s Pickens. He certainly has the ability and talent to do so, as he accumulated 1,140 receiving yards last season.

Edge rushers T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith

These two form arguably the best pass rushing duo in all of football. Watt is arguably the best defender in the NFL, while Highsmith is quite the running mate. Through two games, they’ve continued to wreck havoc, including last week against the Broncos. Their matchups against the Chargers’ offensive tackles, who have been elite this season, could decide the fate of this game.

CB Joey Porter Jr.

There’s no question as to who is the top corner in Pittsburgh. Only in his second season, Porter has enjoyed a stellar start to the season. If there is one weakness to his game, he does tend to get a bit handsy in coverage at times. He was flagged multiple times in Week 2 against the Broncos, so that’s something to watch. Justin Herbert may be wise to shy away from Porter throughout the game on Sunday if he wants to be able to have success through the air.

K Chris Boswell

It sounds a bit strange to include a kicker in this, but Boswell has become one of the best kickers in the NFL. Through two games, he’s a perfect 8-for-8 on field goal attempts, including 4-for-4 from over 50 yards. Kickers across the league have been exceptional to start the season, and Boswell has single-handedly helped the Steelers to a 2-0 start. It’s important for the Chargers defense to not even allow Pittsburgh’s offense into field goal range because at this point, it seems like an automatic three points for the Steelers.