Tag: Chargers vs. Steelers preview

4 storylines to follow when Chargers face Steelers in Week 11

Week 11 storylines to follow between the Los Angeles Chargers and Pittsburgh Steelers.

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.

Chargers’ reasons for optimism vs. Steelers in Week 11

Looking at some reasons to be positive as the Los Angeles Chargers look to defeat the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Even though the Chargers suffered a disappointing 27-20 loss to the Vikings last Sunday, there are some positives heading into their Week 11 matchup against the Steelers.

– The Steelers could be without a slew of key players, starting with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who is on the Reserve/COVID-19 list. If Roethlisberger can’t go, Mason Rudolph will get the start. Regardless of who starts, they could be without some of their supporting cast, as starting wide receiver Chase Claypool and guard Kevin Dotson’s statuses are up in the air.

– It doesn’t stop there, as the defense could be missing some crucial players of its own. Edge defender T.J. Watt is dealing with knee and hip injuries. On the back end, Minkah Fitzpatrick, who is on the Reserve/COVID-19 list, is unlikely to play. Another key member of Pittsburgh’s secondary, cornerback Joe Haden, has a foot injury.

– Despite ranking ninth in passing defense, with the injuries on the Steelers’ defense, this could lead to a bounce-back game for quarterback Justin Herbert.

– Pittsburgh’s run defense has been inconsistent. Last Sunday, in their tie to the Lions, the Steelers allowed 229 rushing yards and an average of 5.9 yards per carry. While the ground game isn’t the Chargers forte, this could ultimately lead to a big performance for running back Austin Ekeler.

– The Chargers should be getting cornerback Michael Davis and safety Nasir Adderley back. Both of them should positively impact the secondary after it endured a rough day against the Vikings’ passing attack.

5 Steelers who pose biggest threat to Chargers

Highlighting a few Pittsburgh Steelers players who could make it difficult for the Los Angeles Chargers.

The Los Angeles Chargers take on the Pittsburgh Steelers this Sunday at 6:25 p.m. PT.

Here are a few Steelers players who the Bolts must hone in on to increase their chances of coming out victorious in Week 11.

DL Cameron Heyward

Corey Linsley and Matt Feiler have been integral pieces along the offensive line, faring well against some of the league’s top defensive tackles. This weekend, it does not get any easier, as they will go head-to-head against Pro Football Focus’ No. 1 interior defender. Heyward has disrupted backfields on a weekly basis. As a result, he has 37 pressures, 27 hurries, 24 run stops, and five sacks.

EDGE T.J. Watt

The availability of Watt is currently up in the air after he suffered knee and hip injuries against the Lions last weekend. Despite the lingering issues, coach Mike Tomlin has yet to officially rule him out. If he’s a go, it will primarily be Storm Norton’s job to slow down the premiere pass rusher. Watt is second in the league in sacks (12.5). Furthermore, he has 28 pressures, 23 run stops, and three forced fumbles.

WR Diontae Johnson

Even though there’s a possibility the Steelers could be starting Mason Rudolph over Ben Roethlisberger this weekend, it doesn’t mean that it will impact the role of the team’s No. 1 receiver. Johnson leads Pittsburgh with 52 catches for 613 yards and three touchdowns this season. There’s the possibility of Michael Davis and Nasir Adderley returning from their perspective injuries, which would help. But the pass rush might take a bit of a hit since Joey Bosa is on the Reserve/COVID-19 list.

RB Najee Harris

The Chargers have shown steady progress in the run defense department. But the team could be without Bosa, Jerry Tillery, Christian Covington, and Drue Tranquill, who are all on the Reserve/COVID-19 list. In addition, Linval Joseph has yet to practice this week due to a shoulder injury. Harris has 120+ yards from scrimmage in 4 of the last 5 games. He is close to the 1,000-yard mark from scrimmage and has six total touchdowns.

TE Pat Freiermiuth

This is the first time that two rookies have found their way to this list. One, it goes to show how many keys Steelers players the team could be without this weekend. Two, the Chargers have struggled against opposing tight ends, particularly in the red zone – allowing seven touchdowns this season. Freiermiuth has been bringing more to the table than just a blocker. 23 of his 32 catches have gone for either a first down or a score.

4 key things to know about Chargers’ Week 11 opponent: Steelers

Highlighting important things to know about the Chargers’ opponent ahead of the Week 11 matchup.

The Chargers are set to take on the Steelers on Nov. 21 at 6:25 pm PT in hopes of getting back on track after falling to the Vikings.

Here are four important things to know about Los Angeles’ opponent ahead of the Week 11 bout:

Planning to start Mason

Mason Rudolph was thrust into the action when Ben Roethlisberger was ruled out last Sunday’s matchup against the Lions after testing positive for COVID-19. Even though Roethlisberger is vaccinated and coach Mike Tomlin said the Steelers would “leave the light on” for the starter, there’s a chance Rudolph could start a second consecutive game for Pittsburgh this week. In Week 10 against Detroit, Rudolph finished the game 30-of-50 passing for 242 yards with a touchdown. He started eight games in 2019 and another last year.

But wait, there’s more!

Roethlisberger is not the only notable player who could be out of the action in Week 11. Most notably, star pass rusher T.J. Watt’s availability is up in the air after suffering knee and hip injuries against the Lions. Cornerback Joe Haden sustained a foot injury in the same game. They are both labeled as day-to-day. In addition, safety Minkah Fitzpatrick remains on the Reserve/COVID-19 list. On the other side of the ball, guard Kevin Dotson and Trai Turner also suffered injuries against Detroit. Wide receiver Chase Claypool has a toe injury that occurred in Week 9 against the Bears. He was a limited participant on Wednesday.

Rookie is running wild

First-round pick Najee Harris has proven himself capable as a workhorse back. Harris has recorded 75+ scrimmage yards in eight straight games, which is the longest active streak in NFL, according to NFL Research. He is close to the 1,000-yard mark from scrimmage and has six total touchdowns. While the Chargers’ run defense has shown improvement, the team could potentially be without Drue Tranquill, Joey Bosa and Jerry Tillery, who are all on the Reserve/COVID-19 list.

Struggling to do the exact opposite

The Steelers might be efficient running the ball, but slowing their opponents from doing so is an entirely different story. In its last three games, Pittsburgh has allowed an average of 153.7 rushing yards per carry, making the most in that span. Of course, it might be skewed off of one game, as the Steelers allowed 229 yards on 39 carries, but still, it could be an area the Chargers look to expose with running back Austin Ekeler, who has 523 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns in nine games.