The Pittsburgh Steelers will play their ninth game of the 2025 season heading west for a Sunday night contest against the Los Angeles Chargers. The Chargers come in with a 6-3 record in second place in the AFC West.
Below are five key things I believe the Steelers will need to do to come away with their third win of the year.
Greater Ground Gains – The Steelers’ running game has been up and down and has not hit its full stride. Last week, the Colts were good at limiting the opposing running backs. Jaylen Warren, Kenneth Gainwell and Kaleb Johnson only managed 34 rushing yards on 20 carries.
The Chargers’ run defense has been better the last two weeks, but prior to that, they allowed at least 115 yards in five straight games. On the season, Los Angeles is allowing 4.9 yards per carry. They don’t allow a lot of splash plays with just five runs over 20 yards, however.
In the Chargers’ three losses, they have allowed an average of 148 yards on the ground. In their six wins, they’ve allowed an average of 90.5 per game.
The running game hasn’t been an indicator of wins for Pittsburgh. That’s no surprise with the team in dead last in team rushing yards. In three of their wins, the Steelers recorded less than 65 in the game.
A good running game is beneficial, especially on the road, where it can take the air out of the crowd.
Hunt For Herbert – The injury bug has bitten the Chargers’ offensive line repeatedly this year. Pro Bowl left tackle Rashawn Slater tore his patellar tendon, putting him out for the year. Joe Alt was the right tackle and moved to the left side after Slater’s injury. He has to have ankle surgery and miss the rest of the season. Guard Mekhi Becton was limited in practice this week with a knee issue, but will play. Reserve tackle Bobby Hart has a knee and ankle ailment and is out for this game. At the trade deadline, the Chargers added tackle Trevor Penning from New Orleans to try to help up front.
Those injuries, in part, have led to quarterback Justin Herbert being sacked 29 times to this point in the season.
The Steelers are coming off a game where the defense had five sacks. The Chargers are third in the league in passing attempts (329), averaging 36.6 pass attempts per game.
Facing a patchwork offensive line, the Pittsburgh defense will be ready to feast.
Beware the Bloodlines – Chargers tight end Oronde Gadsden II is on a good run. The fifth-round pick was not a big name coming out of college, but he is putting up some big numbers. Over the last four games, he has been targeted 27 times, catching 24 of those. He has 377 yards and two touchdowns in that stretch. And speaking of stretching, he does that to the field with seven catches of 20 yards or more.
His father was a receiver in the NFL. After bouncing around for a couple of years, including a quick stop in Pittsburgh in 1997, he found a home in Miami. There he played for six seasons, making 227 receptions for 3,252 yards and 22 touchdowns.
Pittsburgh was able to keep Colts rookie Tyler Warren in check last week. However, they have had their struggles against tight ends again this year.
Did they find the elixir last week? Maybe. They will need a repeat performance to slow the young tight end.
Effective, Efficient Through the Air – The Steelers’ passing game is not traditional. Aaron Rodgers is the quickest at getting the ball out. A lot of his passes are either behind the line of scrimmage or within five yards. Their passing yardage is sixth from the bottom in the league. However, Rodgers has been highly effective at getting the ball in the end zone with 17 touchdown passes.
This week will be a difficult test for the passing offense.
Los Angeles has allowed the eighth-fewest yards through the air. The Chargers are fourth in completion percentage allowed at 60.8. They are tied for second, allowing just eight touchdown passes. For passes of 20 yards or more, they are fourth. And they are tied for sixth with 26 sacks.
All the more reason, key number one is paramount.
Rodgers is a wily veteran. He has seen everything and is well adept at countering what is thrown at him. If they can run the ball effectively, the passing game will open up. If they can’t, it will be on Rodgers and the receivers to make plays against a tough pass defense.
Peanut Punch – Charles “Peanut” Tillman. A former defensive back who spent the majority of his career in Chicago. He had an illustrious career when it came to turnovers. Thirty-eight interceptions and 11 fumble recoveries highlight his numbers. But his claim to fame is the “Peanut Punch.”
The move you see on nearly every play these days, a defender trying to punch the ball free from a ball carrier, was perfected by him. In his career, he had 44 forced fumbles. His career high was 10 in 2012, and that included a four-forced-fumble (say that three times fast) game against Tennessee.
The Chargers’ backfield has four fumbles, with two by Herbert. Their pass catchers lead the league with five.
Los Angeles has the most passing yards and a solid running game. They are second in the league in time of possession. The Steelers’ defense must get them off the field.
Pittsburgh has shown it can force turnovers with eight interceptions and leads the league with 11 forced fumbles. Emphasis should be on using the peanut punch to try to dislodge the ball every chance they get.
Related Items:Aaron Rodgers, Bobby Hart, Charles Tillman, Jaylen Warren, Joe Alt, Justin Herbert, Kaleb Johnson, Kenneth Gainwell, Los Angeles Chargers, Mekhi Becton, Oronde Gadsden II, Pittsburgh Steelers, Rashawn Slater, Trevor Penning, Tyler Warren
Recommended for you