My final Pittsburgh Steelers thoughts as the team heads west to face the Los Angeles Chargers in Sunday Night Football at SoFi Stadium.
1. THE TRIP WEST IS NOT THAT BIG A CHALLENGE
The general wisdom is that the Steelers don’t do well when they head west. That is partly based on a five game losing streak from 2006 to 2013. Pittsburgh’s overall record playing in the Pacific Time Zone is 12-15 under head coaches Bill Cowher and Mike Tomlin. In Tomlin’s tenure alone, the team is 6-7. The idea that the Steelers struggle in a west coast time zone is probably more perception than truth. They won their last four games (all against the Raiders, Rams, and Seahawks) and split their two games against the Chargers prior to that in 2021 and 2023.
2. TOMLIN SHOULD STAY AGGRESSIVE
Last week against the Indianapolis Colts, I called for Mike Tomlin to be aggressive. I doubt he heard me, but he did just that, going for it on fourth down on three occasions. While the Steelers were only successful on one of those attempts, it was still the right move.
This should be a game to continue that trend. The Chargers defense is fourth overall in the league in red zone defense, so Aaron Rodgers may need more opportunities to score once he gets his offense within 20 yards of the end zone. The Chargers hold their opponents to a 35.8 percent success rate on third down conversions, but they are allowing a 64.3 percent fourth down conversion rate to the opposing offense. Sure, K Chris Boswell is so reliable it’s almost an automatic three points, but in the right situation, the Steelers should work to keep the drive alive or shoot for seven points, using all four downs.
One of Tomlin’s most aggressive calls in his entire career came at the end of a primetime game against the Chargers in 2015, going for a game-winning touchdown instead of a chip shot game-tying field goal. And yes, we all had chest pain and tachycardia watching that play unfold.
3. THE PASS RUSH NEEDS TO BE THE X FACTOR
Every time this Steelers team is facing back up offensive linemen due to injury, we expect the pass rush to have a big day. Just as often, the patchwork group protecting the other team’s quarterback somehow winds up looking like Pro Bowlers. This is the week to break that trend.
The Chargers have now lost both of their starting offensive tackles to injury, missing Rashawn Slater since August due to a patellar tendon tear. Joe Alt moved from the right to left tackle, replacing Slater, and was having a phenomenal year until a high ankle sprain ended his season. Next man up would have been Bobby Hart but he was just ruled out for this game with an ankle and knee injury.
That leaves Austin Deculus at left tackle and Trey Pipkins on the right side. The only good news for the Chargers is the return of RG Mekhi Becton, who has been in and out of the lineup with injuries and returns after missing last week.
There is no question about where the advantage lies in the matchup between the trenches when the Chargers offense is on the field. The Steelers need to exploit that imbalance.
4. NECESSITY IS THE MOTHER OF INVENTION
It wasn’t the most outrageous decision to move CB Jalen Ramsey to safety last week with DeShon Elliott placed on the injured reserve list. Way back in 2021, Ramsey talked about his belief in his ability to play any defensive back position and the possibility of an eventual move to safety. He wasn’t planning to do it this season, though. In an interview during training camp this summer, Ramsey explained that the team was paying him too much not to play cornerback and impact the game as much as possible. Closer to the start of the season, he confirmed his plan to cover the top receiver each week.
The team has confirmed that they will use Ramsey at safety again this week, and he seems willing to help the team in any fashion. While Ramsey has been a difference maker on the defense, both on the field and off, this transition could be permanent. At least until Elliott could make it back to the roster.
5. THIS COULD BE ANOTHER LONG DISTANCE HOME GAME
It isn’t just that Steelers fans travel well. They live everywhere. There is a long history of Steelers fans taking over the stadium when they play the Chargers, first in San Diego and more recently in Los Angeles. Former Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers talked about having to use a silent snap count at home games against Pittsburgh.
I expect to see Terrible Towels swinging at SoFi on Sunday night. While the Chargers fan base has grown over the years, the number of tickets available for resale for this game suggests that the majority of jerseys in the stands will be black and gold.
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