It was an ugly night for the Pittsburgh Steelers, as they fell 25-10 to the Los Angeles Chargers. A win on the road while making a cross-country trip was always going to be tough, but they never looked like a threat for the now 7-3 Chargers.
The offense was by far the biggest issue, as Aaron Rodgers and friends put up just 221 yards on the night. They coughed up the ball three times and allowed a safety early in the game as well. It was an all-around disaster for the AFC North-leading Steelers, and it's bringing up some serious questions about how they handled the trade deadline.
Don't get me wrong, Rodgers was the biggest problem for the offense in this game. But the receivers didn't do much to help pick him up. With no additions coming during the deadline, this is the group they have to work with for the rest of the season. If this game is any indication, Pittsburgh could regret not being more aggressive.
Pittsburgh Steelers quiet deadline looms large after offensive disaster against Chargers
The Steelers' offense has been mostly good enough to win games this season, but the ceiling for this unit is clearly capped thanks to the talent at wide receiver. The quarterback can still sling it, but he isn't as willing or able to create plays out of structure. With that being the case, the receivers need to win early and often to give Rodgers a chance to be successful.
So far, that hasn't been an easy task. DK Metcalf is effective on slants and go-balls, but teams have often been able to take him away by bracketing him. They can do that, of course, because the rest of the receivers don't scare opposing defenses.
Calvin Austin III and Roman Wilson have had their moments this season, but it's been inconsistent at best. Austin especially had a rough night, with a huge drop that led to Rodgers' second interception of the game. Rodgers also clearly doesn't trust them enough, often looking towards the tight ends and running back when Metalf isn't open.
Part of that is the design of the offense, but all it takes is one rewatch of this game to see that things aren't working. The only thing Pittsburgh did well in this game was run the football, but it became impossible to lean on that once the floodgates opened in the fourth quarter.
Would someone like Jakobi Meyers, Rashid Shaheed, or even Jaylen Waddle be enough to change things significantly? Maybe, maybe not. But fans and the team itself could be left wondering what could have been if these issues continue the rest of the season.