Steelers at Chargers (Week 10) | Pre-game Discussion

[el_jefe999]

I agree. Ward was actually scaring me. His early throws were that bad.

Ditto did NOT look like #1 pick arm talent; a lot of ducks and sidearm curveballs

[sonorajim]

If we don't lose the turnover battle(again!) we will be in this game. This will not be easy. Pitt is +9 on the year and we are an utterly garbage -4.

There it is. This is how Pit wins. They're not very good until somebody screws up. That is what they play for. We don't give them anything, Chargers win.
Unfortunately we are generous at give aways.

[powderblueboy]

Steelers can be a bit Jekyll and Hyde. But Chargers always seem to struggle mightily against them. We have won a few here and there but generally out muscled and out hustled. Even Duck Dodges beat us. I would be pessimistic about this game even with a healthy OL, which we ain't got.

TG

I wouldn't .... Chargers would roll at home.
In that case, the only thing to worry about would be Cam Heyward purposefully rolling over Herbert's throwing arm in trash time.

Otherwise, Pittsburgh's only key strength (edge) matches up with a Charger key weakness (OT).

They quickly brought in Kyle Duggar because they were helpless against tight ends.
He'll be out of position and exploitable, being brand spanking new to that D.

[JOJAX85]

If they watched any tape at all of us vs Tennessee they are going to stunt the shit out of our OL. Get Herbert on the move early.

[Charge!]

You looked at season stats. Chargers are the better D. On O we're better at run and pass yds but Pit avgs 1.3 ppg more.
Unfortunately Pit is much better at turnover differential. We have to take care of the ball and quit making stupid mistakes. Play solid STs.
Their pass D is NFL worst. Clearly Herbert can't stand around but our #6 pass O vs Pit's #32 pass D seems inviting. Just don't throw pick 6s.

Colts destroyed Chargers in EVERY possible way.... and Steelers beat up colts...... this season does not make sense.... so anything can happen each game!
Our defense cannot stop the run and our pass defense leaves guys uncovered.....
Steelers are in first place despite not having a great offense because they are physically tough and do not make boneheaded mistakes....
Chargers are NOT in first place because we make boneheaded mistakes every week! Herbert is special!....but our interior OL sucks so bad they get our OT's hurt by knocking DL's into back of Alt's legs??? Our Run game sucks without Harris or Hampton.....Herbert IS our running game!...
Our Defense does not stop the run very well..... and blows coverages too frequently....
Our ST's are horrible... and our long snapper is about to miss so badly our punter cannot catch the ball..... punter has saved us many times already....by handling bad snaps!

This game against PIT is a game we could win IF we play mistake free football!(have we done that this season?).... but if we play like yesterday, we will lose and it will not be close!

[Charge!]

That’s it in a nutshell. Last time we played them we got manhandled and lost several players to injury, including Herbert. Not to mention we made Justin Fields look like Terry Bradshaw. Like it or not, that’s the Steelers’ style of play - overly physical.

Harbaugh better thoroughly prepare or some of these 3rd stringers are going to be in the locker room by halftime, curled up in the fetal position and sucking their thumbs.

agree!.....Steelers usually rough us up and this game has that written all over it...

[Charge!]

Harbaugh and Roman will have a plan to protect Herbert well enough to get the win. I think the defense will have a good game.

I believe that is the PLAN EVERY WEEK!..... problem is the "executiuon" of that PLAN has gotten Herbert to be hit more then any other QB!..... even in games we manage to win!

[Critty]

This is the likely staters and backups on Chargers OL for Steelers and probably Jacksonville too. Then they get the bye week where Becton and Hart can return healthy week 13 vs Raiders. Edit: unfortunately Joe Alt is out for season.

Starters
LT-Salyer
LG-Johnson
C-Bozeman
RG-Sarrell
RT-Pipkins

Backups
C/G-James
Activated from practice squad.
T/G-Taylor
OT-Sharpe

Inactives
RG-Becton
OT-Hart
OT-Deculus

IR-Season
OT-Slater
OT-Alt

If they can go 2-2 (vsSteelers, @Jaguars, vsRaiders, vsEagles) That would be decent. And then hopefully get some rest and regroup at the bye. They be 8-5 with @Chiefs, @Cowboys, vsTexans and @Broncos. They probably need to go 4-0 here to win the AFC West.

[powderblueboy]

Pittsburg's D is just a little bit better than the Charger D against the run (you can run on them), but horrendous against the pass.
Which means there is someone consistently exploitable in the Steeler coverages, you just need the weapons to expose it, and some time.
Pittsburgh has the 3rd most sacks per game, but if you look at their totals, they seem to get a lot of it from sending 5 or more, exposing their secondary.

https://www.foxsports.com/nfl/pittsburgh-steelers-team-stats?category=defense&season=2025&sort=def_sck&sortOrder=desc

Cincy and Green Bay have multiple weapons (Cincy having a struggling Oline); they both recently ran up the score on Pitt's D.

New England and Cleveland have few weapons and coincidentally, Pitt's D had their best games.

Charger O will most probably feed, will it be enough?

[jamrock]

This is the likely staters and backups on Chargers OL for Steelers and probably Jacksonville too. Then they get the bye week where Becton and Hart can return healthy week 13 vs Raiders. Joe Alt returns @ Chiefs in week 15.

Starters
LT-Salyer
LG-Johnson
C-Bozeman
RG-Sarrell
RT-Pipkins

Backups
C/G-James
Activated from practice squad.
T/G-Taylor
OT-Sharpe

Inactives
RG-Becton
OT-Hart
OT-Deculus

IR-4 Week
OT-Alt
IR-Season
OT-Slater

If they can go 2-2 (vsSteelers, @Jaguars, vsRaiders, vsEagles)
That would be a decent job of holding it down until Joe Alt returns vs Chiefs. They be 8-5 with @Chiefs, @Cowboys, vsTexans and @Broncos. They probably need to go 4-0 here to win the AFC West.

Becton needs to stop stealing $$ and be ready to play. Not because he's been great when he's played but because we need bodies and Sarrell is the weakest link right now

[Charge!]

This is the likely staters and backups on Chargers OL for Steelers and probably Jacksonville too. Then they get the bye week where Becton and Hart can return healthy week 13 vs Raiders. Joe Alt returns @ Chiefs in week 15.

Starters
LT-Salyer
LG-Johnson
C-Bozeman
RG-Sarrell
RT-Pipkins

Backups
C/G-James
Activated from practice squad.
T/G-Taylor
OT-Sharpe

Inactives
RG-Becton
OT-Hart
OT-Deculus

IR-4 Week
OT-Alt
IR-Season
OT-Slater

If they can go 2-2 (vsSteelers, @Jaguars, vsRaiders, vsEagles)
That would be a decent job of holding it down until Joe Alt returns vs Chiefs. They be 8-5 with @Chiefs, @Cowboys, vsTexans and @Broncos. They probably need to go 4-0 here to win the AFC West.

wow!....Is Alt on IR?

[powderblueboy]

Here's the link again to Pittsburgh individual pass rusher stats:
https://www.foxsports.com/nfl/pittsburgh-steelers-team-stats?category=defense&season=2025&sort=def_sck&so rtOrder=desc


Looking at it, Heyward seems mostly a run defender now, and Harmon isn't doing a whole lot - he's a rook.

Their two leaders are TJ Watt (who seems to have taken a step down after the injury and getting paid),
and Nick Herbig ... who got multiple sacks last year, off an injured Slater and on a blitz, if I remember correctly .... which seems to be about half of his season's total last year.

Unlike Steeler teams of the past, TJ Watt is their only pass rushing threat manning up, and the other's get it more through scheme.
This ain't your Stealer's Ds of the past.