2024 Week 3: Chargers 10, Steelers 20
I think the Steelers caught a break with Herbert leaving the game early. It was a 10-10 game midway through the 4th quarter when he got hurt.
The Steelers are playing Steelers football… boring/safe offense and using their dominant defense to keep games within reach that otherwise wouldn’t be. They’re going to find their way into the playoffs as they always do.
The Chargers are a good and well-coached team, but they are getting killed by injuries. Herbert, their top two linemen in Alt and Slater, and DE Joey Bosa. Derwin James will also be out for next week with a one game suspension. The Chiefs should win handedly next week.
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QB Report:
- Justin Herbert (12/18 for 125 yards, 1 TD) has a high ankle sprain and I doubt he’ll play next weekend against the Chiefs. The Chargers have their BYE week after that so I assume they’ll just wait until the whole squad is healthy and bring them all back like the Avengers for Week 6.
- Taylor Heinecke (2/2 for 24 yards) is a decent backup but with the injuries to the line and the Chargers predisposition to running the ball… I don’t think this game is going to go well at all for LAC.
- Justin Fields (25/32 for 1TD/ 1INT, 6 rushes for 6 yards) keeps playing sound, steady football. This is a complete 180 from the Fields we’ve seen in years past. Pitt hasn’t been down much so we may see Fields become ‘Fields’ if he ever needs to play hero. The lack of rushing from Fields is surprising.
RB Report:
- Cordarelle Patterson (4-33-0, 3 catches for 15-0/5) came into the game late and looked so fast/explosive compared to Najee Harris (18-70-0, 5 catches for 16 yards). It was Patterson that iced the game for the Steelers.
- JK Dobbins (15-44-0, 3 catches for 10 yards) is the clear lead for LAC but he isn’t playing great, he’s just touching the ball a million times a game. JKD isn’t as agile/explosive as he once was.
- Gus Edwards (3-9-0) looks fine but LAC runs the ball almost every play so he’s dead in the water… JKD’s only redeeming factor is the touch count, not the quality of play.
WR Report:
- Two of my favorite WRs faced off in this game…
- George Pickens (5-57-0/7) has been working all over the field, inside, outside, the slot, it’s great to see and unexpected from Arthur Smith. At least Smith is able to recognize the talent that Pickens is, unlike the other OCs in Pittsburgh. The touchdowns will come for Pickens eventually, he’s too important to this offense to not be scoring.
- The other WR I love is Ladd McConkey (3-44-0/6). He was hurt the most by Herbert’s injury… There were a couple missed passes where Ladd was wide open but Herbert couldn’t connect with him. McConkey is going to get more work in the future when Herbert returns and LAC starts to face off against teams with real offenses where they can’t sit back and run out the clock.
D/ST Report:
- The Steelers defense was, as always, great. They shut down the LAC run game, the first team to not allow a massive pop play by JKD.
- The Chargers defense looks really good, and when Bosa and Derwin come back they will be very good. Harbaugh has this defense discplined.
Image source: (AP Photo/Matt Durisko)