For fans of the old-school, run-heavy approach offensively and defense mattering greatly in games, boy do the Pittsburgh Steelers and Los Angeles Chargers have a great matchup in store for you in Week 3 at Acrisure Stadium.
The two teams enter the matchup sitting 2-0 and are seemingly carbon copies of each other. Both want to run the football at will, limit mistakes offensively, and play great defense, forcing turnovers and winning low-scoring games in physical fashion.
So far through the first two weeks, they’ve both achieved that as the Chargers topped the Las Vegas Raiders and Carolina Panthers, while the Steelers beat the Atlanta Falcons and Denver Broncos, both on the road.
These are two good teams that play to their strengths well, so something has to give Sunday inside Acrisure Stadium.
Here at Steelers Depot we’re doing something new this season. While Alex Kozora and Dave Bryan give their in-depth breakdown and preview of the game weekly on The Terrible Podcast, myself, Joe Clark, Ross McCorkle, Scott Brown and Troy Montgomery are doing a weekly roundtable, answering key questions ahead of each game.
Today, we take a look at the Steelers’ Week 3 home-opener matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday at Acrisure Stadium on the North Shore.
QUESTION 1: WHO IS THE STEELERS’ X FACTOR AGAINST THE CHARGERS?
Josh Carney: ILB Elandon Roberts. This game is made for Elandon Roberts in a Steelers uniform. He brings the physicality and sets the tone, and in this old-school matchup featuring two physical, run-heavy teams, Roberts’ importance is going to be top of the charts. So far this season, Roberts has struggled in the tackling department and hasn’t made as much of an impact as he did last season. Granted, he’s been splitting snaps with rookie Payton Wilson, but this game was made for him. He’s going to need to be on top of his game to set the tone physically for the Steelers’ defense and help clamp down on the Chargers’ rushing attack.
Joe Clark: WR George Pickens. While the game is going to be a ground-and-pound affair, the Steelers are going to have to throw the ball eventually, and Pickens will need to make plays for the Steelers to move the chains and score. He’s had a solid start to the season so far, and Los Angeles will likely put Asante Samuel Jr. on Pickens, and that’s a matchup that he should be able to win. The ground game is going to be prevalent, but when the Steelers do throw, Pickens is going to need to make plays.
Ross McCorkle: DT Keeanu Benton. This is going to be an old-school game with good defense and two teams trying to run the ball down each other’s throat. That calls for an old-school solution. Benton needs to be a part of that solution in the middle of the defensive line. He has played 27 snaps as an A-gap defender through two games. They need him to eat up space and free guys like Elandon Roberts and Patrick Queen up to make plays in the run game.
Scott Brown: OT Broderick Jones. More tackle intrigue (never thought I would type that) after RT Troy Fautanu hurt his knee Friday. Fautanu is out indefinitely, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, thrusting Jones back into the starting lineup. It’s sink or swim time for the 2023 first-round pick. Chargers OLBs Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa will make sure of that. How Jones holds up against the two –and responds to the disaster in Denver — will be one of the storylines of the game.
Troy Montgomery: LB Patrick Queen. The Chargers have made it clear their offensive identity this year is going to be running the football. They want to play physical, just like the Steelers. Missed tackles or botched gap assignments could really hurt them in this game. Queen hasn’t had a brilliant start to the season, but he’s still been solid. Against the Chargers, he might need to flip the switch and look like an All-Pro again. Queen is also familiar with some of their players and coaches, so there should be a level of familiarity there from him. If one of the Chargers running backs makes it to the second level, Queen needs to shut them down.
QUESTION 2: WHAT IS THE KEY MATCHUP TO WATCH IN STEELERS-CHARGERS?
Josh Carney: OLB T.J. Watt vs. RT Joe Alt. Seems like a rather obvious one, but it’s the biggest. In his career, Watt has dominated against rookie offensive tackles, generating 36.5 sacks against rookies since 2019, according to Pro Football Focus. That’s 37% of his career sacks output. Alt is off to a great start in his career and shut down Las Vegas pass rusher Maxx Crosby in Week 1 and handled Carolina’s Jadeveon Clowney well in Week 2. Neither of those guys are Watt, though. Opportunities to rush the passer might be limited with the Chargers’ style of play, but Watt is a game-wrecker against the run, too. Pittsburgh will need the future Hall of Famer to win often against Watt and generate some splash.
Joe Clark: OLB Alex Highsmith vs. LT Rashawn Slater. For the second week in a row, I’m putting Highsmith as the key matchup. He played well against Denver and got off to a hot start, and while all eyes will be on Watt vs. Alt, if Highsmith can win some matchups against Slater, the Steelers will be in a good spot. Slater is one of the best offensive tackles in the league, so it’s not going to be an easy matchup, which makes it all the more important if Highsmith can get an edge against Slater.
Ross McCorkle: OT Broderick Jones vs. OLB Joey Bosa. It seems likely that Jones is going to be starting with Troy Fautanu tweaking his knee at Friday’s practice. Jones’ struggles so far this season have been well-documented, and now he will go against one of the best in the league in Bosa. This has the potential to be a game-wrecking matchup for the Steelers. Tomlin wanted to give Jones a chance to rebound after his poor performance. I don’t think this is what he had in mind, but this is what they are getting.
Scott Brown: SS DeShon Elliott vs. RB J.K. Dobbins. This obviously isn’t a one to one, but the Steelers are going to need players like Elliott to contain Dobbins. Elliott has been a revelation. And last Sunday in Denver, he was terrific with his run fits. The Steelers will need more of that against a back who is averaging a whopping 9.9. yards on 27 carries. CBs Joey Porter Jr. and Donte Jackson will also have to tackle well in run support.
Troy Montgomery: OLB T.J. Watt vs. OT Joe Alt. This is the easy answer, but that doesn’t make it any less right. Watt has still been one of the best pass rushers in the league this year, and with him, the Steelers always have a chance. Then there’s Alt, who has only played two NFL games, but he’s dominated every matchup. This should be the unstoppable force against the immovable object. If Alt can limit Watt, the Steelers could be in serious trouble. It’s going to be fascinating to watch over the course of the entire game.
QUESTION 3: WHAT IS THE BIGGEST KEY TO THE GAME FOR THE STEELERS?
Josh Carney: Win the special teams battle. All of the focus is going to be on stopping the run defensively and establishing a consistent run game offensively for the Steelers. That’s important. But in an old-school, low-scoring game where field positioning matters greatly, the Steelers have to win the special teams battle. That includes in punt coverage, where the Steelers have been poor so far this season. Derius Davis is a dangerous return man, so the Steelers’ punt coverage unit has to take a giant step forward in Week 3. Pittsburgh cannot afford to slip up on special teams with poor coverage and penalties again. The Chargers will make them pay if so.
Joe Clark: Limit Los Angeles’ run game. Under Jim Harbaugh, the Chargers want to pound the rock, and J.K. Dobbins is currently the NFL’s rushing leader through two weeks. The Steelers are familiar with both Dobbins and RB Gus Edwards from their time with the Baltimore Ravens, and they also know OC Greg Roman’s system from his time in Baltimore. That should help the Steelers a little bit, but Dobbins and Edwards have given them trouble before, and if they can’t slow down the ground game, the Steelers are going to pay. Justin Herbert is still a top-tier quarterback despite his stats not being anything special through two games, but he’s also dealing with an ankle injury and doesn’t have a great set of weapons. If the Steelers can slow down the Chargers on the ground, they’ll have a good chance to win.
Ross McCorkle: Win the turnover battle. It is hard to win a tight, low-scoring game if you lose the turnover differential. The Steelers currently lead the league with a +5 differential, and haven’t turned the ball over once on offense. This would be a bad week to start doing that. The Chargers have a +2 differential, but they are going to either be dealing with a backup quarterback or a hampered Justin Herbert. This unfortunately might mean another conservative game plan on offense, but that has worked through two games.
Scott Brown: Stay the course. The Steelers are winning with defense, a ball-control offense and a kicker who can make field goals from Fox Chapel. That formula is good enough. Right now. And right now, it is about stacking wins. This is the kind of win the Steelers will need in their back pocket for The Old 96er (“Great Outdoors” reference) portion of their schedule. The Chargers are eminently gettable playing on the road with a hobbled quarterback – assuming Justin Herbert is able to play.
Troy Montgomery: Get the run game going. The Chargers also have a strong stable of pass rushers, and the Steelers young offensive line could be in for a rough outing. However, if they can really get their run game going, they could neutralize some of that pressure. The Chargers defense is a strong unit overall too, and they’ll likely look to test Justin Fields. The best way to avoid that is by relying on the run game. Getting Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren going could make the day much easier for the Steelers.
QUESTION 4: WHAT IS YOUR PREDICTION FOR CHARGERS AT STEELERS?
Josh Carney: This is the hardest game to predict yet. Both teams are so similar, built around a physical, punishing run game, offensive lines that have been heavily invested in, a defensive front that can really get after the quarterback, and outstanding kickers. They are a carbon copy of each other right now. Hard to get a real read on this one. So, I’m going to give the home team the advantage, especially with the Chargers having spent the last week+ on the road in Charlotte. That can be a bit draining being away from home that long and having to play two games on the road back-to-back. This one comes down to a late Chris Boswell field goal. Steelers 16, Chargers 13.
Joe Clark: This is a really tough matchup to predict given the similarities between the two teams, but Herbert’s mobility potentially being in question due to his injury could play in Pittsburgh’s favor, especially if they can get their pass rush going. It’s going to be a close game, and more than likely a low-scoring affair, but I think the Steelers can do just enough offensively and limit the Chargers enough on the ground to pull this one out. Steelers 17, Chargers 13.
Ross McCorkle: If Broderick Jones has to start, I am a little worried about the amount of pressure that the Steelers’ offensive line could give up. Joey Bosa, Khalil Mack, and Bud Dupree (if he plays) form the best edge group they have faced, and perhaps the best group they will face all season. Bosa has been primarily lining up as the left outside linebacker, but Jones should have to deal with a little bit of all three. The Steelers have only advanced to 3-0 three times over the last 25 years. I don’t see this being one of those years. Chargers 17, Steelers 13.
Scott Brown: I’ve always associated the Chargers with high-flying offenses and finesse. Not anymore. Credit Jim Harbaugh (and possibly Connor Stalions; I kid) with transforming that organization. At least in style and image. The Chargers will be every bit as physical as the Steelers in what should be a throwback game in every way save for leather helmets. Justin Fields will continue to play within himself, and home-field advantage will be the difference between teams that are mirror images of one another. Steelers 20, Chargers 13.
Troy Montgomery: Even though it’s in Pittsburgh, this feels like the hardest game to predict so far. The Chargers play so similarly to the Steelers, but they’ve got some more talent on offense. Their offensive line has some serious star power, and their running backs have proven they’re dangerous. Although he’s nursing an ankle injury, Justin Herbert could be the difference maker. If the game is close, he can make some magic and win it for them. Having a franchise quarterback means so much. Chargers 20, Steelers 13.
What did you think of this Depot roundtable previewing the Steelers-Chargers Week 3 matchup? Leave your thoughts below and feel free to provide your own answers to the questions in the comments below!
