As everybody expected, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Los Angeles Chargers mark one of only two games between undefeated teams in Week 3. There are still nine undefeated teams remaining, but only four square off against one another. Under new head coach Jim Harbaugh, the Chargers want to use this game in Pittsburgh to test their mettle.
“This week, going to Pittsburgh, the challenge that that’s gonna be. That is an opener. This is an opener against a playoff team, against the Pittsburgh Steelers”, Harbaugh said on Monday, via the team’s website. “Very ‘on to Pittsburgh’. Let’s find out. Let’s find out what we’re made of. As I said, a playoff team, and an opener against playoff opponents this week”.
The Chargers are 2-0, but their wins have come against the Las Vegas Raiders and Carolina Panthers. While the Raiders surprised the Baltimore Ravens in Week 2, many view them as a lower-rung team. The Panthers are legitimate bottom-feeders, to the point they are preparing to start Andy Dalton, the Steelers’ old punching bag.
But who exactly have the Steelers beaten? Granted, their Week 1 victory came against a team that just beat the Eagles in prime time in the Falcons. On Sunday, they defeated the Denver Broncos, whose rookie quarterback is struggling.
Of course, you can only play the teams that are on your schedule in the order in which they appear. Neither the Steelers nor the Chargers could be doing any better than they currently are, by record or prestige. They may not necessarily amount to “quality wins” (both Steelers games ended within one score), but they are wins.
Harbaugh may be speaking generously in viewing the Steelers as a playoff team with any significance, granted. Pittsburgh has not won a playoff game since Harbaugh’s second season as Michigan’s head coach, and he spent nine years there.
But a new head coach always wants to measure himself against a quality opponent, and the Steelers are that, comparatively. Harbaugh did reach the Super Bowl back in 2012 with the San Francisco 49ers, losing to his brother’s Ravens.
With 66 games on his resume as an NFL head coach, Harbaugh is actually 46-19-1, now 2-0 with the Chargers. He still has some way to go to build up a significant enough body of work to compare with other head coaches, however, like the Steelers’ Mike Tomlin, who has 175 career wins.
One big difference between the Chargers and Steelers this season is that the Chargers are putting up points. They have scored 48 points through two weeks compared to the Steelers’ 31. Defensively, the two teams rank first and second in pointed allowed, Los Angeles in first.
The Steelers are already starting a backup quarterback (in theory) in Justin Fields. The week will determine whether the Chargers will have QB Justin Herbert available after he injured his ankle last week. Even if the Chargers don’t have Herbert, they have a run game for the Steelers to worry about. Certainly better than their first two opponents.
