The reigning Super Bowl champions are reeling, and there seems to be no end in sight as Pittsburgh (-6.5) hosts a San Diego Chargers team that will grow or go home. Literally.
The Chargers are off to a 2-1 start thanks mainly to Philip Rivers and more specifically his right arm. With just under 1,000 passing yards in the first three games of the season, Rivers has taken on most of the offensive responsibility, accounting for 86% of the total offense, as well as having 1 of San Diego’s 3 rushing touchdowns this year. . It goes without saying that when Rivers is active (and has been of late), the Chargers are a tough team to beat.
Meanwhile, all has not gone smoothly in the Steeler nation. After losing a hard-fought game in the final seconds to Chicago, Pittsburgh once again failed to put together a solid 60-minute effort, giving up 14 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to move to 1-2 with a loss at Cincinnati. For a team known for its defensive supremacy, this Steelers team has shown little to no resemblance to the swagger they carried during their Super Bowl run just a year ago.
Which brings us to Sunday in the city of Steeler. What makes this matchup so compelling is the fact that one of these teams will be forced to live up to their respective occasions. While San Diego has been effortlessly racking up yardage, they have only converted one touchdown in 11 trips to the red zone due mostly in part to their complete lack of a running game, as Ladanian Tomlinson has been held back with another injury suffered earlier this week. . 1. On the other hand, Pittsburgh has been less focused on finishing series and more concerned with its inability to close out games. In their two losses, the Steelers have lost by a total of 6 points, but have been outscored in the fourth quarter 24-0 combined.
Something has to give, whether it’s a stumbling offense or a fading defense. At first glance, San Diego seems to have the advantage. In addition to his potent passing, running back Darren Sproles has shown glimpses of being a solid replacement for Tomlinson despite the fact that most of his yardage comes from kick returns. If he’s able to lure the defense with a few back-to-back positive carries, San Diego will be poised to set up a balanced offense with limitless potential.
The only discrepancy with this is the fact that they will be playing Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh. Now, I’ve never been one to make a big deal out of home field advantage, but this kind of defensive inefficiency isn’t something the Steeler faithful will allow to happen under their watch. Look for Roethlisberger, the newly revived corpse of Willie Parker, and a ton of terrible towels to give the defense the leeway it needs to gut a tight one on Sunday night. It won’t be pretty, but it will get the job done. Stay stylish, San Diego.
Final score: 23 – 21 Pittsburgh