MNF - Steelers at Chargers
By Kevin Rogers
The Steelers and Chargers close out Week 5 of the NFL card as both teams have started at 2-2, but each club has taken a different path to a similar record. Pittsburgh plays with at least 10 days of rest for the second time this season, losing both Thursday games at New England and Baltimore, but winning both Sunday contests against San Francisco and St. Louis. Now, the Steelers venture to the West Coast for the first time this season, looking to erase the bitter taste of last Thursday’s overtime loss to their hated rival.
Playing without star quarterback Ben Roethlisberger following his knee injury in Week 3, the Steelers turned to veteran Mike Vick to keep the train on the tracks for the next month until Big Ben returns. However, Pittsburgh couldn’t hold onto a 20-7 lead against rival Baltimore in Week 3, eventually losing in overtime, 23-20. What hurt even more than the loss to the dreaded Ravens was how they lost, missing two field goals in the fourth quarter, while failing to convert a pair of fourth downs in Baltimore territory in overtime.
The passing game of Pittsburgh took a hit with Roethlisberger out, as Vick threw for only 124 yards, while top receiver Antonio Brown was held to below 100 yards for the first time this season by racking up just 42 yards. Le’Veon Bell broke the 100-yards mark for the first time since his two-game suspension, rushing for 129 yards and a touchdown, but didn’t have critical carries in overtime as the Steelers fell to 0-2 in primetime games this season.
The Chargers haven’t been razor-sharp yet in any of their four games, losing at Cincinnati and Minnesota on the road, while holding off the Lions and Browns in two home victories. In last Sunday’s narrow 30-27 win over Cleveland, Mike McCoy’s club put up at least 400 yards at home for the second time this season, but needed a 34-yard field goal from Josh Lambo in the final seconds. San Diego failed to cover for the third straight week, while needing to rally from a 21-3 deficit in the season opener against Detroit to cash as three-point favorites in a 33-28 triumph.
San Diego and Pittsburgh are hooking up for the first time since 2012, as the Lightning Bolts escaped Heinz Field with a 34-24 victory as seven-point road underdogs. The Chargers built a 34-10 advantage before a couple of mop-up touchdowns by the Steelers made the final score more respectable. Philip Rivers tossed three touchdown passes in the win to snap a three-game losing streak to Pittsburgh that dated back to 2008. Pittsburgh is making its first trip to Qualcomm Stadium since 2006 (also a night game) as the Steelers lost 23-13 as 3 ½-point underdogs.
From a totals standpoint, the Chargers haven’t had a problem scoring at home, finishing ‘over’ the total in both contests at Qualcomm Stadium. The Steelers have played to a pair of ‘unders’ away from Heinz Field, which includes a 12-6 victory at St. Louis in Week 3, the game in which Roethlisberger suffered a knee injury. Since the start of 2014, Pittsburgh is 7-3 to the ‘under’ on the highway, while making its first trip to the West Coast since 2013 in a 21-18 loss at Oakland (which went ‘under’ 40).
Joe Nelson says on the defensive side, the Steelers have had their issues, "There were grave concerns about the Pittsburgh defense, particularly against the pass, heading into the season with the loss of Dick LeBeau and a lot of youth on the roster. Pittsburgh has allowed nearly 70 percent completions this season but they also have 14 sacks and overall the numbers on defense have been close to league average in many areas.”
Taking a look at the home team, Nelson says the Chargers haven’t exactly beaten stellar competition in spite of putting up big numbers, “San Diego is 2-2 with a -14 point differential on the season as the wins came at home by just five and three points respectively against teams that are now a combined 1-7. San Diego is third in the NFL in total offense with 411 yards per game with over three-fourths of that yardage coming in the passing game behind Philip Rivers. Rivers has prolific numbers this season with the most passing yards in the league, but he has been sacked 12 times and has four interceptions, two of which have been returned for touchdowns. More critically, the San Diego defense is last in the NFL through four weeks allowing 4.9 yards per rush on defense. While San Diego has allowed only 225 passing yards per game, the Chargers have surrendered 7.7 yards per attempt which is ninth-worst in the league despite a schedule that has not exactly featured the cream of the crop in opposing quarterbacks.”
The Steelers are playing under the lights for the third time this season but for the first time on Monday night, as Mike Tomlin’s squad won twice in two opportunities in 2014 in Monday action. Pittsburgh rallied past Houston at home and held off Tennessee on the highway, as the Steelers own a 4-2 SU and 3-3 ATS record under Tomlin on Mondays. The Chargers are hosting their first Monday night contest since beating the Colts in 2013, as San Diego fell short on the road at Arizona to kick off the 2014 season in an 18-17 loss as three-point underdogs.
The Chargers are listed as 3 ½-point home favorites at most books, while creeping up to four at several spots. The total is set between 45 ½ and 46, as San Diego is 4-2 to the ‘under’ in its last six at home with a total of 46 or fewer. The game kicks off at 8:25 PM EST and can be seen nationally on ESPN.
