The Pittsburgh Steelers are heading out to the West Coast to take on the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday Night Football, and I’ve got to say, I’m feeling pretty good about the Steelers’ chances. Now, before you think I’ve lost my mind, hear me out. The Steelers are sitting at 5-3, which is a pretty surprising record considering how they’ve been winning games. And let’s be real, I don’t love the way they’ve been getting it done – it doesn’t feel very sustainable to me. But despite all that, I think they’ve got a real shot against the Chargers, who are 6-3 on the season.
The main reason I’m backing the Steelers is the Chargers’ offensive line, which has been decimated by injuries. Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater are both out for the season, Bobby Hart is ruled out for this week’s game, and Mekhi Becton is dealing with an injury (although it looks like he’ll play). That’s a lot of injuries to key players, and it’s hard to see how the Chargers are going to be able to overcome them.
The Steelers, on the other hand, are a team that wants to win games at the line of scrimmage. They love to blitz, and they’ve been getting a lot of pressure on opposing quarterbacks. They’re ranked third in the NFL in blitz rate, and they’ve been able to get to the QB 23.8% of the time. That’s bad news for Justin Herbert and the Chargers, who are already struggling to run the ball due to injuries to their running backs.
I think the Steelers are going to be able to control the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, which is going to make it tough for the Chargers to get anything going. Jaylen Warren has been finding success on the ground for the Steelers, and I don’t see the Chargers being able to stop him. And on the other side of the ball, the Steelers should be able to get pressure on Herbert all night long.
Now, I know what you’re thinking – the Steelers have been relying pretty heavily on turnovers to win games, and that’s not a sustainable formula for success. But I think they can control this game and limit the Chargers’ opportunities, which should help them keep it close.
So, where do I think you should put your money? I’d take the Steelers +3 spread, which you can get at -115 on Fanatics. It’s not a sure thing, but I think the Steelers have a real shot to keep it close and maybe even pull off the upset.
My 2025 NFL season betting record is 15-22, so take my advice for what it’s worth. But hey, I’m feeling good about this one, and I think the Steelers are going to make some noise on Sunday Night Football.
