Steelers vs Chargers: Winners and losers from Pittsburgh’s Week 11 loss

Steelers loser: Rushing offense

Simply put, the Steelers didn’t come into this game with a smart or effective offensive game plan. It was their usual version early on, and despite facing off against the league-worst rushing defense, Najee Harris rushed for all of 12 times on the day. The team once again relied on the passing game to get them the win despite the heavy investments in the rushing offense this offseason.

Nothing was more frustrating than when the team had the ball within the five yard-line. One would think that the Steelers 232-pound first-round running back would be the plan with the team so close to the endzone, but instead, Claypool end-arounds and passing plays were the call of choice for this offense. The results were as expected. The team almost blew prime field positioning following the blocked punt, but a pass interference allowed Harris his proper chance to score.

While the Steelers going down by multiple scores in the second half made it hard to rely on the running game, the team was within a score for the first half for most of the time. Instead of trying to establish the run, the team bailed on it and focused on passing. Harris has been a good player sure, but the team lacks the confidence they should have in their first-round pick. It has been nothing short of frustrating to see the team misuse Harris.

Despite the Steelers’ late-game heroics, the team still came up short. Bad play calling and even worse defense caused the team to struggle to mount the comeback. It was a game filled with hopeful moments and frustrating conclusions overall. The winners were bright spots, but the losers ultimately left the Steelers with a loss on the day.