There weren't many positive results from the Pittsburgh Steelers' dispiriting Week 10 loss. However, an abysmal showing from their offense overshadowed the lone bright spot of the evening: they continue to take strides defensively.
The Steelers have yet to live up to the smash-mouth "line up and man up" identity the franchise has embraced for decades in 2025. They've tried, but an aging group of core players and a lack of adaptability have complicated matters for the most part. Nevertheless, we saw them get back to their roots of physicality and toughness against the Chargers.
While the Steelers would've preferred to rediscover themselves in a victory, beggars can't be choosers. Their stop unit has been an issue all season, so they'll be happy to review the All-22 footage of the 25-10 defeat to Los Angeles.
Steelers' improved defensive efforts overshadowed by embarrassing SNF loss to Chargers
Star pass rusher T.J. Watt and the Steelers' hellacious front seven looked as active and disruptive as it has this year. And that includes their five- and six-takeaway efforts versus AFC powerhouses like the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts, even without the turnovers to match.
Whether by air or on the ground, the Chargers weren't particularly productive or efficient. Watt and the Steelers amassed a whopping 11 tackles for loss, nine quarterback hits, five pass deflections, and five sacks. Pittsburgh consistently invaded the backfield, albeit to no avail.
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Chargers standout signal-caller Justin Herbert took a beating. The constant pressure Pittsburgh generated forced him to dink and dunk his way to a win, illustrated by a below-league-average 6.7 yards per attempt. Moreover, Los Angeles' rushing attack was methodical if not unspectacular, posting one explosive run and yielding 3.7 yards per tote.
Steeler Nation can and should feel good about half of the box score despite their team falling to 5-4. This squad isn't a legitimate threat to make noise in the playoffs unless Watt and Co. are operating at the level they've proven capable of. Capturing this momentum and carrying it forward is as impactful and vital as prevailing over the Chargers would've been.
Pittsburgh has now held each of its past two opponents to under five yards per play, something it only did once in seven games prior. Moreover, we saw them allow a single passing touchdown for a second consecutive contest after allowing multiple aerial scores five times during the aforementioned stretch.