Pittsburgh finally sees their beloved Steelers play at home for the first time this season. Week 3 of the NFL will have many eyes on this game as the Steelers and Chargers enter the stadium with unbeaten records. It should be a fun AFC battle that sees two unsuspecting teams fighting for potential playoff implications when things get tight in the standings later in the year.
After beating the Broncos, many questions remain surrounding the Steelers offense. They will try their best to control the game on the ground, but LA has a couple of star pieces on the defensive side of the ball too. The black and gold will want to keep their same trend going. They have a specific plan behind Mike Tomlin, and it has worked thus far. They want things close to the bitter end.
LA hasn't played anyone particularly "good" to start their campaign. They have taken care of business and scored over 20 points in the first two weeks of the season. They want to command the run game and build on their passing attack with Justin Herbert.
This will be the biggest test the Steelers have faced up to this point in their schedule at quarterback.
Still Curtain Expert panel predictions will keep Steeler's stressed out
"Pittsburgh is coming off two grinding wins in Week 1 and Week 2. Their home opener provides a bigger test in a revamped Chargers team who is also 2-0 on the year. The Steelers defense will pass their early season test and not allow the Chargers much room to breathe but, the offense won't reciprocate by failing to put up points and move the ball enough leading Pittsburgh to lose" - Brandon Kring (Chargers 17-10)
"The Steelers look to remain undefeated as we face the Chargers in the home opener. The Chargers offense proves to be too much for the Steelers defense, despite a valiant effort. The offense continues to struggle to score points." - Eric C Hassel (Chargers 24-13)
"The Steelers offense has failed to light up the scoreboard so far in 2024, and I don't expect that to change this week against the Chargers. Luckily for Pittsburgh, the Chargers offense has relied almost entirely on the ground game so far this season to move the ball. With the Steelers stout run defense keeping the Chargers in check, the offense does just enough to come away with a win." - Shayne Kubas (Steelers 20-17)
"If you thought we had some low-scoring showdowns in Pittsburgh's first two games, you haven't seen anything yet. Mike Tomlin and Jim Harbaugh want to run the football as much as any two teams in the league, and this contest has the lowest projected point total in Week 3. These two teams have the top-ranked scoring defenses through two weeks, but I have the Steelers narrowly claiming a win in ugly, backyard-brawl fashion." - Tommy Jaggi (Steelers 16-14)
"The Pittsburgh Steelers rally to beat the Los Angeles Chargers with the help of a extraordinary performance from TJ Watt, and Justin Fields. The Steelers are able to move past the bolts." - Loyal Ricks Jr. (Steelers 24-14)
The Steelers and Chargers match up really well. In a real tossup, I think LA has more potential to be explosive offensively when necessary. It will be a defensive stalemate with Pittsburgh just coming up short." - Jacob Harrison (Chargers 17-10)
Final predictions have Steelers hanging onto a win vs. Chargers
Score Prediction: Steelers 17, Chargers 16
Either this game will be similar to what the Steelers have done in the first two contests they have played in, or it will be brutal for Pittsburgh. LA doesn't have too many weapons on offense, but they have a young and emerging offensive line. If the Chargers can effectively run the ball and slow down T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith, then this game could get ugly for the home team.
Herbert has been hyped up a ton during his career, but he has yet to win significant games. The Steeler's defense has been dominant in the trenches during the early going of the schedule. They might not destroy the Chargers up front, but they should be able to do just enough to slow Herbert from opening up the passing attack by extinguishing the Charger's running backs.
Justin Fields remains a polarizing figure with the Steelers as he remains turnover-free, but he hasn't produced great numbers. Expect another "safe" game by him and Arthur Smith that relies heavily on the running game. It is going to be a big day for Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren once again. This offense will go based on how well they can run the football.
Pittsburgh is going to do its best to make this a similar situation as their games against the Falcons and Broncos. They want to play it safe and try to hold onto a lead after getting ahead. They haven't played against a quarterback like Herbert, so that is much easier said than done. The Steelers have the better roster overall, but this is going to be a tricky win to squeak out on their home field.