When the Steelers (5-3-1) are on their way to face the Chargers (5-4) in NFL Week 11’s penultimate game on “Sunday Night Football” (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC), there will be implications. Big of the AFC wild card is at stake.
Pittsburgh, playing in the tough AFC North, is trying to get closer to Baltimore and break away from Cincinnati and Cleveland. Los Angeles wants to continue to heat up Kansas City and take the lead in Las Vegas and Denver.
The Steelers will put QB Ben Roethlisberger back on the COVID-19 roster after last week’s home game against the Lions and wide receiver Chase Claypool (toe) will also return to help him on the squad. But they will face two key defenders, world-leading attacking player TJ Watt (hips/knees) and savvy cornerback Joe Haden (legs).
The Chargers ara have a bit of an attack around, including QB Justin Herbert (oblique), but they also won’t have two key defenders, as both wide-field attacker Joey Bosa and defensive player Jerry Tillery are located on the COVID-19 list.
Here’s everything there is to know about Steelers vs. Chargers for Week 11, including our updated odds, trends and predictions for “Sunday Night Football”.
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Odds between Steelers vs. Chargers for Sunday Night Football
- Transmitted: 6.5 . charger
- On lower: 47
- Moneyine: Steelers +225, Charger -275
Chargers saw a rally in their favor near TD from 4 at the start of the week despite Ti Artillery and Bosa situations as Watt and Haden’s concerns on the other side outweighed them. Over/under remains modest due to the Steelers’ offensive limitations.
(betting odds per FanDuel Sportsbook)
Steelers All Time Charger vs.
The Steelers have dominated the 24-10 series over the years. They won the meeting two years ago, 24-17 in Los Angeles. They lost the 2018 33-30 meeting in Pittsburgh. Overall, they won 5 out of 7 for Chargers and 10 out of 13 too.
Three trends to know
—61 percent of spread bettors think the Chargers aren’t much better than the Steelers compared to the Steelers when it comes to separation between games and more like the popular laning team.
—64 percent of over/under bets are counting on some of the top offensively skilled players on both teams and think the game will go overboard.
—The Steelers have only won 3-7 by margin while winning 5-4-1 in their past 10 games, including knockouts. The total is just over three times in those games. The Chargers are 6-4 ATS and 6-4 SU in their past 10 games for a total of just over four.
Three things to see
Rookie of the Year Runner of the Year Najee Harris
Harris, the Steelers’ standout first-round feature running back, is the new focus of their offense. He averages 24 touchdowns and 107 yards per game. No doubt the team will feed him regularly against the worst defense in the league. He could have his biggest game when Pittsburgh needs him most in a tough spot.
Up or down Herbert?
The Steelers and Chargers have two of the best defensive passes in the league. The surprise is that the Steelers have also struggled with the race, 25th place in the NFL. Herbert has had a rollercoaster second season after shining as a rookie when teams were planning to have his laser arm removed. Chargers are better positioned in the short-to-medium pass game with Austin Ekeler running behind and wide-leg receiver Keenan Allen, along with a tight closing committee. Deep shots also hurt as Mike Williams collected wide, who was hot at the start of the season playing through lingering knee pains. Herbert must be patient and take what Steelman gives him, knowing that without Watt and without Haden are big breaks.
Brandon Staley vs. Mike Tomlin
Staley is trying to be the NFL coach of the year as a rookie. He will be the first to endorse Sean McVay to do so. He has brought fresh energy to the Chargers but after recent tough losses to the Patriots and Vikings, he has a chance to reassert his side skills for versatility against his experienced teammate. Super Bowl-winning experience, Tomlin. Staley needs to remind his players that they are the favorites at the crucial time and not let what should have been a rowdy crowd leading the Steelers discourage them at home.
Important stats
155.1 and 206.0. The first number is the average javelin the Chargers have missed in games this season, 32 and the last in the NFL. The second number is the average passing yards they gave up, number 4 in the NFL. The Steelers enjoy running with Harris due to Roethlisberger’s limited arm and not the best at stretching the pitch with their talented wide receiver. The Chargers should sell out to solve their biggest problem and force Big Ben to defeat them by overtaking Herbert.
Steelers predictions vs. Chargers
The Steelers’ defense is solid because of its reputation, but in its current state, there can be big flaws in giving up sloppy runs and playing big in the game. That’s not good compared to Herbert, Ekeler and Allen. Harris kept the Steelers in the game, but Herbert is set to shine in the lights with a couple of big breaks.
Charger 27, Steelers 20
