It’s week three of the 2024 National Football League season and this week the Los Angeles Chargers visit Pittsburgh to take on the Steelers in their home opener. Here’s everything you need to know for the game!
What: Los Angeles Chargers 2-0 at Pittsburgh Steelers 2-0
Where: Acrisure Stadium, Pittsburgh, PA
When: Sunday September 22nd, 2024 1pmET
Weather: Partly Cloudy, 78 degrees at kickoff. Light winds to 4mph.
Wagering Information: Steelers -3 O/U 34.5
Last Week: The Chargers defeated the Panthers in Carolina 26-3 while the Steelers defeated the Broncos in Denver 13-6.
TV: CBS Jim Nantz (play-by-play), Tony Romo (analysis), Tracy Wolfson (field reporter)
TV Coverage in Your Area (courtesy 506sports.com): Those in RED get the game.
Radio: Steelers Nation Radio/WDVE Rob King (play-by-play), Craig Wolfley (analysis)
Max Starks (field reporter) NOTE: This is the first game since the retirement of Bill Hillgrove.
Head Official: Alex Kemp. He’s an insurance agent and graduate of Central Michigan University. Kemp is in his seventh season as a head official. His last Steelers’ game was the home opener in 2023 which was a 30-7 loss to San Francisco. 17 accepted penalties were called that day.
Key Injuries/Game Status (courtesy steelers.com) PIT: No. 3 QB Russell Wilson (Calf) – Questionable, No. 73 G Isaac Seumalo (Pectoral) – Out, No. 81 TE MyCole Pruitt (Knee) – Out, No. 76 OL Troy Fautanu (Knee) – Questionable LAC: No. 25 LB Junior Colson (Hamstring) – Out, No. 48 OLB Bud Dupree (Illness) – Questionable, No. 10 QB Justin Herbert (Ankle) – Questionable, No. 5 WR Josh Palmer (Elbow/Calf) – Questionable
No. 36 DB Ja’Sir Taylor (Fibula) – Questionable
Injury Notes: The Friday injury to Fautanu is disappointing and concerning. Broderick Jones will start there but given his elbow and lack of confidence, this will either make him or break him if Fautanu can’t go.
2024 NFL Ranks:
Total Offense: PIT 26th LAC 12th Passing Offense: PIT 30th LAC 28th Rushing Offense: PIT 12th LAC 2nd
Total Defense: PIT 2nd LAC 1st Passing Defense: PIT 14th LAC 6th Rushing Defense: PIT 4th LAC 6th
AFC North Rankings: Pittsburgh 2-0, Cleveland 1-1, Baltimore 0-2, Cincinnati 0-2
This Week in the AFC North: NY Giants at Cleveland 1pm, Baltimore at Dallas 425pm, Washington at Cincinnati 815pmET (MON)
What You Need to Know: The Steelers are 51-37-3 in home openers… They are 16-7 all-time in openers at Heinz Field/Acrisure Stadium… The Chargers opened the 1991 season at Pittsburgh defeating the Steelers 26-20… The Steelers have dropped three-straight home openers and have NEVER lost four straight… Pittsburgh has now opened the season 2-0 for the 17th time in team history… On six of those occasions they reached the Super Bowl, winning four… The Steelers are 39-21-1 all-time against AFC West teams at home and are 14-2 all-time against the Bolts in the Steel City.
Tomlin Time: Mike Tomlin is 4-3 all-time against the Chargers… Jim Harbaugh is 1-0 against the Steelers… Tomlin is 11-6 in home openers…
LA Chargers Names to Know: QB Justin Herbert,RB J.K. Dobbins, WR Quentin Johnston, OT Joe Alt, S Derwin James, CB Asante Samuel, Jr, EDGE Joey Bosa, RB Gus Edwards, EDGE Khalil Mack, K Cam Dicker
What’s at Stake: A 3-0 start has only happened two other times under Mike Tomlin so a win would be a big deal in that regard.
All-Time Series: Steelers lead 24-11
Last Meeting: November 2021 in Pittsburgh. LAC 41 PIT 37
Postseason History: Chargers lead 2-1
Steelers Game Highs vs LAC: PASSING: 349 yards Neil O’Donnell 01/15/1995 RUSHING: 165 yards Rashard Mendenhall 10/04/2009 RECEIVING: 165 yards Charles Johnson 12/24/1994 SACKS: 2.0 Seven times Last: LaMarr Woodley 01/11/2009 INTERCEPTIONS:2 Five times Last: Deshea Townsend 12/21/2003
Check out the latest Steel City Blitz Steelers Podcast for more on the Steelers.
Three Things We Need to See for a Steelers’ Victory:
1. Win in the Trenches. One could say that any football game is decided in the Trenches and there’s some truth to that. At some levels however, a few dynamic playmakers can make all the difference. In the NFL, this mantra holds true though. Can the Steelers O-Line create running room and protect Justin Fields at the same time? Can the Chargers’ O-Line do the same for their team? If everything else breaks even in terms of turnovers, miscues etc, then I guarantee this one will be won in the interior.
2. Big Plays. If you’ve heard us say the phrase “rock fight” on the podcast once then you’ve heard it many, many times. Currently, it’s how Mike Tomlin likes to win games. Possess the ball and play great defense. At some point however, big plays will be needed. This is the perfect game to rip off some big throws or runs and I know what you’re thinking. “They hit a 51-yarder to George Pickens if it weren’t for the penalty!” While true, it still didn’t count. The point here is that this offense needs the adrenaline rush of a big play. The constant three yards and a cloud of dust is nice but getting a guy into space and letting that player make big yards is important as much mentally as it is physically.
3. The Steelers Know Greg Roman. The guy calling the pays on Sunday is no stranger to the Pittsburgh Steelers. From 2017 to 2022, Roman served the Baltimore Ravens in a number of offensive coach capacities including their offensive coordinator job. Roman served under Jim Harbaugh at both Stanford and during his time with the San Francisco 49ers. What it means is that the Steelers have volumes of information on what Roman likes to do. Now they have to execute the plan.
The ‘X’ Factor: Each week I will select a player from each team who I believe will need to play above and beyond in order for his team to win.
X-Factor Steelers: Keannu Benton. The Chargers enter as the best rushing team in the NFL and the way you disrupt that success is by controlling the middle of the field. Benton doesn’t have to make all the tackles, but he has to take up blockers. That frees up Larry Ogunjobi, Cam Heyward and others to make plays. And with Herbert’s bum ankle, interior pressure from Benton could force Herbert to move more than he wants to which is good for the Steelers’ D.
X-Factor Chargers: Justin Herbert. Too easy to select the QB? Not in this case because the Steelers will do everything they can to stop the run which puts the pressure on Herbert. But… He’s questionable with a ankle injury that hobbled him late last week. We saw the difficulty of not having your legs with Kirk Cousins in the opener and the Chargers can’t have that with Herbert. He has to play well for them to win.
Prediction: This is the type of game that has all the feels of a heavyweight fight. Both teams will run the ball so this game could be over 3pm local. Don’t rule out referee Alex Kemp though whose crew loves to call penalties and the Steelers rank only behind the Browns in being penalized this year. Look for Chris Boswell to have another big game and the defense comes up big again in a close one.
Steelers 16 Chargers 14
Season Prediction Record: 2-0
