The next game on the schedule for the Steelers is against the Chargers, at 1pm at Heinz Field this 
Sunday. While San Diego is yet another bottom feeder at 4-8 on the season, the Steelers can’t expect to walk into their home turf and be entitled to win. It still baffles me how that lesson wasn’t learned years ago but at the very least they need look back no further than this season to see how things don’t always go as they think.
There’s no reason to feel that Pittsburgh shouldn’t win this game, they are the more talented team on both sides of the ball, especially on offense. That being said, the Chargers are all but playing for jobs next season, and sometimes those games can come back to bite you. Pittsburgh can’t afford to sleep on this opponent and potentially undo all the work they’ve put in to get back into playoff contention; not after losing to TN, Oak, and Cle.
A comparison of the stats shows that both teams are fairly evenly matched on defense, with the Steelers holding the overall better ranking and certainly against the pass. On offense, neither team is overly impressive so something has to give. Will this one be a defensive struggle or will the Steelers be able to break out and put this one away before the 4th quarter?
The Chargers last 3 games have been decided by 7 points or less. Based on their schedule, when they win they blow out teams but when they lose it’s close in the 4th quarter.
We can hope that this game doesn’t turn into a nailbiter but that hasn’t been the Steelers style this year.
Steelers Stats Defense:
Defense: 1st Overall
Rush: 5th
Pass: 1st
Ryan Clark: 80 Tackles and 2 INT’s
Lawrence Timmons: 73 Tackles and 3 INT’s
Jason Worilds: 5 Sacks
Chargers Stats Defense:
Defense: Overall 9th
Run: 6th
Pass: 21st
Donald Bulter: 72 Tackles
Eric Weddle: 3 INT’s
Shaun Phillips: 7 Sacks
Steelers Stats Offense:
Offense: 20th Overall
Rush: 24th
Pass: 14th
Roethlisberger: 17 TD’s 4 INT’s 2,287 yds
Batch: 1 TD 4 INT’s 475 yds
Dwyer: 478 yds, 4.2 average, 6 TD’s
Redman: 350 yds, 3.6 average, 2 TD’s
Wallace: 616 yds, 11.8 average, 6 TD’s
Miller: 613 yds, 10.9 average, 7 TD’s
Chargers Stats Offense:
Offense: Overall 26th
Run: 26th
Pass: 18th
Rivers: 18 TD’s 15 INT’s 2,969 yds.
Ryan Matthews: 620 yds rushing on the season, 4.0 average, 1 TD
Malcom Floyd: 765 yds receiving, 15.0 average, 4 TD’s.
