An finish to the shutdown?
Not for the Chargers, whose protection put the clamps on the Pittsburgh Steelers with a 25-10 victory earlier than a sea of black-and-gold-clad followers and a nationwide TV viewers.
Neither crew had many offensive highlights — or first downs, for that matter — however the Chargers did sufficient to win their third recreation in a row, one thing they hadn’t completed for the reason that first three video games of the season.
You may name the Chargers inhospitable, seeing because the Steelers got here into the sport averaging 25.3 factors. You may name the Steelers inhospitable for filling SoFi Stadium with Pittsburgh followers.
The Horrible Towels had been all over the place, however there have been treasured few alternatives to swirl them. By the fourth quarter, hundreds of these followers had been streaming for the exits. The Steelers had been held to 11 first downs, transformed two of 11 third downs and generated 221 whole yards.
Aaron Rodgers appeared each little bit of his 41 years. He was sacked 3 times, intercepted twice, introduced down in the long run zone for a security and he completed with an anemic passer score of fifty.6.
The Steelers appeared nothing just like the crew that compelled six turnovers towards Indianapolis the week earlier than and handed the Colts simply their second loss.
Within the waning moments, Keenan Allen made a seven-yard catch to turn out to be the Chargers’ all-time receptions chief (956), surpassing Corridor of Fame tight finish Antonio Gates.
Rodgers couldn’t set up something near an offensive rhythm, and Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert took an all-too-familiar beating, taking part in behind an offensive line that has had 19 completely different mixtures this season.
Herbert was sacked 5 occasions, every week after the Tennessee Titans received to him six occasions.
Chargers linebacker Bud Dupree dances after sacking Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers on Sunday.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Occasions)
The Steelers scored first with a 59-yard discipline purpose by Chris Boswell within the opening quarter, however after that it was nearly all Chargers. Cameron Dicker had three discipline objectives, and Ladd McConkey and Kimani Vidal scored touchdowns.
Rodgers threw a 27-yard landing go to Roman Wilson with 2 minutes 57 seconds remaining, however that was merely a beauty rating that made the sport seem a bit nearer.
Herbert took a success from behind within the second quarter, was gradual to his toes and received each ankles taped on the sideline.
In line with NBC, he got here into the sport having been pressured a mean of 17 occasions per recreation, greater than another quarterback this season, and having absorbed a mean of 9 hits per recreation, second-highest for an NFL quarterback within the final 20 seasons.
The Chargers had been coming off a win at Tennessee during which they misplaced left deal with Joe Alt, who suffered a season-ending ankle damage. The crew traded for New Orleans offensive lineman Trevor Penning final week.
Despite the fact that they leaned right into a bunch of quick-developing go performs to get the ball out of Herbert’s palms rapidly, the Chargers nonetheless noticed their quarterback knocked down repeatedly. His passes had been batted down on the line of scrimmage too, with one winding up again in Herbert’s palms for a reception (though that was worn out by a Pittsburgh penalty).
The Chargers’ protection received to Rodgers as nicely, placing the primary factors on the scoreboard for the house crew by sacking the longer term Corridor of Famer in the long run zone.
The Chargers subsequent head to Jacksonville. The Jaguars, who received off to a 4-1 begin, have misplaced three of 4.
Jacksonville is the location of a horrible reminiscence for the Chargers, who blew a 27-point lead there to undergo a one-point loss in a January 2023 playoff recreation.
