Is that this the daybreak of a brand new “Metal Curtain?” The query is a little bit of theatrics, but it surely nonetheless floats within the air after the Pittsburgh Steelers allowed simply 16 factors within the first two weeks. Just one landing has been scored towards the Pittsburgh protection.
That’s a tricky order for a Los Angeles Chargers group with questions at quarterback this week. Justin Herbert was listed as questionable on Friday with a excessive ankle sprain sustained in Week 2 play, though there’s reportedly optimism he’ll play on this one. However oddly, a defensive problem could also be simply what will get the juices flowing for Jim Harbaugh, who leads his Los Angeles Chargers into the Metal Metropolis on Sunday.
Each groups are 2-0, however the Steelers are slight favorites. The road moved barely in Pittsburgh’s favor when Herbert’s information was introduced. Harbaugh loves a defensive battle that’s fought within the trenches, and if he can get his quarterback to get into the purple zone sufficient occasions, he received’t flinch at profitable a sport determined by the toes of his placekicker.
If any fan base can get behind a low-scoring, defense-first group, it’s the great people of Pittsburgh. However the final time this group received titles this fashion was within the Nineteen Seventies, and professional soccer was a lot totally different. Ultimately, Justin Fields, or some Steeler QB, might want to move the ball and rating six factors at a time. To this point, Pittsburgh has kicked eight discipline targets(!) towards one TD this season.
That is the a part of the preview the place we’d listing the offensive weapons the Steelers have on the roster. However Pittsburgh has the fewest offensive snaps and fewest dropbacks of any group within the NFL this season. It’s clear that Mike Tomlin is ok profitable “ugly,” and in Pittsburgh ugly with a facet of crushing protection is gorgeous.
How magical is Harbaugh? He has a fourth-year participant who solely had 10 begins getting into this season, main the NFL in speeding. That man is J.Ok. Dobbins, a strong again who leads the league in compelled missed tackles.
This is without doubt one of the most intriguing matchups of Week 3: two groups that prefer to shove the soccer into the face of the protection, prefer to chew up the clock, and aren’t afraid to get factors three at a time.
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Los Angeles Chargers at Pittsburgh Steelers odds
watch Chargers vs. Steelers
- Venue: Acrisure Stadium — Pittsburgh
- Time: 1 p.m. ET, Sunday
- TV: CBS
- Streaming: Fubo (attempt totally free)
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(Picture of Najee Harris: Ron Chenoy / Imagn Pictures)