The Los Angeles Chargers (2-0) and Pittsburgh Steelers (2-0) are preparing for an explosive matchup, which will kick off on Sunday, September 22, at 1:00 PM ET at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Steelers are favored at home and have a point spread of -2.0 (-110).
The Chargers are off to a good start after going 5-12 last season. Their most recent win was a 26-3 outing over the Carolina Panthers. While this is appealing, the Panthers only won two games last season and are projected to have another disappointing season.
They were up 20-0 at the half, largely thanks to Justin Herbert and J.K. Dobbins. Herbert completed 14 of his 20 passes for 130 yards and had two touchdowns, but he did throw an interception. Dobbins led with 17 carries for 131 yards and a touchdown.
The Chargers threw for 349 yards, 21 first downs, and two turnovers. Their defense stood strong, limiting the Panthers to 159 yards and seven first downs and forcing them to turn the ball over once.
Offensively, the Chargers are scoring 24.0 points a game, ranking 11th. Their defense has allowed 6.5 points a game and ranks first. Their defense is appealing, but only because they have defeated two weaker NFL teams.
The Steelers play their first home game of the season and aim to remain undefeated. Their latest win was a 13-6 grind against the Denver Broncos.
Justin Fields got the start for the injured Russell Wilson again, putting up 117 yards on 13 completions out of 20 and had a touchdown. With Wilson still out of the lineup, Fields will be again taking his place as the starter for the Chargers matchup.
The Steelers had yardage and first downs similar to the Broncos. But the key here is the two turnovers the defense forced on quarterback Bo Nix of the Broncos. They could take valuable game time away and put those minutes to good use.
So far, they are averaging 15.5 points a game and rank 26th in the league. They have ground teams down on defense and allowed 8.0 points a game, ranking second. This will be another grind against the Chargers, who primarily focus on running games due to Harbaugh's coaching style.
MyBookie has the NFL betting odds up for the Los Angeles Chargers vs. Pittsburgh Steelers, revealing the Steelers as two-point favorites. Market insights suggest the Steelers have a 51.1 percent chance of winning the game overall.
The Steelers are tough to beat at home and have consistently ground each team so far this season to make it a low-scoring game. The Chargers are in a similar boat but have a better starting quarterback with weaker receivers and a weaker running game. The Steelers are appealing to cover the spread.
