Preview for Pittsburgh Steelers @ Los Angeles Chargers
Sunday Night Football heads to the West Coast this week as Aaron Rodgers and the first-place Pittsburgh Steelers (5-3) visit Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers (6-3).
Both teams are feeling good after 27-20 wins last weekend. The Steelers ended a two-game losing streak by beating the one-loss Colts, while the Chargers came from behind to defeat the Titans.
Los Angeles opened the season 3-0, their best start in more than 20 years, but then lost three of their next four games. Back-to-back wins over Minnesota and Tennessee have helped them stay close to Denver in the AFC West.
The Steelers started 4-1 before falling to Cincinnati and Green Bay in late October. Their win over Indianapolis got them back on track and gave them a two-game lead over Baltimore in the AFC North.
Now it’s Rodgers against Herbert under the lights, with both teams looking to prove they belong among the AFC’s contenders.
The Chargers enter Sunday night dealing with several key injuries, including the loss of Joe Alt for the season and absences in the secondary for Jabrill Peppers and DeShon Elliott.
Despite those setbacks, Justin Herbert guided Los Angeles to a 27-20 win over Tennessee, throwing for 250 yards and adding a rushing touchdown. Oronde Gadsden II led the receivers with 68 yards, while the defense contributed four sacks in a strong all-around performance.
The Steelers are managing a growing list of injuries, with seven players missing Wednesday’s practice: Scotty Miller, Cory Trice Jr., Jabrill Peppers, Cole Holcomb, Alex Highsmith, Isaac Seumalo, and Darnell Washington. Miller, Trice, Peppers, and Holcomb also sat out last week’s win over the Colts and could be in doubt again for Sunday.
Pittsburgh improved to 5-3 with a 27-20 victory over Indianapolis, showing balance on both sides of the ball. Aaron Rodgers was efficient with 203 passing yards and a touchdown, while Jaylen Warren scored twice on the ground. The defence dominated up front, recording five sacks and five tackles for loss to close out the game.
