An end to the shutdown?
Not for the Chargers.
Their defense smothered the Pittsburgh Steelers in a 25-10 victory Sunday night, and limited Aaron Rodgers to a cosmetic touchdown at the end, intercepting him twice and sacking him three times — once in the end zone for a safety.
“This one was won by strong, tough men,” Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh said. “Physicality and heart. I like the games of strategy and preparation, but this was one that came down to toughness and guts.”
Aaron Rodgers has thrown more touchdown passes than anyone on “Sunday Night Football,” yet the Chargers made him look every bit of his 41 years. The Steelers moved the ball and scored on their final possession, when the outcome had already been decided, but before that were 0 for 9 on third down.
Put bluntly by Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin: “We stunk it up tonight.”
The Chargers didn’t look especially crisp, either, and quarterback Justin Herbert took another beating behind an offensive line that has had 19 different combinations in 10 games. He was sacked five times — bringing his total to 11 in the past two games — and hit nine.
At one point in the second quarter, he was hit low from behind and lay on the turf for a moment before gingerly climbing to his feet. On the sideline, trainers taped both his ankles and he didn’t miss a snap.
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert scrambles against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second half Sunday at SoFi Stadium.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
“Just got rolled up,” he explained. “A little bit of pain. But I thought we did a good job of talking about it on the sideline. I came off and felt like I was safe, comfortable to go back out there.”
The Chargers started slow offensively but began to gather a little momentum in the second quarter when Cameron Dicker kicked his first of three field goals, and Ladd McConkey scored on a 15-yard touchdown reception with 12 seconds remaining in the first half.
Pittsburgh was as cold as a Western Pennsylvania winter, even when cheered on by a SoFi Stadium full of fans. It was a black-and-gold takeover.
“We didn’t run the ball super effectively in the first half,” Rodgers said. “I missed some throws, for sure. At times guys were open and I didn’t hit them; other times, we just weren’t getting open. Just couldn’t put it all together.”
For the Steelers, that was a big letdown from the week before, when they handed the Indianapolis Colts just their second loss. In that game, Pittsburgh forced six Colts turnovers. Sunday night, the Chargers won the turnover battle, 3-0.
Chargers linebacker Bud Dupree dances after sacking Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers on Sunday.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Not only did the Chargers hang onto the football, but they grabbed some team records along the way. Most notable Keenan Allen, who set a club record in the waning moments of the game with his 956th career reception. He eclipsed the mark of Hall of Fame tight end Antonio Gates, his former teammate.
Allen spoke with Harbaugh on the sideline and suggested the play, which the receiver said would essentially be a guaranteed reception. He began to sprint from left to right across the formation before the snap, then caught a perfectly timed shovel pass as he ran past Herbert, turning upfield and collecting seven yards.
“He’s one of those guys who’s always open,” Herbert said of Allen. “Even when he’s covered he’s open.”
Dicker kicked a 59-yard field goal, tying a club record that he already shared. Khalil Mack, who corralled Rodgers for the safety, became the second player in NFL history with at least 35 sacks for three different franchises. The late Hall of Famer Kevin Greene was the only other player to do that.
The Chargers have won three in a row for the first time since their first three games. Their offensive line remains an issue, and the team surely will be working in the newly acquired tackle Trevor Penning for Sunday’s game at Jacksonville.
The special teams, which gave up a punt-return touchdown at Tennessee the week before, collected a muffed punt by Pittsburgh in the fourth quarter.
Harbaugh said the rumors of the demise of the Chargers offensive line and special teams were premature, praising both units. It’s clear, though, that Herbert’s protectors still have a long way to go.
As for the defense, however, that turned in a gem.
“The interior guys, the edge guys, everybody worked together,” linebacker Denzel Perryman said. “It was rush and cover, cover and rush. That’s how you get numbers like that.”
If the Chargers can keep getting to quarterbacks — and do a better job of protecting theirs — they have potential to be a headache in all the right ways.
