INGLEWOOD, Calif. -- Perhaps you could call this game the 2021 version of the COVID-19 Bowl.
The Steelers were as indirectly affected by COVID-19 as any team in the NFL a year ago, having their schedule completely shifted around because of outbreaks with the Titans and Ravens.
But by and large, they pretty much avoided an outbreak of their own on their roster.
This season has not been as kind. Ben Roethlisberger missed last week's disappointing 16-16 tie against the Lions after being placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 List. And Minkah Fitzpatrick went on the list Monday after testing positive for the virus.
The Steelers (5-3-1) will have Roethlisberger back for their game Sunday night here at SoFi Stadium against the Chargers (5-4), but hold no such hope for Fitzpatrick.
The Chargers, meanwhile, are dealing with COVID-19 some issues of their own.
Star defensive end Joey Bosa was placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 List Tuesday along with starting defensive tackle Jerry Tillery and his backup Christian Covington. Starting linebacker Drue Tranquill also is on the list, though Bosa, who had a close contact and was not vaccinated was activated Saturday in time to play Sunday.
Welcome to NFL life in the COVID-19 era, where even important games such as this one go on without missing a beat, no matter who might be out because of the virus.
Without Roethlisberger, the Steelers have the NFL's youngest starting offensive unit, something that could come into play under the bright lights of Sunday night football if he isn't cleared.
But Mike Tomlin was cognizant of that fact as the Steelers worked all week with Mason Rudolph taking starter reps and Roethlisberger meeting virtually with quarterbacks coach Mike Sullivan.
Tomlin has no issue putting Roethlisberger back in the lineup, even though he missed the entire week and even Saturday's final walkthrough.
"We’ve got a young offensive unit," said Tomlin, who often does his best work in times like this. "If we get to a point in the week where Ben has an opportunity to get on a moving train that's exactly what he'll do. He'll be capable of executing the game plan. I really have no reservations about that. I think he missed a significant amount of time of a work week last year when he was on the close contact list and he got back to us late in the week and performed."
The game to which Tomlin referred happened last season when Roethlisberger had a close contact with someone infected with COVID-19 and had to stay away from the team facility all week. He rejoined the team Saturday and threw for more than 300 yards and had four touchdown passes in a 36-10 rout of the Bengals.
This could be an even stiffer test, however, though the Chargers have stumbled of late, losing three of their past four games after a 4-1 start to the season.
"I think that there is always that discovery process," said first-year head coach Brandon Staley. "I think there is that continuity and that chemistry that is real. Sometimes it happens really fast and then you never look back, and sometimes you kind of fight to find it. From an offensive yardage and ranking standpoint, our offense has been very productive. That's the truth. It's been very productive. I like the way that we've moved the football. From my vantage point, we need to score the ball better."
The offense behind second-year quarterback Justin Herbert has been productive -- for the most part. The Chargers are 10th in the NFL in yards per game, but just 15th in points at 24.3. That includes a game in Baltimore against the Ravens when they were completely shut down in a 34-6 loss.
You can bet the Steelers, knowing they also still have to play the Ravens twice this season.
But they also have a lot of respect for the Los Angeles offense, particularly knowing that Fitzpatrick isn't the only defender they'll be without. T.J. Watt (knee/hip) and Joe Haden (foot) also will be missing in this game.
"It's a good offensive team. Quarterback who's a very good, young quarterback. They can run the football too. They do both," Cam Sutton said. "Our group's going to have to step up and the guys who are going to be in there for the guys that we have missing are going to have to step up also. If they do that, then we'll see what happens."
Indeed. It's not all that much unlike the last time the Steelers played the Chargers in Los Angeles. Both Roethlisberger and Rudolph were out for that game and rookie Devlin 'Duck' Hodges made his first career start at quarterback.
Hodges only threw for 132 yards and one touchdown, but the Steelers rushed for 124 yards on 36 carries and won, 24-17, despite being outgained 348-246.
This Chargers coaching staff wasn't part of that game. But the Steelers certainly haven't forgotten about it.
"I think about last time we went to L.A. to play these guys, we went out there with Duck Hodges and had a pretty good day," Tomlin said. "That was then, this is now. Not only are we different, but they're different."
It's also a big game in the overall AFC hierarchy. The Steelers came into the week a half-game out of the AFC North lead and in the top wild card spot in the conference. With New England's win Thursday night over the Falcons, the Patriots leap-frogged the Steelers into the fifth spot. And with 12 teams in the AFC at .500 or better going into this weekend, every game from here on out is critical.
Playing Sunday night, in front of everyone, the Steelers will know what everyone else did, as will the Chargers.
"There’s a lot of big games of the week, aren’t there? Sunday night, Monday night, Thursday night," Rudolph said. "This is a big night. Coach Tomlin talks about playing on prime time television and what an honor that is and an opportunity. We know there’s extra sauce on it."
THE ESSENTIALS
• Who: Steelers (5-3-1) vs. Chargers (5-4)
• When: 8:20 p.m., Sunday
• Where: SoFi Stadium
• Forecast: Indoors
• TV: WPXI, NBC (National)
• Radio: 102.5 WDVE, ESPN Pittsburgh
• Streaming: Steelers Nation Radio
• Satellite: Sirius XM 226, online 826
• Media notes: Steelers | Chargers
THE INJURY REPORT
Steelers: CB Joe Haden (foot, out); G Kevin Dotson (ankle, out), LB T.J. Watt (knee/hip, out), DE Isaiah Loudermilk (groin, out)
Chargers: NT Linval Joseph (shoulder, doubtful), CB Mark Webb (knee, doubtful), S Alohi Gilman (quadriceps, doubtful), RB Justin Jefferson (quadriceps, questionable), DB Trey Marshall (ankle, questionable)
THE KEY VARIABLE
With so many players missing on both sides, backups will be counted on across the board for both teams to fill some pretty big shoes.
But the shoes that need to be filled on the Steelers' side of things are a little bigger than most. Watt and Fitzpatrick are a pair of All-Pro defensive players two of the best in the NFL at their respective positions.
The Steelers preach the "next-man-up mentality," but the reality is that you can't just plug Taco Charlton in for Watt and expect him to do the same things Watt does on a weekly basis. The same goes for rookie safety Tre Norwood at free safety for Fitzpatrick.
"You’ve got to make adjustments. Players like that, when they’re out of the game, they’re two of the best players that you’ve got," Keith Butler said. "Of course you do. What we’re going to do, I’m not going to say. They’re going to have to figure that out when we get in the game. Hopefully the guys will step up and they understand how good of players those guys are. We’re just going to have to give it our best shot. See what happens."
But there is a large degree of unknown -- on both sides. While Charlton and Norwood might get the bulk of snaps in place of the two missing stars, they won't be the only guys at those spots. The Steelers might have to mix and match a little more than usual -- particularly in the case of Fitzpatrick -- to get the desired results.
Or at least in an attempt to try to replicate the desired results.
"Minkah has a well-rounded skillset. You put him in any circumstances, he’s gonna perform relatively well," Tomlin said. "It may divide the labor up a little bit more, but that's what we do. We look at the hand that's dealt, we play the hand that's dealt, and we put ourselves in a position to win."
The Steelers have obviously seen more of Norwood this season. A seventh-round draft pick, he's played some free safety this season when the Steelers wanted to move Watt down into the slot. And he's also played in the slot, giving the team some flexibility.
Charlton, meanwhile, is a former first-round pick of the Cowboys in 2017, taken two picks before the Steelers selected Watt. The Steelers are his fourth NFL team. He joined them on the practice squad at the end of training camp after being released by the Chiefs. Charlton has been part of the team's active roster the past three weeks, getting more playing time after the Steelers traded Melvin Ingram to Kansas City.
But how will either handle starting and playing nearly a full game?
"We’ve got some unknowns," Butler conceded. "And we’re going to have some unknowns coming into this game. Do we like what we see in practice? A lot of times we do, yeah. But what happens in practice and what happens in a game, a lot of times, is different. How do people perform under pressure? That’s what the whole NFL is about. If you can perform under pressure, then you’re going to have a job. If you can’t, you’re not. It’s as simple as that."
One player Butler would like to see a big game out of is second-year linebacker Alex Highsmith. After a slow start, which tied in to him missing a game with a groin injury, Highsmith has 7 quarterback hits and a 1.5 sacks in the past four games after not having any to start the season.
If both Highsmith and Cam Heyward can provide some pass rush and occupy the Chargers offensive line, it would go a long way toward helping the Steelers secure a win.
"T.J. might be getting a little bit more attention. To me, I would give (Watt and Highsmith) both attention if I was trying to play us," Butler said. "I really like the way Alex has been playing. I think T.J. speaks for himself. Cam does a good job for us. And the rest of our guys have got to come along. Our young guys have got to come along."
THE HISTORY LESSON
In 1985, the Steelers headed to San Diego to face the Chargers at 6-7 and with their playoff hopes on life support. The outcome didn't make them all that happy.
The Chargers blocked a punt on the Steelers' first offensive series and Dan Fouts threw a pair of first quarter touchdown passes and Tim Spencer had a 12-yard touchdown run as the Chargers sprinted out to a 21-7 lead after 15 minutes. The lone score by the Steelers coming on a 15-yard touchdown catch by Walter Abercrombie from David Woodley.
Things wouldn't get much better in the second quarter, as the Steelers closed the lead to 21-17 on a touchdown reception by Louis Lipps and a Gary Anderson field goal, only to have the Chargers answer with a 75-yard pass from Fouts to Wes Chandler and a 3-yard Buford McGee touchdown run.
The Steelers cut the Chargers' lead to 34-20 on a second Anderson field goal right before the half, but the scoring wasn't anywhere near complete.
Woodley scored on a 1-yard run, then tossed a second touchdown pass to Abercrombie to tie the game at 34-34, but the defense again let the Steelers down, allowing McGee to score a second rushing touchdown as the Chargers took a 41-34 lead into the fourth quarter.
Lipps tied the game with a 15-yard touchdown run, and Anderson booted a 26-yard field goal as the Chargers defense got a critical stop inside its own 10, giving the Steelers their first lead at 44-41.
But running back Gary Anderson (no relation) put the Chargers ahead, 47-44 on a 2-yard run and the Chargers staved off a final rally attempt by the Steelers as Jeffery Dale picked off Woodley and returned the interception 47 yards for a touchdown and a 54-44 San Diego victory. The Chargers finished the game at the Pittsburgh 1 after another Woodley interception.
The 54 points were the most allowed by the Steelers in the Chuck Noll era.
"It was a great defensive game,” Noll said. “If you believe that, you’ll believe anything."
Fouts was 21 of 33 for 372 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions as the Chargers won despite holding the ball for just over 24 minutes in the game.
Chandler had five catches for 154 yards and two touchdowns, while Charlie Joiner had six receptions for 110 yards.
Woodley was 24 of 35 for 287 yards and three touchdowns but also threw two interceptions. The Steelers, who rushed for 152 yards, also lost two fumbles, losing the turnover battle 4-3.
John Swain had two of the three interceptions for the Steelers, who fell to 6-8 and finished the season 7-9, one game behind the 8-8 Browns in the AFC Central standings.
GETTY
Najee Harris works a stiff-arm on the Bears' Roquan Smith in their meeting earlier this season at Heinz Field.
THE MAIN MATCHUP
Najee Harris now ranks sixth in the NFL with 646 rushing yards, an average of 71.8 yards per game. But over his last five games, Harris has averaged 92.2 yards per game on the ground.
And he's coming off his second career 100-yard game after posting 105 yards on 26 carries in a disappointing 16-16 tie against the Lions last week.
Enter the Chargers, who could be playing this game without a number of defensive linemen, including star Bosa, because of injuries and players on the COVID-19 List. Nose tackle Linval Joseph is doubtful to play, while Tillery, who starts next to Joseph, is on the COVID List along with top reserve defensive tackle Covington.
With those guys, the Chargers rank 32nd in the league stopping the run, allowing 155.1 rushing yards per game -- nearly 20 more than the next closest team -- and 4.8 yards per attempt. Without them?
Well, let's just say the Chargers are very focused on what they're going to have to do to slow Harris.
"They really hit on this back. He's a really complete back," Staley said. "He's smooth, he can see, he can run with power, he can catch the football out of the backfield. He has a physical presence, so he's willing in pass protection. He's definitely a strength of their football team. He is one of these young runners that's making a name for himself in the league. I definitely think they've done an outstanding job of bringing him along. He certainly has a great pedigree, coming from Alabama. He's an outstanding young player."
And the Chargers don't have to wonder if Harris will get the ball, regardless of who lines up at quarterback for the Steelers.
Over the past five games, Harris has averaged 24.2 carries per game and 3.6 receptions. His 220 touches rank second in the NFL behind the Titans' Derrick Henry. But Henry is likely out for the rest of the season, so there's a good chance Harris leaves this game leading the NFL in total touches.
The Chargers did "limit" Minnesota's Dalvin Cook to 94 yards on 24 carries in a 27-20 loss to the Vikings last week by playing more eight-man boxes. But that also opened things up in the passing game.
Kirk Cousins threw for 294 yards and a pair of touchdowns, with Justin Jefferson catching nine passes for 143 yards on just 11 targets with the Chargers focused so closely on stopping Cook.
Can the Steelers do something similar if the Chargers take that approach with them? Perhaps, especially with Roethlisberger back.
But they might look back to that game with Hodges, when they ran the ball 36 times and threw it 20 times as a blueprint. James Conner had 16 carries for 41 yards and a touchdown, but also caught seven passes for 78 yards and a score. Backup Benny Snell, who is now Harris' backup, had 17 carries for 75 yards.
The Steelers haven't used Snell as much this season -- he has just 11 carries all season -- and Harris' receptions have tailed off since the early part of the season, but this could be a game they put in the hands of their running backs.
"These past couple of games I haven't been getting the ball (on receptions)," Harris siad. "That's a good thing. They're not throwing it to the checkdown. Maybe they're airing it out. It's not like it's plays built for me to get the ball. I was a checkdown route.
"But if the ball comes to me, I make the best out of it I can."
THE TEN DATA POINTS
• Herbert has thrown for 300 or more yards four times this season, but has only done it once in the past four games. The Chargers are 3-1 when he throws for 300 or more yards, 2-3 when he does not.
• The Chargers allow 25.3 points per game, the Steelers 20.6. Conversely, the Chargers average 24.3 points per game and the Steelers 19.7. They are two of just three teams -- the Raiders are the other -- who have a winning record but a negative point differential.
• The Chargers are allowing 206 passing yards per game, but opponents have attempted just 274 pass attempts against them, second fewest in the NFL behind Detroit.
• Referee Carl Cheffers' crew will work this game. They are tied for the league lead in penalties called with 137 in nine games. Holding penalties (30) and defensive pass interference (15) are their top two calls. The Steelers are the league's only team that has not had a defensive pass interference call against them this season.
• Detroit's Ryan Santoso missed a PAT and a 48-yard field goal in overtime last week against the Steelers, marking the second consecutive week they had an opponent miss at least one kick. Prior to Week 8, the Steelers were the only team in the league not to have a kick missed against them. The Chargers have missed an NFL-worst six PATs this season and are the only team in the NFL to not have attempted a field goal of 50 or more yards.
• The Steelers are converting 40.2 percent of third downs, good for 15th in the NFL. The Chargers are 7th at 43.9 percent. Los Angeles also is 11-17 on fourth-down conversions, a 64.7 percent rate that is 6th-best in the NFL. The Steelers are 4-11 on fourth down, a 36.4 percent rate that is 26th in the league.
• The Chargers have had just 91 offensive possessions this season, which ranks 31st in the NFL. The Steelers are tied for 15th with 101. That's because the Los Angeles defense can't get off the field. Opponents are converting 45.9 percent of their third downs against the Chargers, which is 30th in the NFL. The Steelers allow a conversion rate of 34.5 percent, seventh-best in the league.
• Heyward enters this game with 62.5 career sacks, a half-sack ahead of Watt for fifth on the team's all-time list.
• Roethlisberger has a winning record against every AFC team except the Patriots (4-7) and Raiders (2-6). He's 3-3 in career starts against the Chargers with 8 touchdown passes, 4 interceptions and a 93.7 passer rating in those games.
• The Steelers are 16-15 in their history in Sunday night road games. Their 16 wins are one behind the Cowboys for the most in NFL history in Sunday night games. Their winning percentage of .516 is third-best behind the Colts (.538) and Packers (.536).
THE FANTASY CORNER
My lineup posted 110.40 points last week, with Russell Wilson letting me down in a big way. Mark Ingram was a hit, but not enough to get me into the money. As I did last year, I'm going to build a fantasy lineup using Draft Kings and a $50,000 salary cap.
Quarterback: Dak Prescott, Cowboys ($7,200) -- Prescott had his hiccup two weeks ago against the Broncos. This should be a shootout against the Chiefs and he'll have plenty of success.
Running back: James Conner, Cardinals ($6,100), A.J. Dillon, Packers ($6,200) -- Conner should have some success running against the Seahawks, especially with Kyler Murray back. Dillon will easily get 20 touches this week for the Packers against the Vikings and should post at least 80 yards and a touchdown.
Wide receiver: Brandin Cooks, Texans ($6,000), Jamal Agnew, Jaguars, ($4,700), Hunter Renfrow, Raiders, ($5,800) -- I'm playing some cheap options at wide receiver. Cooks has averaged 8 receptions for 101 yards and a touchdown in three career games against the Titans. Agnew has at least five targets in each of the past five games. And he had three carries for 79 yards and a score, as well, last week. Renfrow in the go-to receiver on third downs for the Raiders.
Tight end: Travis Kelce, Chiefs ($7,100) -- I'm paying up for the big guy in what should be a shootout against the Cowboys.
Flex: Pat Freiermuth, Steelers ($4,200) -- Yes I'm starting two tight ends. The Chargers have allowed seven touchdown passes to opposing tight ends this season. Freiermuth is a good bet to score.
Defense: Panthers ($2,700) -- The Panthers defense can be nasty. And Washington's offense is a little fluky with Taylor Heinicke running the show.
