INGLEWOOD, Calif. -- Each week, our football staff at DK Pittsburgh Sports predicts the Steelers' game, and below are the picks for the game against the Chargers, Sunday, 8:20 p.m., at SoFi Stadium.
For a full preview, check my Kickoff.
Dale Lolley (5-4): This is clearly a circle-the-wagon game for the Steelers. And Mike Tomlin typically does his best work when the odds are stacked so clearly against his team -- particularly against franchises such as the Chargers. But there are just too many missing pieces to pick the Steelers here. Can they run their way to victory? Perhaps. But do they have enough on defense to stop the Chargers? Chargers, 24-20
Chris Carter (5-4): There are just too many injuries stacking up for the Steelers at the wrong parts of the roster. The team could probably afford losing one offensive lineman and maybe a cornerback, but no T.J. Watt, no Minkah Fitzpatrick, on top of no Joe Haden leaves a team that needs its defense to be elite to win, stretched too thin. They'll make it competitive, but fall late. Chargers, 23-17
Ramon Foster (5-4): I got the Chargers winning. History shows we haven’t done well on the West Coast. The defense will keep the game close, but I haven’t seen a lot from this offense as far as points scored. Chargers, 20-10
Tom Reed (4-5): Now that it'll be Ben Roethlisberger at quarterback, the Steelers have a decent shot. If it'd been Mason Rudolph, there wouldn't have been as much. Neither can replace T.J. Watt, however. Chargers, 24-20
Eddie Provident (6-3): Call me the eternal optimist, but I actually think Rudolph with a week to prepare can get the job done (barely). I see the Steelers leaning on the run game to control the clock and getting a late Chris Boswell field goal to win. Steelers, 24-23
Dejan Kovacevic (3-6): If I believed for a split-second that Matt Canada could/would scheme to attack the Chargers' shortcomings as a run defense, I'd give the Steelers a chance. Especially with Ben back and strictly because of Najee Harris. But I don't believe that, and I don't see another way around all these injuries and illnesses. Chargers, 26-13
Let's have your picks in the comments!
