Preview: San Diego Chargers at Pittsburgh Steelers

Last year, the Chargers had to lose 5-games before pulling their collective heads out of their rears and winning the rest of their games to win the division.  This year, they won their first game coming after their 5th loss.  Can they turn on the magic again to steam-roll through the rest of their schedule?

If you ask me, the answer is “Probably not.”  At least not after that way-to-tough game against the Kansas City Chiefs last week.  Against a team who is contending for the number-1 pick in next year’s draft, the Chargers looked way-to-average.  The Chief’s effectively eliminated the Chargers pass-rush, while the Chargers’ defense never seemed to make an adjustment.  It took a blown PAT to even give the Chargers a chance to win the game.

Against the leagues’ worst team against the run, the Chargers could gain only 92 yards rushing.  You can blame the coach, you can blame the offensive line, but either way it doesn’t give me a lot of confidence this week against a superior defense that happens to be ranked number-1 in the league.

The only thing that the Chargers have going for them is that they seem to play up or down to their competition.  Their two best games this season came against the top two teams in the AFC East (the Jets and Pats- sorry Sandie).  This Sunday’s game against the Steelers will be a fierce competition, and the Chargers know they have to play their best ball to win in Pittsburgh.  One interesting note:  the Steelers are only 2-2 at home this season.  Perhaps this is the game where the Chargers turn their sucky road-record (1-4) around.

Chargers on offense:  The Chargers have the NFL’s leading rusher for the last two years, a guy named LaDainian Tomlinson.  Maybe someone can introduce him to his offensive lineman, because they seem to have forgotten that they need to block someone to make him successful.  Many of this season’s woes can be blamed on the Chargers totally inconsistent running game.  In the last 2-games LT looked good when he had some space.  For the last 9-games, the Chargers run-blocking has been attrocious, providing LT with very little space.  When he consistently gets hit at or behind the line of scrimmage, it’s a not because of LT’s “diminishing skills,” it’s because his linemen suck.  If ever there was a game to attempt to get control of the line scrimmage once again and jam the ball down your opponents throat, this is the game.  Yes, I know, easier said than done.

Chargers on defense:  The Steelers offense has had a tough year.  They lost WIllie Parker for multiple games, Ben Rothlisburger has been playing through a bum shoulder… They just aren’t the offensive powerhouse that they were a year ago.  But given the Chargers’ knack for turning average QB’s (Tyler Thigpen, Chad Pennington) into Joe Montana, I guess anything can happen.  To protect Big Ben, expect more of what we’ve seen over the last 7 games:  short, quick passes to eliminate even the threat of a pass rush.  Hey, maybe the Bolts can stop giving their opponents a free 7-12 yards on every pass?

Prediction:  The Chargers have yet to do anything to make me think they will step up to stop the Steelers.  I do think they are good enough to do it, but you have to be more than good to win in this league.  You have to be mentally tough and determined, two traits in which the Bolts are lacking.  Steelers 26, Chargers 24