The Pittsburgh Steelers lost to the Los Angeles Chargers 25-10 in a game where their offense struggled significantly.
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers had a poor performance, throwing two interceptions and recording a season-low passer rating.
The Steelers’ offense was held to 221 total yards and converted only two of eleven third downs.
INGLEWOOD, CA — A direct Mike Tomlin accurately summarized the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Week 10 performance during his postgame press conference.
“We stunk it up tonight,” Tomlin said. “We’ll be back.”
The Steelers had a large contingent of fans as black and yellow filled SoFi Stadium. Yet, Steelers fans witnessed a Pittsburgh team that left its offense back in western Pennsylvania.
The Los Angeles Chargers (7-3) trounced the Steelers (5-4), 25-10, in a game that had Pittsburgh fans exiting the stadium midway through the fourth quarter.
Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers offense struggled mightily the entire contest. Rodgers had a few errant throws, he was intercepted twice — one came after a drop — and he was sacked three times. They had just three points and 85 total yards in the first half. The Steelers didn’t convert a third down until the fourth quarter. Pittsburgh had three turnovers, finished a pitiful 2-11 on third downs and were contained to 221 total yards in the loss.
“Our energy, and it starts with me, it wasn’t as great on offense. We were just kind of struggling a little bit,” Rodgers said. “We had so many three-and-outs. We hurt ourselves with a couple penalties and I didn’t play good at all. I have to play better.”
Props to Rodgers for conceding he didn’t play well — because he didn’t. He completed 16-of-31 passes for 161 yards, to go with a garbage time touchdown and two interceptions. It was Rodgers’ second worst passing yardage output of the year and his 50.6 passer rating was a season low.
Pittsburgh’s loss squandered all the momentum and good vibes from an upset victory over the Indianapolis Colts just a week ago.
“You’re not gonna win football games not converting on third down and losing the turnover battle,” Tomlin explained. “We were certainly loose with the ball in several instances and didn’t convert enough third downs, and so that’s the end result.”
What’s perhaps more concerning than the Steelers’ offensive no-show, is now the surging Baltimore Ravens (4-5) are only one game behind Pittsburgh in the loss column. The Steelers and Ravens meet in Week 14 and again in the regular-season finale in what’s shaping up to be a wide-open division. Even the current Joe Burrow-less Cincinnati Bengals (3-6) are still in the hunt for the AFC North title.
The Steelers came into Week 10 with the NFL’s 28th ranked offense, 30th ranked rushing attack and 21st in pass yards per contest. It’s a lethargic offense that doesn’t have a legitimate wide receiver threat outside DK Metcalf. An effective defensive plan for Metcalf and tight ends Pat Freiermuth and Jonnu Smith — they combined for seven catches and 72 yards Sunday night — will pretty much neutralize the Steelers on offense, as the Chargers demonstrated.
Pittsburgh has to figure out ways to be more versatile and explosive on offense in a hurry.
Though, it’s not time to panic in the Steel City. Aided by a 4-1 start, the Steelers are still first in the AFC North and have four division games remaining on the schedule.
“We have to bounce back. We have a division opponent next week, we’re 5-4 (and) we’re ahead by a game in the division,” Rodgers said. “We have to play better on offense for sure.”
The Steelers do control their own destiny. But Pittsburgh’s offensive woes and Sunday night’s performance opened the door wide open in the AFC North.
“Too much up and down and not enough Steelers football,” Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt said. “No excuse for it. We need to play better.”
Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.
