Steel Unbeaten

The Steelers finally had their home opener after two consecutive games on the road to open the 2024 season.

They celebrated it in grand fashion, putting out a strong showing offensively and defensively against the previously unbeaten Los Angeles Chargers.

Justin Fields threw a 55-yard touchdown pass to Calvin Austin III and also ran for a touchdown himself, as the Steelers stayed unbeaten at 3-0 with a 20-10 victory Sunday over the Chargers at Acrisure Stadium.

Fields, subbing for an injured Russell Wilson for the third consecutive game, had his most productive day of the season, throwing for 245 yards.

The Steelers defense, meanwhile, limited the Los Angeles offense, which entered the game averaging 197.5 rushing yards over the first two weeks of the season to just 61 yards on 20 carries, putting the entire game in the hands of quarterback Justin Herbert.

The Steelers finished the second half allowing negative-5 total yards for the Chargers (2-1), becoming the first team in 20 years to allow fewer than 10 points and 300 total yards in each of their first three games.

“You know, we talked about it all week. We knew we were in for a fight. Styles make fights,” said Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. “They’re assembled like we’re assembled, we so knew it was going to be a great game. They’re playing great defense. We’re playing great defense. We had to challenge our defense to out-perform theirs. I thought they did.”

Herbert had been a game-time decision because of an ankle injury, but started and threw a touchdown pass before exiting in the fourth quarter after aggravating the injury while being sacked.

After both teams went three-and-out on their first two possessions, the Chargers got things rolling on their third possession, going 59 yards on five plays to score on a 27-yard touchdown pass by Herbert to Quentin Johnston on a blown coverage to take a 7-0 lead late in the first quarter.

The Steelers immediately answered, however, marching 70 yards to score on a 5-yard quarterback keeper by Fields to tie the score at 7-7.

The Chargers mounted a long field goal drive to take a 10-7 lead, stalling at the Pittsburgh 10 before Cameron Dicker booted a 28-yard field goal.

The Steelers got the ball back at the end of the half and drove to midfield, but Chris Boswell’s 62-yard field goal attempt went wide right as Los Angeles took a 10-7 lead at the half.

The Steelers tied the game on the opening possession of the second half, moving the ball 50 yards before stalling out and settling for a 38-yard Boswell field goal that tied the game at 10-10.

The defense came up with a big stop on Los Angeles’ ensuing possession, as Nick Herbig – subbing for an injured Alex Highsmith, who left with a groin injury – sacked Herbert on second down, forcing a fumble. The Chargers recovered the loose ball, but at their own 7. And when Herbert’s third-down pass fell incomplete the Steelers got the ball back at the Los Angeles 41.

But on the first play from scrimmage, Fields’ pass to Cordarrelle Patterson was batted into the air where it was intercepted by former Steelers outside linebacker Bud Dupree at the 34 for the game’s first turnover.

Elandon Roberts sacked Herbert on first down to push the Chargers back, and after a three-and-out, the Steelers got the ball back at their own 15.

The Steelers marched downfield with the help of three Los Angeles penalties – including personal fouls on safety Derwin James and Khalil Mack – to set up a 30-yard field goal by Boswell for a 13-10 lead with 14:14 remaining in the game.

“(We) played great for a long time. Played great on offense for a long time. Played great on defense for a long time,” said Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh. “And then the drive with the three penalties, even that drive, they were able to hold to a field goal, 45 yards of penalties.”

Herbert and left tackle Rashawn Slater were both injured on the previous drive, Herbert aggravating an ankle injury that had forced him out of practice all week, Slater with a pectoral muscle injury. That forced backup Taylor Heinicke into the game for Los Angeles.

The Chargers moved the ball out to midfield, but T.J. Watt picked up a third-down sack, ending the threat and forcing Los Angeles to punt.

Taking over inside their own 20, the Steelers moved the ball out to midfield when Fields found Austin in the middle of the field by himself in the Chargers’ zone defense. Austin caught the ball, turned upfield and outraced safety Elijah Molden to the end zone to give the Steelers a 20-10 lead with 7:02 remaining in the game.

“They were just in the zone. Quartering, you’re really just high-lowing that hook defender,” said Fields. “The hook defender took (Pickens) underneath and Calvin was right behind him. Great play call.”

Herbig and Cam Heyward both recorded sacks on Los Angeles’ next possession, ending any chance the Chargers would have of a comeback.

The Steelers’ offense made that a moot point, running out the clock the rest of the way, with Najee Harris finishing things off with a run to the 1 at the two-minute warning.

The Steelers rushed for 114 yards, with Harris, despite a slow start, finishing with 70 yards on 18 carries.

“They just wanted to be the best defense on the field,” Tomlin said of his defense, which entered the game having allowed the second-fewest points (16) this season to Los Angeles (13).

“They respond to those things and take those challenges very personally, and they played like it.”