The Los Angeles Chargers are off to their first 2-0 start in over a decade and while that has sent a jolt of positivity through the fanbase, it is being met with much skepticism by fans around the league.
Why? Because their two wins, convincing as they were, came against the Las Vegas Raiders and Carolina Panthers.
But the team gets its first big test of the season this Sunday when they travel to Pittsburgh to face the also 2-0 Steelers. That game will likely be a dogfight between teams who grind opponents out on defense and know how to win ugly.
So who gets to 3-0? Let's check in with some of the experts out there and get their opinions.
NFL picks, predictions Week 3: Chargers vs. Steelers
Bill Bender, The Sporting News: Chargers 20, Steelers 19
Bender: "This is arguably the best matchup of the week, and two former Ohio State players hold the keys to the matchup. Can Chargers running back JK Dobbins get rolling against a Pittsburgh defense that allows 76.5 yards per game? Justin Fields can build off his past two turnover-free starts. Harbaugh and the Chargers take advantage of the opportunity and improve to 3-0."
Vinnie Iyer, The Sporting News: Chargers 20, Steelers 17
Iyer: "The Chargers have become a tough road team already with Jim Harbaugh. Their offensive line is acing things in run blocking and keeping a banged-up Justin Herbert clean. That is key against the Steelers' pass rush, and the Steelers' run defense will be attacked enough. Herbert will protect the ball and himself better than Justin Fields as the Chargers keep up their momentum toward at least an AFC wild-card berth."
John Breech, CBS: Chargers 17, Steelers 13
Breech: "Out of all the games in Week 3, this one intrigues me the most, and that's mostly because I still have no idea what to make of either team. The thing about the Steelers is that I'm still not exactly sure how good they are this year. Yes. they're 2-0, but they have one of the worst offenses in the NFL and the two teams they've beaten have combined to win exactly zero games so far this year.
On the other hand, you have the Chargers, who have gone full Jim Harbaugh (You should never go full Jim Harbaugh). Before the season started, the Chargers decided they were going to rip up last year's playbook and implement a new playbook that would call for more running and less Justin Herbert.
Usually, when you have one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL, you don't design an offense that calls for him to be used less, but the Chargers have done exactly that, and IT'S ACTUALLY WORKING. The Chargers rushing attack has carried them to a 2-0 record.
There are only five teams in the NFL that are averaging less than 135 passing yards per game through two weeks and both of these teams are on that list. We might only see eight passes thrown in this entire game by both teams combined."
Iain MacMillan, Sports Illustrated: Chargers
MacMillan: "
The Chargers are coming in as my upset pick of the week. The Steelers continue to baffle me as year after year they win games they don't deserve to win. Despite being 2-0, the Steelers have a Net Yards per Play of -0.7, which ranks 24th in the NFL.
Good coaching and an average turnover margin per game of +2.5 has led them to their current record, but now they take on a team that has also been strongly coached through the first two weeks of the season in Los Angeles.
The Steelers simply can't continue to win games scoring just 15.5 points per game. Justin Herbert and company will be able to do enough to get the win in Pittsburgh on Sunday."
MORE CHARGERS CONTENT
Chargers surge in power rankings, nearing top 5
Checking in with the last time the Chargers were 2-0
Chargers Week 2 winners and losers
Local News
Comments / 0