Pittsburgh Steelers vs Los Angeles Chargers Predictions, Odds, Picks

• Last week the Steelers earned the first tie game of the NFL season against the Lions
• The 5-4 Los Angeles Chargers are essentially fighting for their AFC West lives
• In the last four matchups between the Steelers and Chargers, the underdogs have won

Steelers vs Chargers Odds

Odds from BetMGM. Click on the links below to head to the sportsbook and place your bet.

Have a look at all the Week 11 NFL game predictions and picks against the spread.

Steelers vs Chargers Pick

Take the over in this one if Big Ben returns healthy to the lineup and take the Chargers to cover the spread if he doesn’t. -6.5 (-110)

Last week the Pittsburgh Steelers earned the NFL’s first tie game of the season against the winless Detroit Lions, yet another red flag for head coach Mike Tomlin’s team, and now this week quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and safety Minkah Fitzpatrick are on the Covid-19 list, so they will be game-time decisions if they pass protocol, not ideal for this must-win situation.

The 5-4 Los Angeles Chargers are essentially fighting for their AFC West lives and last week they took another loss, this time against the Minnesota Vikings, 20-27, but there is still hope for QB Justin Herbert and his Chargers since their division is one of the tightest in the league so a win here over the underdog Steelers is a critical necessity to keep their playoff hopes alive.

These two AFC rivals have faced each other 34 other times (including 3 postseason games), with the Los Angeles Chargers winning 10 of those games and the Pittsburgh Steelers winning 24 of the games.

Pittsburgh Steelers vs Los Angeles Chargers Predictions

Can the Steelers Win Without Ben Roethlisberger Under Center?

Last week without quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, the Steelers could not beat the winless Detroit Lions in a game where Pittsburgh’s third-year backup Mason Rudolph filled in and failed to lead his team to victory, instead of posting an embarrassing tie.

Now Roethlisberger is still on the Covid-19 list so if he does not pass protocol he will be out again and it will be up to Rudolph to beat the Chargers, his 5-4-1 career win-loss record not reassuring and his inability to lead the team to a win in the last two seasons downright scary.

Every NFL team has been forced into a next man up situation at some point this season, whether due to injury or Covid or poor off the field choices and the Steelers, who need a win here to stay alive in the AFC North, might have to rely on Rudolph to be the man to help earn it.

Can Chargers Improve Their Production on Both Sides of the Ball?

The Los Angeles Chargers are the 10th best team on offense so far this season and the 17th best team on defense and they’re ranked 15th overall in scoring after averaging just over 24 points per game, a young team with plenty of room for improvement in all categories.

Quarterback Justin Herbert’s offense averages 370 total yards per game, with 270 of that coming from his passing attack and 100 of it produced on the ground, with the defense allowing teams to gain over 360 total yards and score 25 points per game.

Both sides of the ball could use some improvement if the Chargers expect to compete in the tightly ranked AFC West, so this Week 11 home win becomes all the more important for this team just one game behind the Kansas City Chiefs.

Steelers Key Player: (RB) Najee Harris

One of the bright spots of the Steelers offense is former Alabama running back Najee Harris, the rookie who has taken the league by storm as both a ball carrier and receiver, a dual-threat out of the backfield who has saved his team on numerous occasions this season.

So far in 2021, Harris has carried the ball 176 times for 646 yards and 4 touchdowns with no fumbles while catching 44 balls off 56 targets for 317 more yards and another 2 touchdowns, numbers that look impressive for a veteran let alone a guy who became a rookie this season.

The 6’ 1” 232 pound Harris is not only tough to tackle, he has quickness and the ability to earn yards after the catch or first hit, so watch for Harris to be targeted early and often by whichever one of the Steelers’ quarterbacks end up starting.

Chargers Key Player: (TE) Jared Cook

Veteran tight end Jared Cook still has some football left in him, the 13-year NFL veteran now playing for the sixth team of his long pro career, now with almost 7,000 total receiving yards off 533 receptions and 43 touchdowns, Cook continues to be a valuable part of the offense.

This season with his new team the Chargers, Cook has been targeted 45 times and has caught 28 of those passes for 318 yards and 2 touchdowns while also providing some valuable blocking on the offensive line.

Cook’s best game of the season was in Week 4 in the Chargers’ win over the Las Vegas Raiders when he caught 6 balls for 70 yards and a touchdown, a sign that this 34-year old veteran can still play and contribute to help earn wins.

How to Watch Steelers vs Chargers