Steelers stay perfect behind Rodgers’ brilliance and Metcalf’s heroics in Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES, CA - Under the Sunday night lights, the Pittsburgh Steelers stayed perfect with a 45-28 win over the Los Angeles Chargers, riding early takeaways, punishing red-zone efficiency, and just enough Aaron Rodgers magic to move to 9-0 on the season.

Fast start flips the script

Pittsburgh landed the opening punch and never looked back. Jaylen Warren powered in from a yard out, and moments later, Keanu Benton pounced on a loose ball that ricocheted on a sack-strip, taking it 23 yards to the house for a 14-0 surge before the first quarter hit its midpoint. "Coach always says start fast, finish stronger," Warren said. "When our defense scores, it changes the whole night."

The Chargers steadied themselves behind rookie back Omarion Hampton's 5-yard answer, but Rodgers closed the first with an 8-yard strike to Jonnu Smith to reassert control, 21-7. "That red-zone throw to Jonnu-just a leverage win," Rodgers said. "We knew where the help was and trusted the matchup."

Trading shots before halftime

Pittsburgh's ground game kept bleeding the clock-Warren bulled in again from the 2 early in the second quarter-yet Justin Herbert fired back, finishing a crisp two-minute march with a 3-yard TD to Quentin Johnston with :11 left in the half. Chris Boswell then drilled a 25-yard field goal at 0:00, sending the Steelers to the locker room up 31-21 in a track-meet tempo. "We couldn't get them behind the sticks," Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh said. "When they're on schedule, Rodgers is surgical."

Prime-time closing time

Los Angeles made its last real push when Herbert kept a zone-read for a 2-yard score to open the third, but Rodgers answered with a 13-yard rope to Pat Freiermuth. The dagger arrived in the fourth: a classic Rodgers moon-ball that DK Metcalf hauled in for a 50-yard touchdown down the right sideline. "Aaron put it where only I could go get it," Metcalf said. "That's trust, that's timing."

Numbers that told the story

Pittsburgh went 5-of-8 on third down and scored touchdowns on four of seven red-zone trips, while the defense generated a scoop-and-score and three sacks. The Chargers piled up yards (369 passing, 428 total offense) but were flagged five times for 97 yards and never found a takeaway. "Explosive plays and situational ball-those two things defined it," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. "Our guys answered in both."

What they said

Herbert: "We kept swinging. But spotting them a defensive touchdown early put us behind the eight ball. Credit to them for finishing drives." Warren: "Short yardage is will. The O-line moved bodies all night." Harbaugh: "Discipline hurt us-penalties at bad times. That's on me."

Up Next

The Steelers return home for a divisional showdown with the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 11. The Chargers head east to face the Jacksonville Jaguars.