Chargers shut down Steelers for third straight win: Live updates and reaction from NFL ‘Sunday Night Football’ – The New York Times

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NFL Week 10
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The Los Angeles Chargers have routed the Pittsburgh Steelers 25-10 at SoFi Stadium on “Sunday Night Football.”
The Chargers defense was the star of the game, holding the Steelers offense to just 221 total yards. Los Angeles forced Pittsburgh into three turnovers and held Aaron Rodgers to 16 completions and a rating of 50.6. Khalil Mack also sacked Rodgers in the end zone for a safety.
The Chargers improved to 7-3 with their third straight win, just a game behind the AFC West-leading Denver Broncos.
The Steelers fell to 5-4 and now lead the AFC North by only one game over the Baltimore Ravens.
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The Steelers’ Jekyll and Hyde defense largely did its part through three quarters. They hurried quarterback Justin Herbert and limited the Chargers to 12 points through two quarters and 15 points through three quarters. In most games, that would have been enough to keep the Steelers competitive. However, the offense provided no support and the dam began to break in the fourth quarter.
After the Steelers’ failed red-zone trip, Herbert led the Chargers on a six-play, 90-yard drive to extend the lead to 22-3 with 9:26 remaining in the fourth quarter.
After Aaron Rodgers was intercepted on a ball that hit receiver Calvin Austin III in the hands, the defense stood tall on a short field to force a punt. However, punt returner Ke’Shawn Williams muffed it, giving the Chargers the ball at the 21-yard line. The defense held the Chargers to a field goal, but at that point they were mostly playing for pride.
Los Angeles Chargers receiver Ladd McConkey ended tonight’s game with four receptions for a team-high 107 receiving yards and one touchdown. McConkey praised Justin Herbert for making big plays.
💬: “Yeah he’s a stud. I just run and he just puts the ball on me.”
The Chargers needed this defensive performance because the offense struggled to handle the Pittsburgh defensive front. Justin Herbert was hit nine times, including five sacks. The Chargers had to battle for every inch on that side of the ball. In the end, it was enough for a win.
Receiver Ladd McConkey had a monster night, catching four passes for 107 yards. His red-zone touchdown in the second quarter built the Chargers a more comfortable lead. His 58-yard catch-and-run in the fourth quarter set up the Chargers only other touchdown in the game.
Herbert was under immense pressure all game long. The most important thing he did on the night was protect the ball. The Chargers did not turn the ball over. The Steelers defense forced five turnovers in their win over the Colts last week. It was not a banner night for the Chargers offensively. But they did not commit the catastrophic mistake. The defense did the rest.
In front of a prime-time audience, Aaron Rodgers played his worst game as a Steeler. He completed 16-of-31 passes for 161 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions.
His two costliest mistakes led directly to points. Late in the first quarter, the 41-year-old QB retreated into the end zone and was sacked by Khalil Mack for a safety. Then in the second quarter, Rodgers’ pass intended for DK Metcalf sailed high and was easily intercepted by safety RJ Mickens. The turnover gave the Chargers excellent field position at their own 38-yard line and led to the only touchdown of the first half.
Through 30 minutes, the Steelers possessed the ball seven times. They went three-and-out five times. The other two drives ended with an INT (on the second play of the drive) and a missed field goal. The Steelers were also 0-for-6 on third downs in the first half and accumulated only 85 yards of offense. Their best first-half drive — nine plays, 52 yards — ended with a rare missed field goal by Chris Boswell.
It didn’t get any better.
Late in the third quarter, with excellent field position after a missed field goal and a chance to climb back into the game, the Steelers drove to the 10-yard line thanks to a heavy dose of running back Jaylen Warren. However, the chance came and went without any points after Rodgers’ fade to Metcalf on fourth down fell incomplete.
On the Steelers’ next offensive series, things went from bad to worse when Rodgers’ pass hit Calvin Austin III in the hands and was intercepted.
The Chargers defense sputtered through a poor four-game stretch earlier this season. The unit was struggling to stop the run. The Chargers lacked physicality up front. They had miscommunications and breakdowns on the back end. It was a far cry from what Jesse Minter’s defense was in 2024.
After holding the Steelers to 10 points tonight, this much is evident: The Chargers defense is very back.
The Chargers have given up just 26 points in the past three games against the Minnesota Vikings, Tennessee Titans and Pittsburgh — all wins. Tonight, the Chargers held the Steelers to under 160 yards of total offense before garbage time. The Steelers went 0-for-9 on third down before garbage time. The Chargers dominated the line of scrimmage, run and pass. They held the Steelers to 73 rushing yards. They sacked Aaron Rodgers three times and created many more impactful pressures. Rodgers’ lack of mobility was on display as the Chargers were regularly in the backfield. The unit is clicking after an uneven first seven weeks of the season.
Khalil Mack got the crucial sack on Aaron Rodgers, resulting in a safety. He had three total tackles tonight.
Mack told the defense last night that the physicality needed to be at its peak. The Chargers defense showed up tonight.
💬: “It’s all 11 guys. It was a fun game.”
💬: “This had to be our most physical game of the year.”
Jaylen Warren was basically the lone bright spot for the Steelers offense tonight, rushing for 70 yards on 14 carries, including a highlight-worthy hurdle in the third quarter.
The 27-year-old also caught two passes for 21 yards.
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert praised Keenan Allen for breaking the franchise record for receptions.
💬: “He’s such a cool guy. Such a great receiver. Cool moment that we can do it in front of our fans.”
Herbert credited the defense for guiding L.A. to victory.
💬: “The defense played so well. They made the job so much easier for us.”
The Chargers entered this season with a plan to pair veteran Najee Harris and first-round pick Omarion Hampton together to carry their rushing attack. Then Harris tore his Achilles in Week 3, while Hampton is still working his way back from a Week 5 ankle injury.
That makes Kimani Vidal the lead back for Jim Harbaugh’s squad until Hampton returns, and the second-year player out of Troy delivered tonight. Vidal carried the ball a whopping 25 times into the teeth of the Steelers’ defense and racked up 95 yards doing so. A 3.8 yards per carry average won’t pop off the stat sheet, but it did keep Pittsburgh’s defense honest until it folded late in both the first and second halves.
What a moment for Keenan Allen. When Jim Harbaugh and Joe Hortiz traded him to the Bears after taking over in 2024, nobody could have envisioned this moment coming. Allen struggled in his lone season in Chicago and remained unsigned throughout this past offseason — until former teammate Mike Williams retired during training camp, opening a spot for Allen.
And he’s seized the moment in his return to Los Angeles, already over 500 receiving yards before tonight in addition to being a valuable veteran leader and trusted target for Justin Herbert once again. And he got his moment in the spotlight late in this one, setting the Chargers’ franchise receptions record — with the man he took the mantle from, former teammate Antonio Gates, watching in attendance.
Ladd McConkey’s injury history in college forced the two-time national champion at Georgia down the 2024 draft boards — and into the awaiting arms of Jim Harbaugh’s Chargers.
Since then, McConkey has developed into a legitimate No. 1 wide receiver for Justin Herbert in Los Angeles. In a game where no receiver was lighting it up, McConkey needed just four catches to pass the 100-yard receiving mark. As impressive as Justin Herbert’s throw was on their pivotal 58-yard connection in the fourth quarter, McConkey’s catch while being draped in coverage by Jalen Ramsey may have been even better.
It wasn’t Justin Herbert’s cleanest performance — playing behind the Chargers’ banged-up offensive line, the star quarterback was sacked five times and took nine QB hits. His average time to throw hovered just above two seconds, per NFL Next Gen Stats.
And yet, Herbert did more than enough to give his team a comfortable prime-time win against a fellow AFC playoff contender. The Chargers quarterback went 20-for-33 for 220 passing yards and a touchdown. His connection with Ladd McConkey proved especially key, especially on a beautiful 58-yard pass in the fourth quarter to set up a backbreaking touchdown drive.
It was very jarring to watch Aaron Rodgers, someone who’s mastered pocket presence as well as anyone over his two decades in the NFL, look so skittish in the pocket against the Chargers’ relentless pass rush. Los Angeles recorded three sacks and five QB hits against the future Hall of Famer. Rodgers went just 16-for-31 for 161 yards and two massive interceptions (though one bounced off the hands of Calvin Austin III). His only touchdown pass of the game came well into garbage time.
As the game wore on, it looked like he was forcing throws and contorting his body to evade Chargers defenders, resulting in some bad misses.
For much of this season, Rodgers has looked like his vintage self with the Steelers. Tonight, he looked like a 41-year-old with a surgically repaired Achilles tendon who lacks his old mobility.
As Mike DeFabo wrote before kickoff, tonight’s game would serve a a referendum as whether the Steelers were correct in not being more aggressive in trading for a wide receiver before the midseason deadline this past week.
In that light, tonight could not have gone worse for Pittsburgh.
DK Metcalf is still a Pro Bowl-caliber receiver, but only registered 35 yards on three catches. When facing young, talented secondaries like that of the Chargers, he’s been bottled up, and he was tonight — and nobody stepped up behind him. Roman Wilson matched Metcalf’s yardage total, but only thanks to a garbage-time touchdown catch. Calvin Austin III saw a pass bounce off his hands for an easy Chargers interception. Steelers tight ends combined for 52 receiving yards, the majority of which came from Pat Freiermuth.
Aaron Rodgers has shown this season (though certainly not tonight) that he still has some left in the tank. It’s on the Steelers for not maximizing him further.
Steelers fans, let it all out. This is a safe space.
Rick P: What a pathetic offense.
Jay B: If Rodgers is smart he will retire after the season. Why would you come back with this pathetic offense. Can’t win with 1 legit receiver.
Eric D: Just an embarrassing display by Rodgers and the Steelers.
Mark D: Steelers need a number two receiver and a number one receiver. Metcalf is not the answer.
Walter B: Steelers can’t take it when another team punches back.
Final – Chargers 25, Steelers 10
Kimani Vidal scampers for 6 yards on third-and-5, sealing the game for Los Angeles. Justin Herbert takes one knee and this one is over.
The Chargers have now won three games in a row.
Q4 2:00 – Chargers 25, Steelers 10
Keenan Allen now holds the record for the most receptions in Chargers history, passing Antonio Gates.
His teammates quickly ran over to celebrate with him as the clock ticked down to the two-minute warning.
Q4 2:57 – Chargers 25, Steelers 10
Chris Boswell's onside kick attempt rolls straight into the lap of Keenan Allen, who calmly fields it and takes a knee.
Q4 2:57 – Chargers 25, Steelers 10
Pittsburgh finds the end zone for the first time tonight.
Aaron Rodgers hits Roman Wilson on a slant, taking the pass 27 yards for a score. Chris Boswell's extra point is good.

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