Tonight my beloved Pittsburgh Steelers take on the Bolts of San Diego. The game will be held in California at Qualcomm Stadium and broadcasted all over the nation on ESPN. When the schedule makers put this game as the Prime time match-up for Monday Night Football I assure you they were thinking that it would be an electrifying ball game between two amazing offenses. The down side to that is tonight will feature only one powerful offense. The San Diego Chargers offense is easily matched by a HEALTHY Pittsburgh Steelers offense. In honesty a HEALTHY Steelers offense is in the top 8 respectively. That is all before Big Ben came tumbling down.
The Chargers are going to be explosive tonight through the air and there is nothing the Steelers defense can do about it. It's a hard pill to swallow, but the Chargers should embarrass the Steelers tonight. San Diego gets Antonio Gates back from suspension and he might as well grab a lawn chair and some marshmallows because he will torch Pittsburgh all night long right down the middle. The Steelers allowed Gronk earlier this season to pop his tent in the middle of the field and camp there all game long, and I expect the same out of Gates this evening. Gates is getting a little seasoned in life but tonight he officially starts his 13th season in the NFL. He has a decorated pro resume that will get some more HOF padding this evening when Philip Rivers continues to throw the ball around. When the ball isn't going to Gates, Keenan Allen will be breaking long strides down the field.
Rivers easily throws for 350+ this evening and don't be surprised if its well over 400 yards. You can go ahead and bank on a 6 reception night and TD for Gates, and he may be held at the 80 yard mark but he should hit 100 yards. Keenan Allen goes for a TD as well tonight with 125 yards receiving. I don't see either running back for the Chargers going over 100 yards, but they won't have to in this offense.
The only hope the Steelers have tonight is if they can force Philip Rivers to make a couple mistakes. That is going to be hard to do since the Chargers offensive line is pretty solid, but it can be suspect at times mostly because Rivers will try and hold on to the ball as long as possible to still try and make a play. Hopefully the Steelers disrupt Rivers in the pocket and he can make a couple lame duck quackers and the Steelers can pick a few of them. While we're on this hopeful thinking, it sure would be nice to have a pick six.
All Mike Vick has to do is play the game with his head. He gave the Steelers a chance to win their last game, but instead Josh Scobee couldn't make a couple of kicks. (I told you so moment) They released Scobee and signed kicker Chris Boswell. I believe the Steelers need to open the playbook up a little bit and give Vick a chance. He just needs to make sure that he doesn't need to play the game to win it, he just needs to keep them in the game. Le'Veon Bell should be able to run all day and the Steelers should still try and work DaAngelo Williams into the mix. The Steelers offensive line has been playing exceptionally well so far this season but they may get a little roughed up tonight because the Chargers will be packing 8 in the box all game long. If the Chargers do what I think they will on the defensive side, look for Vick to throw a few long balls. There will be some screen passes to Antonio Brown because he is such an elusive player, but if Vick can get some deep throws to Markus Wheaton and the returning Martavis Bryant, the Steelers could have a chance.
I'm trying me best to be skeptical and say the Steelers could make a game out of it, possibly win it, but in reality I will be drowning my sorrows in left over chili and a few cold beverages.
