Steelers vs. Chargers: Latest News and Notes Ahead of Monday Night Football

Heading into the Pittsburgh Steelers vs. San Diego Chargers Week 5 match up on Monday Night Football, the key will be who has the more dynamic passing game.

And with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger out for the second straight week, the Steelers will not make that claim.

Otherwise, the teams are quite similar. Both enter this week at 2-2. Their seasons started off differently but are of the same pattern. The Steelers lost their first game, won the next two and then lost. The Chargers won their first game, lost the next two and then won.

Both teams are tied for 11th in points per game, and both are in the second third of total defense (Pittsburgh's ranked 13th, San Diego 16th).

They've both had lucrative results running the ball, but each struggles to stop the run on defense.

But the difference, like in most NFL games, is that one team (San Diego) has the better quarterback. That will give the Chargers the victory.

Team	Total Yards per Game	Rushing Y/G	Passing Y/G	Points per Game
Pittsburgh	359.8	111.8	268.5	24
San Diego	411	102	327.8	24

The big gap in the stats is the Chargers are an offensive machine through the first four weeks of the season. Their 411 yards per game are third in the league, and their 327.8 yards through the air is the major clue as to how they beat teams.

And, although the Chargers have only two rushing touchdowns this season, they can still effectively run the ball with a committee that includes Danny Woodhead and rookie Melvin Gordon.

It'll be tough for Pittsburgh to compete with those numbers. While Michael Vick proved he is still serviceable last week against the Baltimore Ravens, he lacks accuracy and turns the ball over. Pittsburgh's 268.5 passing yards per game are strictly a product of Roethlisberger, and without him, Pittsburgh will be mostly one-dimensional.

The same can be said of Pittsburgh's 24 points per game. The Steelers' 43-point explosion against San Francisco involved Big Ben. Take away that game, and the Steelers haven't scored over 21. Still, you could blame a bunch of Josh Scobee missed field goals for that. Scobee was recently cut by Pittsburgh and will be replaced by Chris Boswell.

On the other side, the Chargers have scored at least 27 twice.

Similarly, both teams have potential game-breakers coming off four-game suspensions, only the Steelers will still be without theirs. Martavis Bryant will miss the game due to a knee injury, according to Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Vick could have used Bryant's deep-threat ability. Against the Ravens, Vick completed 24 out of 32 passes but only threw for 162 yards, relying on short and intermediate throws. Bryant's abilities would have opened up the field for the run game and underneath routes, where the stars of the offense—running back Le'Veon Bell and wide receiver Antonio Brown—operate.

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Conversely, reigning AFC Player of the Week, Philip Rivers, gets back Antonio Gates, his most talented and accomplished receiving target. Gates comes into his first game of the year with 788 catches and 99 touchdowns for his career.

With Ladarius Green, a Gates-like athlete and Gates' future replacement, in the mix playing the other tight end spot, and with wide receiver Keenan Allen terrorizing defenses on the outside, the middle and the seams are prime areas for Gates to produce.

The edge between the offenses easily goes to San Diego. 

Defensively, both teams are even more similar:

Team	Opponent Total Yards	Opponent Rushing Y/G	Opponent Passing Y/G	Opponent Points per Game
Pittsburgh	346	113.3	251.5	18.8
San Diego	351.8	126.8	234.3	27.5

The advantage for the Steelers defense comes from its ability to give up yards but not points. They hold opponent points to a full two possessions fewer than the Chargers.

But since the departure of longtime defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau, the classic Steelers defense has gone. This team gives up the 14th-most passing yards, and facing a hot Rivers will be a bad matchup.

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The Steelers do have the best all-around running back in Le'Veon Bell, who should feast on a defense that gives up almost 130 yards per game. And with DeAngelo Williams spelling Bell, the Steelers will have a good game on the ground.

But that's not to say the Steelers boast a stingy run defense. They're ranked 19th, giving up 113.3 yards per game.

Because the Steelers defense gives up production on both sides of the ball, it will open both phases of offense for San Diego. And, if San Diego is able to run the ball as well as it throws, its offense will be nearly unstoppable. (Prediction: Melvin Gordon will get his first career rushing touchdown.)

Without Roethlisberger making the Steelers offense more dynamic in the passing game, the Chargers will win this game 28-20.