Steelers vs. Chargers, Week 11: Predicting the winner of Steelers vs. Chargers

The 2021 regular season is upon us, and the Pittsburgh Steelers are preparing for the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 11. While the Steelers get ready for their latest road game of the season, it is time for the BTSC staff to put on their prognostication hats and guess the winner of the contest.

Who will get closest? We will be keeping tabs, so let’s get the picks. Check out the staff picks below, and even a pick from an enemy guest!

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Jeff Hartman

Big Ben is back, and that changes a lot for me with this prediction. I could see the Steelers struggling with Roethlisberger back in the lineup, history certainly indicates it could happen. But I think this team will be more than ready to step up their game on a prime time stage. This doesn’t mean things will be easy. In fact, I think it comes down to a Christopher Lynn Boswell game-winning field goal to get the job done. This is a statement win for the Steelers.

Pick: Steelers 23, Chargers 21

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Dave Schofield

There are so many factors in this game it is so difficult to predict. Ben Roethlisberger coming back to play is a big one, but not having T.J. Watt, Minkah Fitzpatrick, and Joe Haden is devastating. The Steelers are not the same defense without Watt, and the Steelers have lost their last five games in which Joe Haden did not play. It’s not that the Steelers can’t win this game, but they really need a lot of things to go their way, particularly the “splash” plays that Coach Tomlin often talks about. The problem is, you can’t always depend on splash in order to win. While the Steelers very well could win this game, there are more reasons why they could just as easily lose.

Pick: Chargers 31, Steelers 27

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Bryan Anthony Davis

I think the Men of Steel can win. In fact, I know they can. But there are so many obstacles and it doesn’t make me a bad fan to predict against them, just one that would rather be wrong.

Pick: Chargers 30, Steelers 24

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Michael Beck

This game scares me. Seemingly every factor is in the Chargers favor let alone Ben Roethlisberger’s historical struggles on the West Coast. I worry the Steelers are about to be routed for the first time in recent memory...

Pick: Chargers 34, Steelers 14

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K.T. Smith

A comment from one of our regular posters, the cleverly-named JoeBwankenobi, in an article that ran on the site this week:

I couldn’t agree more. It makes no sense, but after last week, what does?

Pick: Steelers 26, Chargers 24

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Geoffrey Benedict

The Steelers should lose this game. With the players that are available for both teams, they should lose. It’s going to be closer than it should be because of Mike Tomlin. What’s more Mike Tomlin than tying the 0-8 Lions then beating the Chargers.

Either way, I don’t even know who is going to be playing, let alone how well they will play. Let’s go Steelers.

Pick: Steelers 15, Chargers 13

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Rich Schofield (Big Bro Scho)

Big Ben is back! The problem is T.J. Watt and Minkah Fitzpatrick are out. Steelers have a lot of changing pieces for this game. Throw in the fact that they have to travel to the West Coast and the fact that these are no longer Philip Rivers Chargers, and I don't see the Steelers escaping with a victory.

Pick: Chargers 27, Steelers 24

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Shannon White

The Steelers offense should be able to put some points on the board with Ben Roethlisberger back behind center, and Najee Harris running against the worst rushing defense in the NFL statistically.

The far greater concern for the Steelers, going against Justin Herbert and the Chargers high octane offense, will be the fact that Joe Haden, Minkah Fitzpatrick, and T.J. Watt have all been ruled out for the game. The Steelers are a vastly different defense without these guys on the field, especially Watt.

The Steelers need a breakout game on the primetime stage from Alex Highsmith in order for their pass rush to be disruptive. Will he thrive, or wilt, under the pressure?

Pick: Steelers 23, Chargers 21

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Andrew Wilbar

Technically, my strategy of picking us to lose every week over the past month has not made us lose. However, since it did not deliver a win last week, I am ready to finally start picking the Steelers to win again. Joey Bosa is expected to play for Los Angeles, and while I could see the Steelers’ tackles struggling to block him on the edge, I like the chances of a Steelers team that is still ticked off after last week’s tie to the Lions. If Roethlisberger can connect with Chase Claypool early on downfield, this could be a breakout game for the offense.

Pick: Steelers 27, Chargers 21

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Matty Peverell

This game is all about the KISS principle, and not any from the band’s: favor the run, take the safe completions, don’t miss tackles and take the points when in 50-yards of the goal posts. The Steelers don’t have a great record on the West Coast but who can write-off Big Ben off at this point of his career, after the win in Week 1 on the road against the Bills, and even the fourth most improbable pass for the season so far. I just hope the Steelers’ Defense can finally get a pick, even a pick 6 or a safety! But this is all the eternal optimist fan in me, the realist says we lose by 10 by about the same margin as below.

Pick: Steelers 27, Chargers 23

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Mark Davison

The Pittsburgh Steelers drew even with the Detroit Lions last week. While the current record may look A little funny 5-3-1. The Steelers are still In the race for the AFC North division title and 5th seed As a wild card entry. How I watch and support the Steelers Is purely biased with An optimistic view. The injury report list seems to be growing longer by the day however I don’t care. Whoever wears the Black and Gold I believe the Steelers always have a chance to win. If the Pittsburgh Steelers for some reason had to input newly added Steeler James Morgan behind center. I would be the first person to cheer him on and yell let’s go Steelers. Half of the fun rooting for our Steelers Is the journey we partake with players and coaches. Here we go Steelers keen for A big win out west In Los Angeles.

Pick: Steelers 34, Chargers 29

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Anthony Defeo

I really want to believe that the Steelers, a team that is traveling to Los Angeles with a roster that couldn’t be more depleted, can do that thing they always do under Mike Tomlin—pull a game out that nobody thinks they can. But to quote comedian and Pittsburgh native Dennis Miller: I’m just not getting that vibe, babe. No T.J. Watt. No Joe Haden. No Minkah Fitzpatrick. As for Ben Roethlisberger and whether or not he plays, I just don’t think it’s going to make much of a difference either way. No chance.

Pick: Chargers 31, Steelers 7

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Michael Peterson (Bolts From the Blue Contributor)

I think this is a must-win game for the Chargers. Otherwise, the rose-colored glasses that fans have with Brandon Staley will begin to disappear. I’m going with 20-17 Chargers.

Pick: Chargers 20, Steelers 17

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What is your prediction? Let us know in the comment section below, and feel free to tell the contributors above why they are dead wrong, or spot on!