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Pittsburgh Steelers vs Los Angeles Chargers Prediction and Picks - November 9, 2025

By: Dean Whitaker Published 11/07/2025, 07:00 PM ET
Justin Herbert looks to lead the Chargers over the Steelers

It's Sunday Night Football, and we have a Pittsburgh Steelers vs Los Angeles Chargers prediction locked and loaded for you. The Steelers come in at 5-3 on the year, and they are off a 27-20 home win over the Colts. The Chargers enter this contest off a 27-20 road win over the Titans to move to 6-3 on the year. These teams met last year, and the Steelers won that game at home by a score of 20-10. Can the Chargers get revenge for that loss?  Read on to see our Steelers vs Chargers prediction.

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Steelers Win Hard-Fought Game Against The Colts

The Steelers come into this primetime matchup on the heels of a gritty 27-20 win over the Colts, a game where their defense finally looked like the unit fans expected back in September. T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith were relentless, combining for sacks and strip plays that completely rattled Daniel Jones. Pittsburgh forced six turnovers in all, turning three of them into touchdowns, and that opportunistic style was the difference. Aaron Rodgers didn’t need to light up the stat sheet—he threw for just over 200 yards with one touchdown—but he managed the game well and leaned on Pat Freiermuth in key spots. Jaylen Warren added two rushing scores, giving the offense just enough balance to complement the defense’s chaos.

Still, there are concerns. The Steelers’ offensive line struggled to open running lanes, finishing with only 38 rushing yards outside of Warren’s short-yardage punches. Injuries are also piling up, with guard Isaac Seumalo leaving the Colts game with a pectoral issue and cornerback Darius Slay dealing with a finger injury. Mike Tomlin has been forced to shuffle personnel in the secondary, and while Kyle Dugger’s debut helped stabilize things, the group remains thin. Against a quarterback like Justin Herbert, who thrives on exploiting mismatches, that’s a dangerous spot to be in.

What Pittsburgh does have going for it is momentum and a knack for rising in these underdog situations. At 5-3, they sit atop the AFC North, and this game feels like a measuring stick for whether they’re a legitimate contender or just surviving on turnovers. If Watt and Highsmith can collapse the pocket and force Herbert into hurried throws, the Steelers have a path to another upset. But if the defense can’t replicate that pressure, Rodgers and the offense will need to find more consistency than they’ve shown so far.

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Bolts Take Down Titans On The Road

The Chargers return home after a 27-20 win in Tennessee that was far more difficult than it should have been. Justin Herbert threw a pick-six on his second pass of the game and was sacked six times behind a battered offensive line that lost both Joe Alt and Bobby Hart to injuries. Despite that, Herbert steadied himself, finishing with 250 passing yards, two touchdowns, and a rushing score. His 99-yard drive in the fourth quarter—capped by a one-yard scramble into the end zone—was the defining moment, chewing up nine minutes of clock and sealing the win. It was the kind of drive that showed why Herbert remains one of the league’s most dangerous quarterbacks, even when everything around him is breaking down.

The offensive line, however, is a real problem. With Alt out for the season and Hart questionable, Jim Harbaugh is scrambling to patch together protection against one of the NFL’s fiercest pass rushes. That means quicker throws, more reliance on the run game, and creative use of weapons like Quentin Johnston, who caught his sixth touchdown of the year against Tennessee. Keenan Allen continues to be the steady chain-mover, while rookie Oronde Gadsden has carved out a role as a reliable possession target. The pieces are there, but keeping Herbert upright will dictate how effective they can be against Pittsburgh’s front.

Defensively, the Chargers have been better than advertised. They held Tennessee to just one third-down conversion and came up with a massive goal-line stand in the third quarter, stuffing Tony Pollard twice at the one-yard line. Odafe Oweh has emerged as a force off the edge, and the secondary has been opportunistic, ranking among the league’s best against the pass. Against Rodgers, who has been efficient but not explosive, the Chargers will look to tighten coverage and force Pittsburgh into long drives. At 6-3, Los Angeles is keeping pace in the AFC West, and a win here would not only solidify their playoff positioning but also send a message that they can handle adversity in the trenches.

Pittsburgh Steelers vs Los Angeles Chargers Pick

Steelers vs Chargers Spread Pick

  • LA Chargers -2.3 (2 Units)

The Chargers -2.5 feels like the right side because Justin Herbert has shown he can carry this offense even when the line is banged up, and Los Angeles’ defense has quietly been one of the better units in the league against the pass. Pittsburgh’s win over Indianapolis was fueled by turnovers, but asking them to replicate six takeaways against a quarterback of Herbert’s caliber is a tall order. With Keenan Allen, Quentin Johnston, and a balanced attack, the Chargers have the weapons to stretch the field and force the Steelers into uncomfortable spots. At home, with momentum in the AFC West race, laying the field goal looks justified.

There’s also a trend that backs the play: Pittsburgh is 4-9 ATS in its last 13 primetime games, a sign that the market often overvalues them under the lights. The Steelers’ offense has been inconsistent, relying more on defensive chaos than sustained drives, and that’s a tough formula against a Chargers team that can score quickly and protect leads. If Herbert avoids the early mistakes that plagued him in Tennessee, Los Angeles has the balance and defensive edge to cover the number and send Pittsburgh back to earth.

Steelers vs Chargers Over/Under Pick

Under 45 (2 Units)

The Under 45 has appeal because Pittsburgh’s offense has been inconsistent, leaning on turnovers rather than sustained drives, while the Chargers’ banged-up offensive line could slow Herbert just enough to keep scoring in check. Both defenses are capable of generating pressure and forcing mistakes, which often leads to stalled possessions instead of shootouts. Adding to that, the Steelers are just 1-5 to the Under in their last six matchups against the AFC West, a trend that suggests these cross-division games often tilt toward higher scoring, but with Los Angeles’ pass rush and Pittsburgh’s offensive struggles, this one sets up as a grind that stays below the number.

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