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23-15 YTD
PITTSBURGH STEELERS @SAN DIEGO CHARGERS -3 & OVER 46.5
Pittsburgh (2-1) at San Diego (2-2) @ 9:00 PM EST.
The San Diego Chargers served notice of their strength by taking down one of the AFC's 2004 Championship Game participants last week. On Monday night within the electric atmosphere of Qualcomm Stadium, the Bolts will have a chance to whip up on the other one.
The Pittsburgh Steelers will be the primetime opponent for a San Diego team that went to New England in Week 4 and ended the Patriots' 21-game home- winning streak in impressive 41-17 fashion. Marty Schottenheimer's club, which left itself open to "fluke" discussion after opening the season 0-2, has righted its ship by scoring a total of 86 points in back-to-back wins over the Giants and Pats.
The Steelers, meanwhile, have had 15 days to lick their wounds since a 23-20 home loss to that very same New England team in Week 3. Bill Cowher and company, who opened the year with dominating performances against Tennessee (34-7) and Houston (27-7), will be looking to gain on division-leading Cincinnati in the AFC North.
SERIES HISTORY:
Pittsburgh has an 18-5 edge in its all-time regular season series with San Diego, including four straight victories since a 37-34 Chargers' home win over the Steelers in 1994. The Steelers were 40-24 home winners when the clubs last met, in 2003, and also emerged with a 34-21 triumph in their last trip to San Diego, in 2000.
In addition to the regular season series, the teams have met twice in the postseason, with San Diego taking both contests. The Bolts were 31-28 road winners in a 1982 AFC First-Round Playoff and stunned the Steelers, 17-13, on the road in the 1994 AFC Championship.
Cowher is 6-2 all-time against San Diego, including the aforementioned 1994 playoff loss. San Diego's Schottenheimer is 9-7 in his career against the Steelers, including an 0-1 record while with the Chargers (2002-05), a 2-4 mark as head coach in Kansas City (1989-98), and 7-2 while at the helm of the Browns (1984-88). Schottenheimer is 2-4 against Cowher all-time, including a win for his Chiefs against the Steelers in a 1993 AFC First-Round Playoff.
OVERALL ANALYSIS:
Normally, you would have to worry about how the Chargers would follow an impressive win on the road against the defending Super Bowl champs. Luckily for San Diego, the Bolts should have little trouble summoning the necessary emotion in a Monday night game played before a raucous home crowd. With the Steelers banged up a bit at linebacker, Tomlinson and Gates should be able to find their usual holes, and San Diego should be able to move the chains effectively. Roethlisberger should be able to thrive as well, and the Pittsburgh running game will also make its gains, but Ward's shaky injury status could deprive the team of one of its top weapons. That will make a difference in the endgame, as the Chargers are able to make one more big play down the stretch than the Steelers.
Chargers by a TD
27-20
PITTSBURGH STEELERS @SAN DIEGO CHARGERS -3 & OVER 46.5
Pittsburgh (2-1) at San Diego (2-2) @ 9:00 PM EST.
The San Diego Chargers served notice of their strength by taking down one of the AFC's 2004 Championship Game participants last week. On Monday night within the electric atmosphere of Qualcomm Stadium, the Bolts will have a chance to whip up on the other one.
The Pittsburgh Steelers will be the primetime opponent for a San Diego team that went to New England in Week 4 and ended the Patriots' 21-game home- winning streak in impressive 41-17 fashion. Marty Schottenheimer's club, which left itself open to "fluke" discussion after opening the season 0-2, has righted its ship by scoring a total of 86 points in back-to-back wins over the Giants and Pats.
The Steelers, meanwhile, have had 15 days to lick their wounds since a 23-20 home loss to that very same New England team in Week 3. Bill Cowher and company, who opened the year with dominating performances against Tennessee (34-7) and Houston (27-7), will be looking to gain on division-leading Cincinnati in the AFC North.
SERIES HISTORY:
Pittsburgh has an 18-5 edge in its all-time regular season series with San Diego, including four straight victories since a 37-34 Chargers' home win over the Steelers in 1994. The Steelers were 40-24 home winners when the clubs last met, in 2003, and also emerged with a 34-21 triumph in their last trip to San Diego, in 2000.
In addition to the regular season series, the teams have met twice in the postseason, with San Diego taking both contests. The Bolts were 31-28 road winners in a 1982 AFC First-Round Playoff and stunned the Steelers, 17-13, on the road in the 1994 AFC Championship.
Cowher is 6-2 all-time against San Diego, including the aforementioned 1994 playoff loss. San Diego's Schottenheimer is 9-7 in his career against the Steelers, including an 0-1 record while with the Chargers (2002-05), a 2-4 mark as head coach in Kansas City (1989-98), and 7-2 while at the helm of the Browns (1984-88). Schottenheimer is 2-4 against Cowher all-time, including a win for his Chiefs against the Steelers in a 1993 AFC First-Round Playoff.
OVERALL ANALYSIS:
Normally, you would have to worry about how the Chargers would follow an impressive win on the road against the defending Super Bowl champs. Luckily for San Diego, the Bolts should have little trouble summoning the necessary emotion in a Monday night game played before a raucous home crowd. With the Steelers banged up a bit at linebacker, Tomlinson and Gates should be able to find their usual holes, and San Diego should be able to move the chains effectively. Roethlisberger should be able to thrive as well, and the Pittsburgh running game will also make its gains, but Ward's shaky injury status could deprive the team of one of its top weapons. That will make a difference in the endgame, as the Chargers are able to make one more big play down the stretch than the Steelers.
Chargers by a TD
27-20
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