The matchups are great in this game for the Steelers who will likely try to keep more balanced on offense now that Rashard Mendenhall had stepped in the starting role at running back.  He’s a load to bring down and the Lions have not defensed the run too well this season as they are allowing 121.3 yards rushing per game and 5.2 yards per carry.  Rookie WR Mike Wallace had stepped up into the #3 WR role making the Steelers even more potent in the passing game with WRs Hines Ward, Santonio Holmes and TE Heath Miller all running routes.  Opposing QBs have a 118.8 Rating against the Lions who are allowing 240.3 yards passing per game.  The only hope the Lions have of slowing the Steelers down in this game is by blitzing early and often trying to bait Ben Roethlisberger into making some mistakes (he has 4 interceptions this season).

The consensus thought in this game is that the Lions will come out running the ball in a attempt to control the clock.  But, with Kevin Smith (234 rushing yards) only averaging 3.2 yards per carry the Lions might be better off throwing the ball downfield trying to make this game a shootout.  The problem with that is that Daunte Culpepper will likely be starting this game and he has had happy feet since injuring his knee while with the Vikings.  The Steelers will no doubt be double covering Calvin Johnson so it might be up to Bryant Johnson and Brandon Pettigrew to step up.  The Steelers are allowing 218.3 yards passing per game this season so it’s not a impossible task to throw the ball on them.

PREDICTION:  STEELERS 38, LIONS 10

2nd year RB Rashard Mendenhall had a breakout game against the Chargers last week as he rushed for 165 yards and he scored 2 TDs.  He started the game because Willie Parker has a bad case of turf toe.  If Mendenhall keeps playing like he is right now Willie Parker won’t get his starting gig back.  Parker’s contract runs out after this season and the Steelers will likely let him walk if Mendenhall stays healthy and keeps playing well.

 The Pittsburgh Steelers (2-2) finally had a big day on the ground as they beat the San Diego Chargers (2-2) at home Sunday night.  The Steelers built a big and early lead as they had 14 points in the first quarter and were up 21-0 at halftime.  Rashard Mendenhall had a great game for the Steelers, and even when the Chargers stacked the line Mendenhall was effective.  He finished the game with 165 yards and two touchdowns on 29 carries (5.7 avg).  Ben Roethlisberger was the other dominant force for the Steelers’ offense and had himself a great day through the air, finishing with 333 yards and two touchdowns on 26/33 pass attempts (79%).

The Steelers defense did a great job eliminating the Chargers running game and gave up only 16 rushing yards.  They did not look very good in the fourth quarter though, and let the Chargers back in the game.  If there were one more quarter to play, the Chargers probably would have won as Phillip Rivers figured out the Steelers defense late in the game.  Rivers threw three touchdowns, all in the final 17 minutes of the game.  He got the Chargers within one score of the Steelers, but the Steelers great running game was able to eat up the clock and Jeff Reed sealed the victory with a 43-yard field goal with less than a minute to play.  The Steelers need to continue this type of running game, but the defense needs to stop letting teams come back when they build a lead.  They are on the road next week taking on the Detroit Lions.

The Pittsburgh Steelers (1-2) have now lost two straight games and will not have an easy opponent when they host the San Diego Chargers (2-1) this week.  The two straight losses for the Steelers both came on the road, so hopefully for Steelers fans Heinz Field will put a spark into the defending champs.  The Chargers have a strong passing attack behind Phillip Rivers, but their running game has struggled so far this year with LaDainian Tomlinson battling injuries and Darron Sproles only averaging 2.4 yards per carry.  The Steelers’ running game is nothing to brag about either though, as they are only averaging 81 rushing yards per game.

This could be the game the Steelers running game breaks out though, as the Chargers are giving up 142 rushing yards per game.  Even though Willie Parker is most likely out with turf toe, Rashard Mendenhall could finally have a good game for the Steelers this year.  He has not gotten much of chance so far, as he has only seven carries this season for 45 yards (6.4 avg).  The Chargers have a good secondary though, so the Steelers need to make sure Mendenhall can get going on the ground.  Someone besides Ben Roethlisberger should get a red zone rushing touchdown, as Big Ben now has two in the past two games.

Big Ben has a very good completion percentage so far this season (72%) but he has only thrown three touchdowns in three games.  He has more interceptions (four) than touchdowns and has made some poor decisions at times.  Roethlisberger needs a good running game or he struggles.  Without a strong running attack leading the way, Roethlisberger is a mediocre quarterback and that has shown so far this season.  A strong running game and good defense is how the Steelers were successful last year and they need to try and bring that back.

With the Chargers weak run-defense I think the Steelers will be able to get back to their successful style of play.  LaDainian Tomlinson is back from injury and says he is 100%, but I don’t think he is full strength.  The Steelers should not have too much of a problem containing LT and Sproles, but Philip Rivers’ arm can make some big plays.  The Steelers need to contain the Chargers passing game.  This will be a good, hard fought football game and I think the Steelers will be able to win it late.

FINAL SCORE PREDICTION:  Steelers 28, Chargers 24

26-year old TE Heath Miller has the best hands on the Steelers without a doubt.  The 6’5″, 256 pound Miller is also a huge target for Ben Roethlisberger to try to hit.  But this season he has caught 16 passes for only 111 yards (6.9 avg).  In his four previous years with the Steelers he has played in 62 games and caught 168 passes for 1,932 yards (11.5 avg) with 21 TD grabs.  Instead of looking deep all the time (especially when he’s under pressure), Roethlisberger would be smart to find Miller on the short stuff as he is money in the bank.

The Steelers thought they had a steal in the draft last season when they took Limas Sweed (WR) out of Texas.  But, he only caught 6 passes for 64 yards (10.7 avg) as a rookie last season.  When Nate Washington decided to leave for the Titans as a free agent the Steelers felt that Sweed would step up and replace him as the #3 WR.  Boy has he failed them this season so far.  He has caught 1 whole pass for a whopping 5 yards.  He just can’t catch a football, period.  Lucky for the Steelers that they drafted Mike Wallace this season.  He has stepped up into the #3 WR role for the Steelers as he has caught 12 passes for 147 yards (12.3 avg) so far this year.  Sweed is so far down on the depth chart that I wouldn’t be surprised at all if he winds up with another team as early as next season.

Willie Parker has a nasty case of turf toe and it’s up in the air as to whether he will be ready to go against the Chargers on Sunday Night.  He has carried the ball 52 times for 159 yards (3.1 ypc) and he has caught 4 passes for 44 yards with a TD this season.  If Parker is too gimpy to play the Steelers would likely go with Mewelde Moore (8 car, 27 yards, 3.4 ypc) over Rashard Mendenhall (7 car, 45 yards, 6.4 ypc) who still doesn’t know a lot of plays in the playbook.  It’s really disappointing that Mendenhall is not smart enough to learn the plays because he has a ton of athletic talent.