Game previews
A capsule look at this week’s games, with more on Sunday and Monday night showdowns.
TIME: Sunday, 8:15 p.m. ET OPENING LINE: Chargers by 5½ RECORD VS. SPREAD: Pittsburgh 2-2-1, Los Angeles 1-3-1 SERIES RECORD: Steelers lead 23-10 LAST MEETING: Chargers beat Steelers 33-30, Dec. 2, 2018 LAST WEEK: Steelers lost to Ravens 26-23, OT; Chargers lost to Broncos 20-13
STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES: Steelers coach Mike Tomlin 4-2 vs. Chargers. . Pittsburgh has dropped last three and eight of last nine it has played on West Coast, but 8-6 on road vs. Chargers. . Pittsburgh won last visit to Chargers with Michael Vick at QB. Steelers won on 1-yard TD run by Le’Veon Bell on final snap . ... Chargers coach Anthony Lynn 1-0 vs. Steelers. . Chargers erased 16-point halftime deficit vs. Steelers last year in rallying for win. .. Steelers are off to second 1-4 start since 1968 . ... Steelers to start rookie free agent QB Devlin Hodges. Hodges is all-time passing leader in Football Championship Subdivision at Samford (14,584 yards) . ... Game features one brotherly connection: Steelers LB T.J. Watt vs. Chargers FB Derek Watt . ... Chargers QB Philip Rivers did not direct TD drive last week for only ninth time in 224 starts . ... Chargers RB Austin Ekeler had career-high 15 catches last week. He leads AFC in receptions (39); first time since 1991 running back has led AFC in catches after five weeks . ... Chargers RB Melvin Gordon had 94 scrimmage yards (42 rushing, 52 receiving) last time he faced Pittsburgh (Oct. 12, 2015).