Los Angeles
Chargers
5-5
21
FINAL
42
Pittsburgh
Steelers
6-3
AI Recap
AI RECAPIn a thrilling Wildcard Round matchup, the Pittsburgh Steelers triumphed over the Los Angeles Chargers with a final score of 42-21, advancing deeper into the playoffs. The stakes were high as both teams vied for a chance to continue their postseason run, but it was the Steelers who emerged victorious on their home turf.
Steelers quarterback Drake Maye delivered a standout performance, throwing for 382 yards and three touchdowns, showcasing his precision and poise under pressure. He connected particularly well with Caleb Douglas, who racked up an impressive 229 receiving yards, making several key catches that swung momentum in Pittsburgh's favor. Meanwhile, Travis Etienne Jr. added a strong ground game, rushing for 108 yards and contributing to the offensive onslaught.
Defensively, the Steelers played a crucial role in sealing their victory, limiting the Chargers' offensive opportunities and applying consistent pressure. Nick Bolton led the charge with four total tackles, while Jer'Zhan Newton made his presence felt with a sack. The game's turning point came in the second quarter when Maye threw a pivotal touchdown pass, pushing the Steelers ahead and forcing the Chargers to play catch-up for the remainder of the contest.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | YDS | TD | INT | RTG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drake Maye | QB | 23 | 15 | 382 | 3 | 4 | 108.5 |
| Bo Nix | QB | 28 | 16 | 210 | 1 | 2 | 63.0 |
| Calvin Austin | WR | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Travis Etienne Jr | HB | 8 | 108 | 13.5 | 2 | 48 | 0 |
| Zach Charbonnet | HB | 8 | 34 | 4.3 | 0 | 24 | 0 |
| Bhayshul Tuten | HB | 9 | 31 | 3.4 | 0 | 11 | 1 |
| Khalil Shakir | WR | 1 | 31 | 31.0 | 1 | 31 | 0 |
| Bo Nix | QB | 1 | 7 | 7.0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Jadarian Price | HB | 2 | 4 | 2.0 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Marvin Harrison Jr | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Caleb Douglas | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Drake Maye | QB | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dallas Goedert | TE | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| James Conner | HB | 1 | -2 | -2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caleb Douglas | WR | 8 | 229 | 28.6 | 1 | 64 | 0 |
| A.J. Brown | WR | 3 | 104 | 34.7 | 1 | 69 | 0 |
| Calvin Austin | WR | 3 | 69 | 23.0 | 0 | 31 | 0 |
| Khalil Shakir | WR | 2 | 49 | 24.5 | 0 | 34 | 0 |
| Kyle Williams | WR | 3 | 38 | 12.7 | 1 | 30 | 0 |
| Dallas Goedert | TE | 2 | 29 | 14.5 | 0 | 18 | 0 |
| Zach Charbonnet | HB | 3 | 28 | 9.3 | 1 | 12 | 0 |
| Marvin Harrison Jr | WR | 2 | 25 | 12.5 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| Bhayshul Tuten | HB | 4 | 12 | 3.0 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| Travis Etienne Jr | HB | 1 | 11 | 11.0 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| Cade Stover | TE | 1 | 8 | 8.0 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| T.J. Hockenson | TE | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nick Bolton | MIKE | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jevon Holland | FS | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Keionte Scott | CB | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Brian Burns | REDG | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Patrick Queen | MIKE | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jer'Zhan Newton | DT | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Josiah Trotter | MIKE | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| T.J. Edwards | WILL | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Daron Payne | DT | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Jonathon Cooper | LEDG | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nick Emmanwori | SS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Mykel Williams | REDG | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Amani Hooker | SS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Garrett Williams | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jaycee Horn | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Javon Bullard | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jordan Howden | FS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jakobe Thomas | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nick Bosa | LEDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jaylon Johnson | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bryan Cook | FS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Shavon Revel Jr | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Deommodore Lenoir | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jay Ward | FS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kaden Elliss | WILL | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wil Lutz | K | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Harrison Mevis | K | 0 | 4 | 3 | 0 |

