Pittsburgh
Steelers
0-0
48
FINAL
49
Los Angeles
Chargers
0-0
AI Recap
AI RECAPIn a thrilling season opener, the Los Angeles Chargers narrowly defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 49-48 in a high-scoring affair that set the tone for the 2028 season. Both teams showcased explosive offenses, but it was the Chargers who managed to hold off a late surge from the Steelers to secure the win.
Justin Herbert was the standout performer for Los Angeles, throwing for an impressive 367 yards and five touchdowns, demonstrating his elite passing prowess. Jonathan Taylor contributed significantly as well, racking up 96 receiving yards, showcasing his versatility and ability to make big plays in crucial moments. Meanwhile, Will Henderson led the Steelers on the ground with 115 rushing yards, keeping them competitive throughout the contest.
Defensively, the Steelers struggled to contain Herbert, but Daylen Everette stood out with six total tackles, attempting to anchor the defense. The game's turning point came late in the fourth quarter when the Chargers managed to stop a fourth-down attempt by Pittsburgh, allowing them to maintain their slim lead. In a game defined by offensive fireworks, it was that defensive stand that ultimately secured LA's victory.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | CMP% | YDS | TD | INT | QBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Justin Herbert | QB | 33 | 22 | 67% | 367 | 5 | 2 | 118.3 |
| Byrum Brown | QB | 16 | 10 | 63% | 188 | 1 | 1 | 97.9 |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | YAC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Will Henderson | HB | 18 | 115 | 6.4 | 24 | 4 | 22 | 0 |
| Jonathan Taylor | HB | 11 | 93 | 8.5 | 23 | 1 | 67 | 0 |
| Byrum Brown | QB | 1 | 8 | 8.0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| Justin Herbert | QB | 2 | 4 | 2.0 | — | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| Jonathon Brooks | HB | 1 | 2 | 2.0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Alec Pierce | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | YAC | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jonathan Taylor | HB | 6 | 96 | 16.0 | 69 | 0 | 39 | 0 |
| Ladd McConkey | WR | 4 | 86 | 21.5 | 14 | 2 | 30 | 1 |
| Alec Pierce | WR | 7 | 78 | 11.1 | 16 | 2 | 36 | 0 |
| Oronde Gadsden | TE | 3 | 58 | 19.3 | 20 | 0 | 34 | 0 |
| Bryan Billups | WR | 1 | 52 | 52.0 | 1 | 0 | 52 | 0 |
| Brenen Thompson | WR | 2 | 49 | 24.5 | 4 | 1 | 38 | 0 |
| Tyquan Thornton | WR | 1 | 43 | 43.0 | 36 | 0 | 43 | 0 |
| DK Metcalf | WR | 4 | 40 | 10.0 | 9 | 0 | 12 | 1 |
| Germie Bernard | WR | 2 | 29 | 14.5 | 2 | 1 | 22 | 0 |
| Will Henderson | HB | 2 | 24 | 12.0 | 16 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jaquan Brisker | SS | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylen Everette | CB | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Payton Wilson | WILL | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ify Obidegwu | CB | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Sean Murphy-Bunting | CB | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Tre Hawkins III | CB | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Nehemiah Pritchett | CB | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Zaire Franklin | MIKE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Donte Kent | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Chris Paul Jr | WILL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| R.J. Mickens | FS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Daiyan Henley | WILL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Miles Battle | SS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Genesis Smith | SS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| T.J. Watt | LEDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Akheem Mesidor | REDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Damone Clark | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Myles Purchase | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jack Sawyer | REDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Manny Leach | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Keon Sabb | FS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Donte Jackson | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cameron Dicker | K | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Chris Boswell | K | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |

