Austin Ekeler helps Chargers adjust with scoring frenzy versus Steelers

INGLEWOOD — Running backmost Austin Ekeler said this week that the Chargers needed to marque antagonistic adjustments to interruption retired of their violative funk.

The Chargers adjusted Sunday nighttime against the Pittsburgh Steelers by getting wide receiver Mike Williams progressive early, converting connected 3rd downs and backmost Justin Herbert extending plays with his legs.

The adjustments benefited Ekeler, who had 3 touchdowns successful the archetypal 3 quarters to springiness the Chargers a 24-10 vantage astatine SoFi Stadium.

The Chargers lone had 3 possessions successful the archetypal half, but they made them number with 2 touchdowns and a tract goal.

Ekeler caught his 21st vocation touchdown successful the 2nd 4th with a 10-yard reception and added his 22nd successful the 3rd 4th with a 17-yard catch. Ekeler recorded a 6-yard rushing touchdown successful the archetypal quarter.

The Chargers’ discourtesy entered Sunday with disappointing performances successful 3 of their anterior 4 games. They stalled against the Baltimore Ravens, New England Patriots and Minnesota Vikings due to the fact that of dropped passes, deficiency of yards aft interaction and struggled to prolong agelong drives.

Ekeler assisted connected the violative adjustments by making aggregate Steelers defenders miss connected his 2nd touchdown reception.

THIN DEFENSIVE LINE

Defensive tackle Linval Joseph was 1 of the Chargers’ 7 inactives Sunday nighttime versus the Steelers.

The interior of the Chargers’ antiaircraft enactment has struggled this season, but Joseph has done his portion arsenic a productive walk rusher and tally stopper.

Defensive tackles Jerry Tillery and Christian Covington were besides sidelined due to the fact that they’re connected the COVID-19 reserve list. Justin Jones was the lone starting antiaircraft tackle connected the tract for the Chargers against the Steelers.

CROWD ASSESSMENT

Many golden towels were waved astatine SoFi Stadium aft Steelers backmost Ben Roethlisberger recovered wide receiver Chase Claypool for a 37-yard completion successful the 2nd quarter.

The Steelers apt had much fans successful the stands, but determination was a bully premix of pulverization bluish jerseys successful enactment of the Chargers.

It wasn’t a lopsided divided similar the past clip the Steelers and Chargers faced each different successful Southern California. The Steelers defeated the Chargers successful 2019 astatine Dignity Health Sports Park successful Carson.

HERBERT’S MILESTONE

Herbert surpassed 7,000 vocation passing yards successful the 2nd quarter. He tied Hall-of-Fame backmost Kurt Warner arsenic the second-fastest subordinate to scope that milestone with 25 vocation games.

Chiefs backmost Patrick Mahomes was the fastest to scope 7,000 passing yards with 21 vocation games.

OTHER NOTES

Chargers adjunct violative enactment manager Shaun Sarrett wasn’t disposable to manager Sunday nighttime due to the fact that of a non-COVID illness.

Sarrett spent the past 9 seasons arsenic an adjunct manager for the Steelers, with the past 2 arsenic the violative enactment coach.