Steelers Now
Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh revealed on Monday that he does not expect rookie running back Omarion Hampton’s activation window to be opened until after the Week 12 bye. Hampton suffered an ankle injury in Week 5, and Week 10 against the Pittsburgh Steelers was the earliest he could have returned.
The Chargers’ running backs room has been hampered this season, as former Steelers running back Najee Harris suffered a season-ending Achilles injury in Week 3.
Hampton, the Chargers’ first-round pick in this past year’s draft, was off to a roaring start this season. In his first five games, he rushed for 314 yards on 66 carries (4.7 average) and one touchdown.
Without Harris and Hampton, Kimani Vidal has been the lead back for L.A. Vidal has rushed for 309 yards on 66 carries (4.7 average) and one touchdown in six games this season.
The Chargers will also be without standout left tackle Joe Alt on Sunday night against the Steelers. Alt suffered a season-ending ankle injury in Sunday’s win over the Tennessee Titans.
The Chargers have lost both their starting offensive tackles to season-ending injuries this season. Rashawn Slater suffered a torn patellar tendon injury to his left knee in early August.
The Steelers shut down Indianapolis Colts star running back Jonathan Taylor in Sunday’s 27-20 win. The NFL MVP candidate was limited to 45 yards on 14 carries (3.2 average).
“We had a good plan going into it but at the end of the day, the plan don’t work unless we go out there and execute it,” Steelers outside linebacker Alex Highsmith said on the defense shutting down Taylor. “Going out there and be physical, getting off blocks and making plays. We did that. We went out there and got off blocks and made tackles. That’s where it started.”
Steelers All-Pro outside linebacker T.J. Watt also said smashing the run was the No. 1 priority against Indianapolis.
“It started with smashing the run, first and foremost,” Watt said. “Making them one-dimensional. Pinning your ears back and going. Playing fast and playing physical football, playing simplified football. It allows (us) to make more plays.”
The Steelers will hope to do the same against the Chargers in Southern California on Sunday night. The Chargers rank 10th in rushing yards per game (124.0). Chargers’ head coach Jim Harbaugh has always had a run-first mentality.
Quarterback Justin Herbert is also dangerous on the ground, rushing for 305 yards on 46 carries and one touchdown. As a passer, Herbert has completed 67.7% of his passes for 2,577 yards with 18 touchdowns, eight interceptions, and a QB rating of 97.3.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Chargers Expected to Be Without Key Playmaker vs. Steelers
