Sunday Night Football: Steelers vs Chargers Same Game Parlay

Tonight’s Sunday Night Football showdown between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Los Angeles Chargers could be the turning point for both franchises. Both teams are on the edge of the playoffs, needing a win to maintain their respective advantages. The Chargers are 6-3, and a loss coupled with a Chiefs win could put LA on the outside looking in. Likewise, Pittsburgh is just barely hanging onto the AFC North lead, and they can’t afford to cede ground to the Ravens or Bengals. With that, we’re expecting both teams to be at their best in this intra-conference clash.

Check out what bets we’re including in our Same Game Parlay on Sunday Night Football!

Where to Watch Pittsburgh Steelers vs Los Angeles Chargers

Stadium: SoFi Stadium
Location: Inglewood, CA
Where to Watch: NBC
Time: 8:20 p.m. ET
Spread: LAC -2.5 | Total: 44.5
Moneyline: LAC -154 | Steelers +130

Leg 1: Chargers -2.5

A casual observer might look at the Steelers’ 5-3 record and surmise they’re an AFC contender; however, their metrics reveal an entirely different identity. Pittsburgh struggles on both sides of the ball, and a strong Chargers team at home will test the Steelers. Expect Los Angeles to flex its offensive muscles against Pittsburgh’s lackluster defense.

While their defensive line has fared reasonably well up front, the Steelers’ secondary has been the absolute worst in the league. Heading into Week 10, the AFC North leaders allow more passing yards than any other team. Opponents are gouging the Steelers for 278.2 yards per game, inflating their total yards to 405. As expected, that’s a primary factor in their scoring defense metrics and a big reason why no bettor is taking Pittsburgh seriously.

Coming off consecutive wins, the Chargers will have no problem carrying that momentum into Week 10’s battle at SoFi Stadium. Over the past few weeks, Los Angeles has turned to the air more frequently. Justin Herbert threw for 250 yards last time out, a benchmark he has eclipsed in three of his previous four. The Chargers’ improved passing proficiency correlates with a sharp increase in scoring, as they’ve surpassed 24 points in each one of those contests.

Pittsburgh’s leaky secondary should enhance LA’s aerial assault. We expect that will be the difference, as the hosts cover the very reachable spread in their friendly confines.

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Leg 2: Ladd McConkey to Record 80+ Receiving Yards +186

With a plethora of top pass-catchers at his disposal, Justin Herbert has distributed the ball evenly throughout the campaign. Still, Ladd McConkey‘s production is on the rise, and we predict that he will have a season-best performance against Pittsburgh’s absent-minded secondary. He has a very reachable 64.5 receiving yards total, but we’re going more exotic with McConkey’s prop on Sunday Night Football.

He may only have one 100-yard receiving game this season, but all signs point toward improved production from McConkey in the short term. So far this season, the second-year pro ranks second on the team in receptions and targets, albeit with a slight lead in yardage. But all of those totals are on the rise.

Over the last four weeks, McConkey has totaled 311 receiving yards on 26 receptions and 41 targets. As inferred, he’s recorded no fewer than 56 yards in any one of those contests, while surpassing 10 targets in two of his last three.

There’s also a contrarian angle to McConkey’s presumed success against the Steelers. His surge in production has come despite a decrease in snap count. After averaging 57.8 offensive snaps through the first five weeks, the Chargers’ wide receiver is down to 49.8 across his previous four. A calf injury may have been a factor, but McConkey’s output should increase with more playing time.

Without an injury designation this week, McConkey is primed to resume his full workload. Inevitably, more snaps will lead to more catches and yards, a climb that should start in Week 10. We wouldn’t be surprised to see him eclipse the century mark, but we’re playing it safe and we’re backing McConkey to record at least 80 receiving yards.

Leg 3: Alex Highsmith to Record a Sack +140

Over the years, we’ve seen the Chargers try to rebuild their offensive line to insulate their franchise quarterback. Unfortunately, all of those changes have been for naught. Los Angeles remains one of the worst teams in the league at protecting their quarterback, which plays into the Steelers’ most notable defensive strength. Assuredly, T.J. Watt will be in Herbert’s kitchen all game, but expect Alex Highsmith to make his presence felt by recording a sack.

The Chargers’ blocking schemes wouldn’t stop a toddler from getting to a pack of Skittles. They are tied for allowing the fifth-most sacks in the NFL this season, giving up 28 through nine games. More concerningly, Herbert has been knocked down 52 times and hurried 24 times. Taking on a Steelers’ squad that has 13 sacks over its last four games, Herbert won’t have any time to avoid the pressure on Sunday Night Football.

Watt continues to receive all of the defensive accolades in Pittsburgh, but it’s time to start paying attention to Alex Highsmith. The Steelers’ linebacker has sacks in three of six games this season, including two in last week’s win over the Colts. Dating back to 2022-23, Highsmith has 31.0 sacks across 51 games, validating his imposing presence on the defensive line.

The Chargers will have no choice but to double-team Watt to prevent Pittsburgh’s bull rush. That will free up Highsmith to do his thing on the opposite end of the line and get to Justin Herbert. At +140, he’s our favorite bet to record a sack against the Chargers.

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