2005 · Week 5

Final

Steelers

Pittsburgh

QB Ben Roethlisberger

24·22

Chargers

San Diego

QB Drew Brees

Qualcomm Stadium · outdoors · grass · 64°F · wind 8mph

Closing spread

SD -3

Total

45.5

Model margin

-0.3est.

SD perspective

Push chance

7.3%est.

the line sits on a key number

Win probability

  • Chargers
  • Steelers

How each play moved the game.

Chargers winsSteelers wins

Matchup

Where the edges are

Season-long league percentiles for both sides, mirrored. The saturated side of a lopsided row holds the edge.

The rivalry

PIT lead 9–5 since 1999

Meetings average 49.7 points. SD are 5-9 ATS in the series.

Previous meetings
SeasonMatchupScoreWinner
2025 · W10PIT @ LAC1025CHARGERS
2024 · W3LAC @ PIT1020PIT
2021 · W11PIT @ LAC3741CHARGERS
2019 · W6PIT @ LAC2417PIT
2018 · W13LAC @ PIT3330CHARGERS
2015 · W5PIT @ SD2420PIT
2012 · W14SD @ PIT3424CHARGERS
2009 · W4SD @ PIT2838PIT

Box score

Individual performances

Steelers

Passing

PlayerC/AttYdsTDINT
Ben Roethlisberger17/2622510

Rushing

PlayerCarYdsAvgTD
Jerome Bettis17543.21
Willie Parker10262.60
Ben Roethlisberger2157.51
Antwaan Randle El273.50

Where this game is likely to land

  • Model
  • Smooth (normal)
  • Betting line

Probability of each final margin. Football scoring clusters — the spikes at 3 and 7 are real, and a smooth model misses them.

line +32.7%4.5%2.9%7.4%7.3%2.9%4.4%2.7%

Positive margins favour Chargers; negative favour Steelers.

Half-point at risk

7.32%

outcomes that flip if the line moves 0.5

Model home win

48.3%

Expected total

44.0est.

Model

Where the number comes from

Each component is additive, in points of expected margin.

  • Team ratings (opponent-adjusted EPA)-2.28
  • Home-field advantage+2.56
  • Quarterback adjustment0.00
  • Rest differential-0.56
  • Expected margin-0.28

One or both ratings are carry-over priors — no games have been played this season yet, so treat this as a starting assumption rather than a read.