Arthur Smith is glad the Steelers wore down the Chargers in the “heavyweight battle”

The Pittsburgh Steelers struggled to run the ball in the first half against the Los Angeles Chargers, but they eventually got into the game better, running for 79 yards in the fourth quarter, giving them 114 total yards for the day. OC Arthur Smith told reporters, including Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, that the Steelers' intention was to wear down the opposing defense, and Smith said he was glad the Steelers were able to win in the second half.

“That was a heavyweight fight. It was nice to see how the second half went,” Smith said on Twitter, according to Fittipaldo.

Pittsburgh was already wearing down the Chargers before the second half, but continued to rely on the running game and let the clock tick away. The Steelers then managed a few passes downfield, including a 55-yard touchdown to wide receiver Calvin Austin III that essentially sealed their 20-10 victory.

The defense deserves credit as well, holding the Chargers to -5 total yards in the second half and forcing three-and-outs, allowing the Los Angeles defense to get back on the field quickly after already battling long Steelers offense. It was obvious the Chargers defense was tired after a few costly penalties, including a defensive holding penalty and a roughing the passer penalty that gave the Steelers new downs in what would have been third and fourth down situations.

While the Steelers may not have had great numbers, they have been efficient. They have had just one turnover this season, an interception in Week 3, have been able to stick to their schedule, and have largely avoided big losses. Justin Fields knew exactly when to use his legs and make throws forward or checkdowns. Sustaining long drives has been the hallmark of Pittsburgh's offense this season.

If they can continue to wear down opposing defenses and stay on the field, it will only improve Pittsburgh's defense as they will be more rested. We saw how good the Steelers have been on defense this year, limiting opposing teams to 8.6 points per game this season. A large part of that was due to the fact that they have played almost a full game less in three games. They have played just 151 snaps in three games compared to 214 last season.

That's an impressive number, and the offense deserves credit for its ability to keep attacks alive and keep its defense off the field. That's how the Steelers can continue to win games, and hopefully the offense keeps things going all season long.