The 2025 Hockey Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be in Toronto on Nov. 10, but there’s a definite Boston vibe this year.

It was appropriate that the visiting team in the Nov. 8 Hall of Fame Game was the Boston Bruins.

Defenseman Zdeno Chara was the longtime Bruins captain and won a Stanley Cup with the team. Center Joe Thornton was drafted No. 1 overall by the Bruins and was the team captain before being dealt to the San Jose Sharks.

Jack Parker spent decades as the men’s hockey coach at Boston University. Jennifer Botterill, a four-time Olympian with Team Canada, was a standout at Harvard.

They will be joined by three-time Stanley Cup winner Duncan Keith, Russian NHL standout Alexander Mogilny, U.S. Olympic star Brianna Decker and longtime Team Canada coach Danielle Sauvageau. Mogilny didn’t go to Toronto for the festivities.

Here are the eight people in the Hockey Hall of Fame Class of 2025 (Chara, Keith and Thornton were inducted in their first year of eligibility) and how to watch the induction ceremony:

Hockey Hall of Fame Class of 2025

Players

Zdeno Chara: The 6-foot-9 defenseman with the massive wingspan was tough to beat one-on-one. He won the Norris Trophy in 2008-09 and a Stanley Cup with the Bruins in 2011. The seven-time All-Star was Bruins captain from 2006-20. He set a record for hardest shot (108.8) in the 2012 All-Star Game skills competition. His 1,680 regular-season games rank first among defensemen and he totaled 680 points with the New York Islanders, Ottawa Senators, Bruins and Washington Capitals.

Duncan Keith: The defenseman was part of the Chicago Blackhawks core that won three Stanley Cup titles from 2010 to 2015, winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in 2015. He won the Norris Trophy in 2009-10 and 2013-14 and totaled 646 points with the Blackhawks and Edmonton Oilers.

Joe Thornton: The center was one of the top playmakers during his time. He was drafted No. 1 overall in 1997 by the Bruins and was traded to the Sharks in 2005-06. He led the league in assists (96) and points (125) that season and won the Hart Trophy. Thornton led the league in assists two other times and ranks seventh all time with 1,109 assists. He totaled 1,539 points with the Bruins, Sharks, Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers.

Alexander Mogilny: The Russian winger scored 76 goals in his fourth season in the league and won a Stanley Cup in 2000 with the New Jersey Devils. He totaled 1,032 points with the Buffalo Sabres, Vancouver Canucks, Devils and Maple Leafs.

Jennifer Botterill: The four-time Olympian won three gold medals and a silver with Team Canada. She also won five golds and three silvers at the world championships. Botterill was a prolific scorer at Harvard. She had 340 points in 113 games, including a 10-point game on Jan. 28, 2003 against Boston College.

Brianna Decker: Decker won a gold medal with Team USA at the 2018 Olympics and silvers in 2014 and 2022. She won five gold medals and two silvers at the world championships and was MVP of the 2017 tournament after recording 21 points. She ranks first at the University of Wisconsin with a career +175 plus/minus and is second all-time with 112 goals. She holds the longest Badgers scoring streak at 32 games

Builders

Jack Parker: Parker coached for 40 years at Boston University and won NCAA championships in 1978, 1995 and 2009. He retired with a record of 897-472-115.

Danielle Sauvageau: Sauvageau has taken part in six Olympics as women’s coach, general manager or coaching consultant. She also played a key role in Canada’s victories at seven consecutive world championships. She’s the first woman to be inducted in the builders category.

Hockey Hall of Fame induction ceremony, how to watch, stream

Date: Monday, Nov. 10

Place: Hockey Hall of Fame, Toronto

Time: 8 p.m. ET

TV: NHL Network, which will show a preview at 7 p.m. ET

Streaming: Fubo and certain Sling TV packages carry NHL Network. Fubo offers a free trial for new subscribers. 

Texas Tech’s dominance over BYU damaged the Big 12’s shot at two bids. Vanderbilt stands to benefit.
The ACC is caving in on itself. That’s good for SMU.
Five playoff bids for the SEC? That’s in play.

Tired: Bemoaning that an unranked Group of Five team will snag a playoff spot.

Wired: Realizing the ACC doesn’t particularly deserve an auto bid, either.

When the new College Football Playoff rankings are unveiled, nobody from the 17-team ACC will be found within the top 12. Its presence in the playoff will be a byproduct of preseason bracket rules more than in-season merit.

Here’s my latest playoff bracket projection. Note: This is not a prediction of how this week’s rankings will look. It’s also not a modeling of how the bracket would look if the season ended today. Rather, I’m projecting forward. This reflects how I think the selections will look come selection Sunday in December.

1. Ohio State

Ryan Day labeled it a ‘business-like’ 34-10 victory against Purdue. That’s accurate. The Buckeyes are in the business of clubbing Big Ten opponents. You can question OSU’s schedule. Can’t question its performance against that schedule. Each of the Buckeyes’ past eight wins came by at least 18 points. Onward march.

2. Alabama

LSU’s season sank to such depths that Alabama’s two-score victory counts as more workmanlike than impressive. Alabama’s defense keeps improving, so that leaves the Tide’s meager ground game as the lingering flaw. Nobody’s flawless in the SEC, and Alabama continues its march toward a conference championship game clash with Texas A&M.

3. Indiana

Indiana is more battle-tested than last year’s Hoosiers. They won the battle against Penn State thanks to Omar Cooper Jr.’s great hops, good hands and a few blades of green grass being between his foot and the white chalk. Curt Cignetti, ever the showman, soaked up the triumph in his native state. A peek at Indiana’s schedule shows it almost certainly will remain undefeated into December.

4. Texas A&M

Mike Elko described Texas A&M’s run defense as ‘awful’ in a 38-17 smashing of Missouri. That gives the Aggies something to work on as they roll on as the SEC’s only undefeated team. Elko also expressed derision when a reporter referenced what happened to the Aggies last November. He’s rooted in the present, and the Aggies are following his lead, playing up to potential after years of fizzling.

5. Georgia

Georgia carried out its weekly routine of spotting an opponent a first-half lead before awakening and winning. This latest 41-21 win came with relative ease, though. The defense still doesn’t perform to the Kirby Smart standard, but the Bulldogs retain their winning genes, plus a steady-handed quarterback in Gunner Stockton. That counts for a lot.

6. Texas Tech

Big 12 football, not just a land for offense anymore. Booster Cody Campbell’s checkbook bought the best defense south of Big Ten land. The Red Raiders smashed Brigham Young in a battle for conference supremacy. The lopsided result damaged the Big 12’s chances at two playoff bids. The teams might meet again in the Big 12 championship, but why should that go any differently?

7. Mississippi

The Rebels enjoyed such a carefree win against overwhelmed The Citadel that Lane Kiffin amused himself by photobombing a couple’s on-field engagement proposal. (She said yes.) All smiles for Ole Miss. With fan bases from Florida to LSU pining for Kiffin, his Rebels keep rolling. Can this team keep the distractions at bay? So far, so good.

8. Oregon

The Ducks are so well-adjusted to the Big Ten they gave Iowa a masterclass on how to be Iowa. Oregon stole Kirk Ferentz’s theme music and won 18-16 in Iowa City. A safety on an errant punt snap provided the two-point difference. Oregon has a thorny runway to the playoff, but as long as its defense keeps this up, the Ducks will make the Big Ten a three-bid league.

9. Notre Dame

The CFP committee remains under the spell of Notre Dame’s helmet magic, placing the Irish eight spots ahead of Miami, even though the Hurricanes beat Notre Dame. So long as the Irish keep beating overmatched opponents, they’ll be in good shape for qualification. The resume might be a bit lacking, but the committee retains a brand bias.

10. Vanderbilt

Recency bias hurt the Commodores in the initial rankings. They checked in at No. 16, with the loss to Texas fresh on the brain. Vanderbilt’s metrics suggest it should have been a couple of spots higher. There’s time for the committee to reconsider — and for teams ahead of Vanderbilt to lose. Three already have. If the Commodores beat Kentucky and Tennessee to reach 10-2 with no bad losses, that’s a compelling pitch.

11. SMU

The ACC could have a three-loss champion turned playoff qualifier for the second straight season if SMU keeps winning. Duke gives the ACC a shot at a four-loss qualifier. And to think Tony Petitti wanted to give the ACC a second auto-bid. Excuse me? SMU got hot against Miami and stayed hot against Boston College. Keep it up, and it can win this league. Never mind its nonconference record.

12. South Florida

USF coach Alex Golesh didn’t care for Texas-San Antonio’s Jeff Traylor playing the pauper and noting the Bulls’ superior roster payroll, before their game. Golesh won’t apologize for his program’s resources, or for how the Bulls thumped Traylor’s team by 32 points. Golesh’s team looks the part of conference frontrunner within a league best positioned for the G5 bid.

Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network’s senior national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on X @btoppmeyer.

Former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue has passed away at the age of 84.
Tagliabue’s 17-year tenure saw enormous growth, labor peace, and the establishment of the Rooney Rule.
He chose Hall of Fame player and coach Art Shell to present him for his 2020 Hall of Fame induction.
Tagliabue’s legacy includes navigating the aftermath of 9/11 and keeping the Saints in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.

When the call came in, Art Shell was as shocked as anyone.

After Paul Tagliabue was finally elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in early 2020 as part of its centennial class, the former NFL commissioner asked Shell for a favor.

Tagliabue wanted Shell to present him for his induction in Canton.

“Of course, when he asked me, it was easy to say yes. My goodness,” Shell told USA TODAY Sports on Nov. 9, after Tagliabue’s family announced that he passed away at his home in Chevy Chase, Maryland from congestive heart failure related to complications from Parkinson’s disease.

Survived by his wife, Chan, and children Drew and Emily, Tagliabue was 84.

“I hung up that phone and, like for days, a million things go through your mind,” Shell continued. “What am I going to say? Just be yourself. Just be who Paul knows you to be, and things will work out. As I sat down and thought about it, it was, what a great honor to do this.”

The choice of a presenter is one of the most symbolic and delicate decisions by a newly elected Hall of Famer. Typically, coaches, team owners, teammates, family members or close friends get the nod. Walter Payton chose his son, Jarrett. Jim Kelly chose his Bills coach, Marv Levy. Deion Sanders went with his classy agent, Eugene Parker. The late Al Davis presented nine Hall of Famers – more than anyone.

In opting for Shell, a Hall of Fame player and former coach who had worked as a senior executive at NFL headquarters, Tagliabue was so intentional in making a statement.

Tagliabue, who served as a lawyer for the NFL before becoming commissioner in 1989, told me during an extended interview in 2021 that he chose Shell as his presenter because he wanted to pay homage to Black coaches and to the impact that HBCU institutions had on the evolution of the NFL. Shell, who starred at Maryland Eastern Shore before embarking on his career as a Hall of Fame tackle with the Raiders, became the NFL’s first modern-era African American coach in 1989.

While Shell doesn’t question Tagliabue’s authenticity when it came to progressiveness on matters of race and equality – the NFL established the Rooney Rule during Tagliabue’s 17-year tenure as commissioner and he led the NFL’s decision to move a Super Bowl from Arizona until the state recognized the holiday honoring Martin Luther King, Jr. – he suspects that in some respects he was the second choice to be the presenter.

“I guarantee you one thing: If the big guy was alive, that’s who he would have selected,” Shell maintained. “He loved Gene.”

The big guy, Gene Upshaw, teamed with Shell to anchor an offensive line that won three Super Bowls during the 1970s and early ‘80s. Then, as executive director of the NFL Players Association (NFLPA), Upshaw ultimately teamed with Tagliabue to ensure a then-unprecedented, extended era of labor peace (after the NFLPA won free agency in federal court in 1993). Upshaw passed in 2008.

“His friendship with Gene was big time,” Shell said. “He deferred to Gene most of the time because of the respect he had for him as a man. He enjoyed him as a player, but also as a man that he could sit down and talk to. And Gene thought he was great.”

In 2021, I asked Tagliabue how he might have handled the controversy with Colin Kaepernick, who was essentially banished from the NFL after igniting national anthem protests in 2016 to protest the killings of unarmed African Americans by police.

“It’s easy to say I would have done it differently, but I don’t know,” Tagliabue told USA TODAY Sports. “I guess the way I think about it is that if Gene were alone and we were dealing with it together, we would have figured out some way to solve the problem.”

That visit with Tagliabue, weeks before the induction ceremony (pushed into 2021 because the pandemic canceled ceremonies in 2020) was striking on several levels. While in the early stages of Parkinson’s, he was well enough to drive himself to the waterfront restaurant, Fiola Mare, that he selected for us to meet near Georgetown.

And he was so candid, even as he defended some of his actions in dealing with the issue – the NFL’s burgeoning concussion crisis – that undoubtedly delayed his induction into the Hall of Fame for more than 15 years after he left the commissioner’s post in 2006.

Regardless, his legacy is complete. Tagliabue, a consensus-builder who ultimately lost patience with that role in dealing with NFL owners, presided over enormous growth in the NFL (which is still growing), bolstered by the labor peace. He had a strong influence in the commitment to keep the Saints in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina (and a year of displacement), brokered an agreement to keep the Browns name and trademarks in Cleveland after Art Modell moved his franchise to Baltimore. He also collaborated with Upshaw in navigating the crisis of 9/11 and the aftermath.

Another significant moment came after he left the commissioner’s post, when his successor, Roger Goodell, selected him as the arbitrator in the appeal of player discipline from the Saints “Bountygate” scandal in 2012 – much to the chagrin of the NFLPA and attorneys for the players.

Then came the verdict. There was no rubber-stamp of Goodell’s ruling. Tagliabue vacated the suspensions.

It was another example of how principles and independent thinking often drove the big decisions for Tagliabue. That’s probably one reason the NFL didn’t have a franchise in Las Vegas – until long after it had a different commissioner, and maybe more substantially, after a Supreme Court ruling led to legalized sports betting in more than half of the states.

Tagliabue worried that, even with technology that aids in surveillance, the NFL would be vulnerable amid a more robust gambling environment. The NFL and its teams have embraced the gambling industry yet avoided a major scandal. At least so far.

“I still worry about some young guy … and somebody says to him, ‘Take the money,’ ” Tagliabue said in 2021.

His position against sports gambling was hardened decades ago. In 1961, Tagliabue, a center at Georgetown, played in a game that was fixed.

“We beat the hell out of NYU,” Tagliabue reflected. “It was the biggest victory in my three years of basketball at Georgetown. Turns out that guys at NYU were taking money to shave points.”

Shell doesn’t hesitate to vouch for Tagliabue’s heart. When he began working for the NFL in 2002, first as an appeals officer for player discipline, then as senior vice president of football operations, Upshaw described Tagliabue to Shell as “tough … but fair.”

Shell found that out for himself – and more.

“Paul would reach out to the group (of staff) and he’d come to me on some things,” Shell said. “And he’d listen. In the long run, he’d come up with what he thought was the right answer for everybody involved. But he’d try to make sure that he got the main people to understand this is the reason we need to go with a particular problem, and it’ll be good for us.”

Take it from his Hall of Fame presenter.

Contact Jarrett Bell at jbell@usatoday.com or follow on  X: @JarrettBell

Minnesota United won a Game 3 classic against the Seattle Sounders in a penalty shootout.
Lionel Messi scored five goals in Inter Miami’s three-game series win over Nashville SC.
Son Heung-Min and Denis Bouanga give LAFC a lethal goal-scoring duo.

The road to MLS Cup is through the best-of-three Round 1 series as the playoffs press pause for a couple weeks (more on that later) before the conference semifinals are played.

Of the eight Round 1 series, seven were won by the higher seed. Last season, four of the eight Round 1 series featured an upset. So, if you scoff at underdogs pulling off shocking upsets and prefer the teams that had proven themselves to be stronger over the course of the seven-plus month regular season, then these playoffs are for you.

Here are the winners and losers from the first round of the 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs:

WINNERS

Lionel Messi and Inter Miami

After a stunning first-round playoff exit last year against Atlanta United, Lionel Messi and Inter Miami dominated in a win-or-go-home Game 3 against Nashville SC. Messi, of course, put in a Man of the Match performance, registering two goals and assisting on two more in the 4-0 triumph. It was a stellar Round 1 for Messi, who scored five goals in the three-game series vs. Nashville. If you go back to Decision Day, Messi has scored eight goals in his last four games.

In addition to a small measure of redemption following last season’s disappointing early postseason exit, Inter Miami now has advanced past the first round of the MLS playoffs for the first time in the club’s six-year history. Two legends of the game, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, each get at least one more game before the duo retires at season’s end.

‘Hell is Real’ derby delivers

FC Cincinnati dispatched their ‘Hell is Real’ rivals, the Columbus Crew, in a predictably competitive three-game series. This isn’t exactly like-for-like payback for the Crew wiping out top-seeded FC Cincinnati in the 2023 Eastern Conference final, but bragging rights now stand with Cincy.

In Saturday’s decisive Game 3, Brenner registered a brace as Cincinnati rallied for a 2-1 victory. Just days prior, Columbus steam rolled Cincinnati, 4-0, seemingly snagging series momentum going into Game 3. Instead, FC Cincinnati advances and gets to host Messi and Inter Miami in the Eastern Conference semifinals on Friday, Nov. 21.

Minnesota United

For the second season in a row, Minnesota United clinched a Round 1 series win in a penalty shootout at the friendly confines of Allianz Field. This time, the Loons defeated the Seattle Sounders in a banger of a best-of-three series, earning both victories via penalty shootout. Saturday’s Game 3 was the best game so far in the 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs. Despite going down to 10 players after a red card, Minnesota overcame a 2-1 deficit and managed to take a 3-2 lead in the second half. Seattle equalized in stoppage time, necessitating a penalty shootout that went so deep that it came down to the two teams’ goalkeepers taking shots. The winning kick of the shootout was made by 2025 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Dayne St. Clair.

Western Conference teams will welcome a road to MLS Cup that doesn’t include a possible showdown with Seattle, which already had collected one trophy this season after winning Leagues Cup. Minnesota United, meanwhile, still is chasing the first trophy in team history.

Expansion San Diego FC marches on

San Diego FC’s quest to complete the greatest expansion season in league history continues after closing out the Portland Timbers with a thorough 4-0 win in Game 3 on Sunday. San Diego FC already owns records for the most regular-season points (63) and win (19) by an expansion team. It’s three wins away from matching the 1998 Chicago Fire as expansion teams to win MLS Cup (though, let’s be real, it’s not really fair to compare the two). Leading the way in Game 3 were likely MLS MVP runner-up Anders Dreyer and Amahi Pellegrino, with each netting two goals apiece and setting San Diego on a collision course with the Loons of Minnesota United.

LAFC’s dynamic duo

Son Heung-Min was an established international soccer star when he joined Los Angeles FC over the summer. But, in this league you never quite know how big-name players will fit in. Oliver Giroud was a World Cup-winner with France and is the nation’s all-time leading goal-scorer (Kylian Mbappé is closing in at just four goals behind, though). However, Giroud’s time with LAFC left more to be desired. Son, meanwhile, has immediately been a game-charger in Los Angeles.

Son and Denis Bouanga – the MLS Golden Boot winner in 2023 – were the catalysts of a 4-1 rout of Austin FC that sent LAFC through to the next round of the playoffs. Son scored his first MLS playoff goal and assisted on another. Bouanga had a brace as he scored his 100th and 101st goals for LAFC in all competitions. Bouanga has scored 13 goals since Son’s arrival in early August. Son has 10 goals in 12 appearances. If those two can keep it up, LAFC could find itself hoisting the Philip F. Anschutz Trophy.

Next up for Son, Bouanga and LAFC: A Vancouver Whitecaps team that gave up the second-fewest goals in the league this season.

LOSERS

FIFA’s November international window

Teams that closed out their best-of-three Round 1 series in two games will go three weeks before the next playoff round. That is crazy. Imagine there being a three-week break between the NFL’s wild-card weekend and the divisional playoffs. The Philadelphia Union and Vancouver Whitecaps closed out their Round 1 series on Nov. 1; LAFC a day later. The conference semifinals don’t take place until the weekend before Thanksgiving. This issue won’t get fixed until the league shifts its season, with the playoffs taking part in the spring when there are no FIFA international breaks to interrupt postseason momentum.

MLS bracket busters

Upsets were once a hallmark of the often-unpredictable MLS playoffs. This year, at least through Round 1, that is not the case … except for Charlotte FC. By falling in three games against New York City FC, Charlotte is the only top-four seed to not advance to the conference semifinals. The rest of the MLS playoff bracket went chalk as higher-seeded squads avoided upsets.

Luis Suárez

Longtime villain Luis Suárez was up to his old antics again in Inter Miami’s Round 1, Game 2 loss to Nashville SC. And it nearly put Inter Miami’s MLS Cup hopes in jeopardy. Suárez, whose previous infractions that have accumulated over the years includes (but is not exclusive to) biting multiple opponents, kicked Nashville SC’s Andy Najar during an off-ball sequence. This moment of buffoonery earned the striker a suspension for Miami’s winner-or-go-home Game 3. Thankfully for Suárez, Messi and Co. were able to easily dispatch Nashville and advance to the next round.

Chicago Fire fans and THAT chant

Getting boot-stomped 3-0 by the Philadelphia Union in a win-or-go-home playoff game wasn’t the worst part of the Chicago Fire’s unceremonious exit from the team’s first postseason appearance since 2017.

The homophobic chant often heard at Mexico national team games (and sometimes at MLS games) could be heard from the Fire’s supporters’ section. It got so bad that the game was briefly suspended and Fire coach Gregg Berhalter had to plead with the fans to cut it out. Yes, the coach had to go scold his own fans. That’s embarrassing.

In honor of Veterans Day, “American Valor: A Salute to Our Heroes” highlights some of the nation’s top veterans.

Pender’s unique path went from a Vietnam battlefield to Olympic gold medalist.

Pender was an officer with the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division. While Pender played halfback for the unit’s football team, it was discovered he possessed world-class speed.

Pender’s untapped potential afforded him the opportunity to be sent back stateside to train as a sprinter with the goal on making the 1964 Olympic Team.

Pender made the 1964 U.S. Olympic Team, but he was hampered by a hamstring injury. He eventually finished fourth in the 100 meters at the Tokyo Games.

At the age of 27, Pender thought his Olympic dreams were over. He was deployed to the Mekong Delta of South Vietnam, seeing combat with the 9th Infantry Division. 

However, in 1968 Pender was summoned from South Vietnam back to track and field to compete in the 1968 Mexico City Olympics. Pender returned to the Olympic village at 30 years old.

Pender qualified for the 100-meter final and finished sixth as his U.S. teammate Jim Hines ran a world-record time of 9.9 seconds to become the first man in history to run sub-10 seconds. A few days later, Tommie Smith and John Carlos famously raised their black-gloved fist on the Olympic podium to bring attention to human rights issues and racial injustice in the U.S. after Smith and Carlos finished first and third, respectively, in the 200.  

One the final day of competition, Pender was on the track again as the second leg of Team USA’s 4×100-relay team. With Pender at second leg and Hines as the anchor, the U.S. team cruised and crossed the finish line in a what was at the time a world-record time of 38.24.

“A career defined by excellence with each step he took,” Buck said of Pender in the narrated segment.

Pender, the Olympic gold medalist and veteran, is now 88 years old. His remarkable journey of perseverance and patriotism can be watched here.

The Chargers defense stifled the Steelers all night, allowing just one touchdown in what amounted to garbage time.
Without starting running back Omarion Hampton (ankle) and Najee Harris (Achilles), Kimani Vidal again carried the load in the Chargers’ backfield.
Keenan Allen became the Chargers’ all-time leader in receptions.

INGLEWOOD, CA — Black and yellow filled SoFi Stadium on Sunday night as Pittsburgh Steelers fans made their presence known.

The partial Steelers crowd couldn’t jumpstart Pittsburgh’s offense as the Los Angeles Chargers cruised to a 25-10 victory.  

Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers offense struggled to find a rhythm throughout the contest. The Steelers didn’t convert a third down until the fourth quarter, while the Chargers padded their lead in the second half behind a stifling defensive performance.

Justin Herbert completed 20-of-33 passes for 220 yards and a touchdown in the win. He was sacked five times in what was a gritty performance by the QB.

USA TODAY Sports examines the winners and losers from Sunday night’s AFC battle:

WINNERS

Chargers defense

It was a dominant all-round performance from the Chargers defense, stifling the Steelers offense in the first half.

Khalil Mack sacked Aaron Rodgers for a safety in the first quarter. Rookie defensive back RJ Mickens picked off Rodgers in the second period.

The Chargers defense held the Steelers offense to just three first downs, 85 total yards and three points. Pittsburgh went 0-6 on third downs in the first half.

The three first downs by the Steelers in the first half were tied for the second fewest in the first half of Rodgers’ career, per the NBC broadcast.

Los Angeles’ defense held Pittsburgh to scoreless and to just 41 total yards in the third quarter.

The Steelers had only 221 yards of total offense in the loss.

The Chargers defense had three sacks and two interceptions.

Kimani Vidal over 100 yards from scrimmage

Without starting running back Omarion Hampton (ankle) and Najee Harris (Achilles), Vidal again carried the load in the Chargers’ backfield.

Vidal earned tough yards through a physical Steelers defense. He produced 108 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown in the victory.

The second-year running back scampered for a 2-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter that padded the Chargers’ lead to 22-3. The touchdown by all intents and purposes was the game-sealing touchdown. Steelers fans started to head toward the exits after Vidal’s TD.

Ladd McConkey

McConkey had the biggest reception of the game. Justin Herbert squeezed a pass to him in tight coverage. McConkey caught the football and raced down the field for a 58-yard catch and run.

Chargers RB Kimani Vidal reached the end zone two plays later.

McConkey finished with four catches for a season-high 107 yards and one touchdown.

Keenan Allen sets franchise receptions record

Allen surpassed Hall of Famer Antonio Gates (955) to become the Chargers’ all-time leader in receptions. Allen caught two passes in the game. He now has 956 career receptions in a Chargers uniform.

World Series champion Dodgers

Los Angeles Dodgers star Mookie Betts was in the house. He was shown on the jumbotron and received a loud applause. Betts and the Dodgers are fresh off winning the World Series.

Steelers fans

Los Angeles is a destination city for many NFL fans, and it was evident Sunday night. Steelers fans showed up in droves. From the naked eye, about 70% of the spectators inside SoFi Stadium were Steelers fans.

All the Steelers fans left unhappy as it was dreadful performance for Pittsburgh.  

LOSERS

Steelers offense

The Steelers were a nightmare. Pittsburgh went 0-6 on third downs in the first half and only managed three total first downs. Even the reliable Steelers kicker Chris Boswell missed a 45-yard field goal as Pittsburgh trailed 12-3 at halftime.

Aaron Rodgers was held to 64 passing yards and one interception in the first half.

Pittsburgh’s performance went from bad to worse in the second half.

Steelers receiver Calvin Austin III dropped a ball and it ricocheted right into Chargers cornerback Donte Jackson’s hands in the fourth quarter. The Steelers’ Ke’Shawn Williams muffed a punt on Pittsburgh’s next possession.

The Steelers had three turnovers in the loss.

Rodgers tossed a few errant throws, but it was a lousy performance from the entire Steelers offense.

Rodgers completed 16-of-31 passes for 161 yards, to go with one touchdown and two interceptions.

Steelers’ third-down efficiency

The Steelers didn’t convert on a single third down in the first half. Pittsburgh couldn’t convert a third down in the third quarter.

The Steelers offense didn’t successfully convert a third down until garbage time late in the fourth quarter.

Pittsburgh finished 2-11 on third downs.

Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.