In a rematch of a game back on November 16th in week 11, the Steelers will take on the Chargers in their first playoff game next Sunday at 4:30pm at home. The Ravens spanked the Dolphins Sunday 27-9, meaning Baltimore will go to Tennessee on Saturday, and the Steelers will play San Diego.
Pittsburgh beat the Chargers 11-10 in a game filled with penalties on the Steelers side as well as a wild ending that cost Vegas millions the last time they played. Jeff Reed kicked three field goals, including the winner from 32 yards, with 11 seconds left. The Steelers defense also scored a safety.
It’s the only time in the history of the NFL a game was decided by that score. Ben Roethlisberger threw for 308 yards, Willie Parker ran for 115 and Hines Ward caught 11 passes for 124 yards and Pittsburgh did not score a touchdown.
The Steelers outgained the Chargers 410 yards to 213 but had 13 penalties to just two for San Diego.
Troy Polamalu’s fumble return for a touchdown on the last play of the game was disallowed, costing those who bet on the Steelers giving the five points. The NFL later admitted referee Scott Green should have ruled it a touchdown.
Roethlisberger far outplayed Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers that day. He completed 31 of 41 passes with no interceptions and had a rating of 96.4. Rivers, the NFL’s ratings leader, was 15 of 26 for 164 yards, two interceptions and a season-low rating of 44.4.
The early line has the Steelers favored to beat the Chargers by 6, with an over/under of 39.
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mark
January 4, 2009 at 8:19 pm
Guys, call it whatever you want, but I am getting more and more nervous about playing the Chargers. I really believe the Steelers are far and away the better team, but the Chargers always seem to give the Steelers problems. The past few years all the games have been close, the Chargers have beaten the Steelers in the playoffs twice, most recently in the AFC title game when once again we were favored and the better team at least on paper! I am sure most fans would rather see the Steelers face the Bolts than the Colts, but someone please calm me down about this game!!I am looking for my fellow Steeler fans to re-enforce the reasons the Steelers will win. Please, I am not doom and gloom, I just worry about this Charger team being on a high and feeling that they should have beat us the first time the 2 teams played. I guess I am just nervous about the playoffs.
Harm
January 4, 2009 at 9:16 pm
Nervous?..Scared?….Bring on whoever…it’s the playoffs and this defense is going to carry us, just like the 11-10 game. I will be there, making the trip over from Ohio. See ya in the burgh
greg
January 4, 2009 at 10:49 pm
i’m with mark. i need someone to talk to me down from the ledge. i’m very VERY nervous about this game. however, to be honest, i always get this way in the playoffs. i just remember too many stupid losses in the playoffs, and i start getting nervous. can we beat this team? of course. should we beat this team? yes. but will we beat this team? i’m not so sure. i’m very nervous.
BestSteelersFan
January 4, 2009 at 11:51 pm
I think we have good reason to be nervious. The Chargers have too much momentum going into this game – and because of the November game they have something to prove – and they are so much hotter now. I hope this is not the case but we need to be realistic that there is less than a 50% for a win next weekend as our Steelers may not be the better team. I would rather be realistic and be delightfully surprised than nervious all week. But Go Steelers!
mark
January 5, 2009 at 7:40 am
Guys, I feel better that I am not alone!! The Steelers ARE the better team its just that in the past 15 years or so being the better team does NOT always equate to STeeler wins, especially in the playoffs! Im figuring on a close game with the Steelers pulling away late in the 3rd or early in the 4th. The Steelers hardly put up 16 or 17 early in a game so Im sure we will all be nervous at halftime. Lets keep this interaction alive this week and help keep each other from drinking the DRANO before the game! lol
M
Jay
January 5, 2009 at 10:35 am
I am nervous too. But realistic (hopefully optimistic). I believe parody has pros and cons; like most things in life (nothing, seemingly is all exclusively bad or good)…One of the bad things about parody (omitting the good because I don’t want to take up too much space or time) is an 8 and 8 team making it to the super bowl!!! There’s just something…pathetic about it I guess. I hope our Steelers hold true to that and keep that from *&%ing happening!!! I will go out now and say I think we win, by 11 points BUT if we lose, Tomlin, and Arians and that woeful offensive line should be ashamed of themselves and, to some extent, the Rooneys for (this is something I questioned since the advent of Big Ben’s new contract) giving Ben all that money and NOT following it up with a stud or two on the o-line (esp. after Allan left)!!! It makes no sense and there really is no argument to support it! The o-line is my favorite part of any football team and, although I bleed black and gold like the rest, I have a tough time getting excited for this team! Go Steelers and call some good plays…we fans who support you are counting on it!
mark
January 5, 2009 at 12:31 pm
Hey Jay. Jay, I agree that the O-line has been mediocre at best. I would venture to say that with a better line, this team would have a better running game and this season would end with a title.Alas, we have what we have up front and the running game has suffered because of it. I also think if the Steelers show up and play solid defense, they will win. Solid defense and no turnovers should get the team that 11 point win you predicted. I also agree that if this team does NOT win Sunday, regardless of 12-4, changes should be made whether Ben wants them or not!
Jay
January 5, 2009 at 4:01 pm
Yeah, like fire Arians ( fire him anyway) AND GET A TALENTED OFFENSIVE LINEMAN OR TWO IN TOWN!!! Either via the draft or free agency…Jeeze! Yeah, Ben holds the ball too long but wouldn’t that notion lend itself to someone in the front office saying, “Hmmm, our 100 million dollar quarterback holds the ball too long. Maybe we might wanna get him some protection that doesn’t break down right away.” Again, what do I know but, it just seems logical…My predicted score is 24-13 so long as we are able to have a good punting game and pin them deep regularly and try and contain Sproles. I hope there is a short passing game to mix in with Arians’ incessant need for deep intermediate nonsense! If Parker goes off, we win, ’nuff said.
mark
January 5, 2009 at 4:27 pm
Amen brother!FWP had a big game the first time they played and had a good game last week. Im sure San Diego is going to try to stop the run first, so hopefully Ben takes what the defense gives him, mixes in enough deep stuff to move the safeties back and then put the friggin’ ball in the endzone in any way possible!!
BestSteelersFan
January 7, 2009 at 2:56 pm
Yeah – like the endzone we could not find in the weirdest scored game in the history of the NFL last year!