SAN DIEGO -- The road to Super Bowl XXXIX indeed runs through Pittsburgh, and first for the Steelers comes a return flight with the Jets.

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By virtue of New York's overtime upset of the Chargers late Saturday night -- the Jets' first postseason road victory in 22 years -- and Indianapolis' defeat of Denver yesterday, the Jets will be back in Heinz Field at 4:30 p.m. Saturday for an American Football Conference divisional playoff game against the Steelers.

The teams last played Dec. 12, when the Steelers won, 17-6. A Jerome Bettis touchdown with three minutes left sealed the outcome for the Steelers, who went on the finish the season with a 15-1 record. The defeat sent the Jets into a December dive that saw them lose two of their final three regular-season games and finish at 10-6.

The skidding finish made their 20-17 overtime victory in San Diego's Qualcomm Stadium all the more improbable, especially when considering that they had lost five road postseason games in succession dating to a Jan. 15, 1983, triumph over the then-Los Angeles Raiders in the Coliseum. Coincidentally, when they visit Heinz Field Saturday, it will mark the 22nd anniversary of that road marker.

Whatever the history, the recent record seems to matter most to these Jets. They well remember gaining more yards than the Steelers (296-262) and failing to capitalize on two Ben Roethlisberger interceptions in the December game.

"Yeah, I think guys feel like we can beat them," kicker Doug Brien, who made a 28-yard field goal with five seconds left in overtime to defeat San Diego. "We went in and played them tough, but it kind of got away from us in the end.

"We'll see what happens."

The Steelers have never lost to the Jets in Pittsburgh, going 6-0 since the 1970 merger of the National Football League with the American Football League, which included the Jets. Pittsburgh holds a 15-2 edge in the series overall, winning two of the three times the teams have met in the past five seasons.

They have never played in the postseason, though.

In the other AFC divisional playoff game at 4:30 p.m. Sunday in Foxboro, Mass., New England (14-2) will host Indianapolis (13-4), a 49-24 victor over visiting Denver yesterday.

"Having played the Jets once, it's a lot more familiar in terms of the team, knowing what they're going to do," Bettis said yesterday. "It was a tough game when we played against them. It went down to the fourth quarter before it was decided.

"You know it's going to be a fight. And having played them before, you know what they're going to do and they know what we're going to do. So that may make for a low-scoring game."

Added receiver Hines Ward: "The thing with the playoffs, you're going to face teams that are as good as anybody. They're all dangerous."

The Chargers rallied with 10 fourth-quarter points, including a touchdown after a defensive penalty with 16 seconds left, to send the game into overtime. Jets linebacker Eric Barton was penalized for roughing the passer after delivering a forearm to the helmet of San Diego quarterback Drew Brees on a desperate fourth-down incompletion. San Diego scored on the next play, tying the score at 17-17 at regulation's end. In the overtime, Brees brought the Chargers into position to win with a 40-yard field goal attempt by rookie Nate Kaeding, but he pushed it just right and missed. Pennington brought the Jets back, completing two passes for 29 yards -- he was 23 of 33 for 279 yards and two touchdowns in all -- and the ground game did the rest. Curtis Martin, en route to 66 yards rushing and 47 yards receiving, ran twice for 7 yards and burly Lamont Jordan bulled for 19, 3 and 2 yards before Brien entered.

This 11-year veteran, who in the first quarter muffed a 34-yard field-goal attempt, converted a 28-yarder that was nullified because the Chargers called a timeout before the play started. Brien then made the game-winner from the same distance on the next play.

"When the other kid went out to kick, I went, 'Whew, I blew it,' " Brien said. "I really thought he'd make it. I was grateful to get another chance. I wasn't going to let it pass."

Sounds like the motto for the entire Jets team in this return trip to Heinz Field, where the Steelers have won 10 consecutive regular-season home games.

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