Text Size:
A|
A|
A
Email
Print |
 |
|
|
Peter Diana, Post-Gazette photos Steelers Casey Hampton, left, and Larry Foote watch from the bench in the final seconds of the 23-13 loss to the Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego. Click photo for larger image. 
More Coverage:
Listen In
|
 |
Coach Bill Cowher:The San Diego Chargers avenged a last-second loss to the Steelers at Qualcomm Stadium a year ago by coming back in the second half for a 23-13 victory.
The setback was the second in which the Steelers lost a lead and dropped the defending Super Bowl champs to 1-3.
"To start the season off 1-3 coming off the Super Bowl? I don't think anyone would have thought of that," receiver Hines Ward said.
"We just have to regroup right now," coach Bill Cowher said. "Obviously, it makes our next few games very important."
The Steelers lost a 10-0 second-quarter lead as quarterback Philip Rivers and halfback LaDainian Tomlinson breathed life into San Diego's offense in the second half.
Rivers threw touch- down passes of 9 yards to Malcom Floyd in the second quarter and 22 yards to Antonio Gates in the third quarter, when the Chargers (3-1) grabbed the lead. Rivers completed 24 of 37 passes for 242 yards and one interception.
Nate Kaeding kicked three field goals for the Chargers.
Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger followed a good first half with two costly interceptions in the second half. He was 20 of 31 for 220 yards, two interceptions and five sacks. He now has no touchdown passes and seven interceptions in his three games.
"I'm not going to point fingers," said Roethlisberger, who experienced his first three-game losing streak in the pros. "I'm going to point a thumb; that goes right at me."
Willie Parker scored in the first quarter on a 9-yard run and Jeff Reed kicked his first of two field goals, from 39 yards, as the Steelers jumped on top, 10-0. But the Chargers scored twice in the third quarter to take a 17-13 lead.
San Diego's running game, held to 8 yards in the first half, sprouted in the third quarter when the Chargers gained 52 yards rushing -- and finished with 119 -- to go with some slick passing by Rivers.
"He made some very accurate throws out there," Cowher said.
The Steelers ran the ball only four times in the second half and finished with just 68 yards rushing on 18 carries. Parker had 57 yards on just 14 carries.
 |
|
| Troy Polamalu grabs Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson in the fourth quarter last night. Click photo for larger image. |
|
But the momentum changed in the second half.
"It was a tale of two halves and they won the most important one," Cowher said.
The Chargers scored with 8:59 left in the game when Kaeding kicked a 33-yard field goal to give San Diego a 20-13 lead. Linebacker Larry Foote sacked Rivers on third down at the 7.
Roethlisberger followed the field goal by moving the Steelers to their 46 when, on second down and under a heavy rush by linebacker Shaun Phillip, he threw a pass up for grabs over the middle and free safety Mario McCree grabbed it. It was Roethlisberger's second interception of the half.
"In the first half, we looked like we were in control," said Ward, who led the Steelers with four receptions for 49 yards. "In the second half, we didn't do what we had to do. We can't do that on the road -- two turnovers and a punt on three possessions."
Halfback Najeh Davenport, making his first appearance in a game in a Steelers uniform, helped set up Parker's early score when he caught a pass on a slip screen and ran 32 yards to San Diego's 28. Two plays later, Parker picked up 15 to the 9 and followed with his 9-yard scoring run on the next play, with 35 seconds left in the quarter.
Reed boosted that lead to 10-0 when he kicked a 39-yard field goal with 4:55 left in the second quarter.
The Chargers scored a touchdown with 1:11 left in the first half when Malcom Floyd, a 6-foot-5 wide receiver, caught a high fade pass from Rivers from 9 yards on third down. Cornerback Deshea Townsend was in good position on Floyd, but, at 5-10, he could not leap high enough to stop it.
"It was a great pass and catch," Townsend said. "He put the ball in a spot where only his receiver could catch it."
Rivers completed three third-down passes to keep the 80-yard scoring drive going that shaved the Steelers' lead to 10-7 before Reed's second field goal put the Steelers ahead, 13-7.
San Diego's Michael Turner returned the kickoff to open the second half 51 yards and it seemed to ignite the Chargers. They made it count when Kaeding kicked a 28-yard field goal to close within 13-10.
"I always said the first series of each half is the most important of the game," Cowher said.
Roethlisberger followed by throwing an interception on a flea-flicker pass. He handed off to Parker, who flipped it back to the quarterback, who threw deep into double-coverage to Santonio Holmes. Cornerback Drayton Florence easily intercepted at the 9.
San Diego then drove 91 yards on 11 plays to take a 17-13 lead when Gates caught a 22-yard scoring pass from Rivers. Townsend again was in position to make a play on the ball inside the 10 but came up empty.
The Steelers had a promising drive moving after that when Ward caught a 24-yard pass from Roethlisberger for a first down at the Steelers' 47. But Roethlisberger was spilled on two consecutive sacks for 7 yards in losses and a screen pass to Verron Haynes on third down lost 4 yards.
"I made a huge catch and we go backwards," a dejected Ward said. "We can't do that."
