The Steelers overcame an early deficit to defeat the San Diego Chargers 35-24 tonight and advance to the AFC championship game at Heinz Field next Sunday at 6:30 p.m.

Their opponent in the title game will be the Baltimore Ravens, who finished second to the Steelers in the AFC North Division and earned the sixth and last wildcard playoff berth.

Willie Parker scored two touchdowns and rushed for a season-high 146 yards, the third most in Steelers playoff history and the most since Franco Harris had 153 vs. the Baltimore Colts in 1975. Ben Roethlisberger had a nice game at quarterback, showing no affects of his concussion from two weeks ago. He completed 17 of 26 passes for 181 yards, one touchdown, no interceptions and just one sack. He gave way to Byron Leftwich with 3:15 left in the game.

After falling behind 7-0 and 10-7, the Steelers scored touchdowns near the end of the first half and at the beginning of the second to jump in front by 11.

The Steelers added another touchdown on Gary Russell's one-yard run early in the fourth quarter for a 28-10 lead. The touchdown came one play after San Diego free safety Eric Weddle was called for a 44-yard pass interference penalty on Nate Washington.

San Diego creeped within 28-17 when Philip Rivers threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Legedu Naanee with 9:09 left, capping a 73-yard, 10-play drive.

But the Steelers responded with another scoring drive of 73 yards with Parker putting the exclamation point on his first 100-yard game in the playoffs with a 16-yard touchdown run with 4:11 left.

The Chargers kept fighting, though, and scored on a 62-yard TD pass from Philip Rivers to Darren Sproules with 1:53 left.

The victory was coach Mike Tomlin's first in the playoffs and the sixth straight by the Steelers after a playoff bye, stretching to 1994.

The Steelers were the only home team to win in the four NFL playoff games this weekend.