Steelers vs. Chargers

Pittsburgh -6 vs. San Diego

Every NFL playoff matchup this week is a rematch of at least one regular season game. No one game was more intriguing than the last time that San Diego and Pittsburgh met on November 16th.

The first 11-10 game in NFL history will have a rematch Sunday afternoon when the Chargers (9-8) once again travel cross country to Heinz Field. The much maligned Chargers defense held the Steelers out of the end zone, even though Pittsburgh made it inside the red zone three times.

The key game was the first of three straight losses for San Diego and seemed to seal their fate of missing the playoffs. But the Chargers rebounded to win their last four games, finish 8-8 and claim the shaky AFC West crown. Last week, the Chargers were able to show they do belong in the 2008 playoffs by defeating the Indianapolis Colts 23-17 in overtime. The Colts had won nine straight contests coming into the Wild-Card round in Qualcomm Stadium.

The Chargers have scored 34.4 points during its five-game winning streak, even largely without LaDanian Tomlinson. The All-Pro has been hampered by a groin injury and it is unclear whether he will play this week in a very cold Pittsburgh. Still Tomlinson’s limited play last week did not stop the offense let by backup back Darren Sproles and his 328 all-purpose yards and 105 rushing yards. Sproles won the game in overtime with a 22-yard gallop.

Sproles will undoubtedly be in for a tougher test when he faces off against the league’s number two defense. In the November game, San Diego was held to 66 yards on the ground and Philip Rivers was not much better, contributing only 134 yards and throwing two picks.

The Steelers (12-4) did not fare much better on offense in the earlier game and really struggled down the stretch, scoring eight touchdowns in seven games against teams that would make the playoffs. In their season finale two weeks ago, the Pittsburgh Steelers seemingly got on track by posting 31 points in a shutout victory at Cleveland. Willie Parker was back against the Browns after missing five games and posted 116 yards and a score.

Ben Roethlisberger seemed to regress this season. Last year he had 32 touchdown passes and 11 picks, but was down to 17 scores and four more interceptions. Roethlisberger suffered a concussion against Cleveland and was taken out on a stretcher. Despite always stating he would play this week, Roethlisberger had ongoing headaches last week and didn’t pass a post-concussion test until Monday.

The Chargers have also had a bit of drama this week when it was revealed that top receiver Vincent Jackson was arrested under suspicion of a DUI. Jackson had a team best 1,098 yards and will play this week.

It is good news-bad news in San Diego’s history playing in the Steel City. The Chargers have won only twice in 15 trips to Pittsburgh, but both victories came in the postseason. The last time these teams met in the postseason was in the AFC championship game in 1995, when the Chargers advanced to their first and only Super Bowl with a 17-13 victory.

InSpin.com