Divisional Playoffs - Steelers 35 Chargers 24

Steelers Advance to their 14th AFC Championship

Willie Parker of the Pittsburgh Steelers carried the ball 27 times for 146 yards
Willie Parker - 27 Carries for 146 Yards & 2 TDs

The Steelers advanced to their fourth AFC Championship Game in eight seasons as they defeated the San Diego Chargers 35-24 in an AFC Divisional contest at Heinz Field. The Pittsburgh Steelers advance to their 14th AFC Championship Game with the win.

It appeared as if the Chargers Cinderella streak would continue as San Diego struck first on the opening possession of the game.

The Chargers covered 75 yards in only four plays, taking barely two minutes off the game clock. WR Vincent Jackson got behind Steelers CB Ike Taylor and hauled in a 41-yard touchdown reception to give the Chargers a 7-0 lead.

Steelers WR Santonio Holmes evened the score when he returned a punt 67 yards for a score. San Diego retook the lead, 10-7, courtesy of a 42-yard field goal by K Nate Kaeding.

RB Willie Parker gave the Steelers a 14-10 lead that they would never relinquish with 40 seconds remaining in the first half when he ran into the end zone around left end on a three-yard touchdown scamper.

The Steelers extended their lead to 21-10 as they drove 77 yards in 13 plays, taking 7:56 off the clock with their opening possession of the third quarter. QB Ben Roethlisberger found TE Heath Miller on an eight yard touchdown reception to cap the drive.

RB Gary Russell increased the lead to 28-10 when he crossed the goal-line from one-yard out in the beginning of the fourth quarter.

San Diego scored two touchdowns, a four-yard reception by WR Legedu Naanee and a 62-yard reception by RB Darren Sproles, sandwiched around a 16-yard touchdown run by Parker, his second score of the evening, to conclude the scoring in favor of the Steelers, 35-24.

Roethlisberger had a very efficient game, completing 17-of-26 passes for 181 yards with one touchdown and a passer rating of 98.4. He improved to 6-2 (.750 pct.) in the playoffs. Parker recorded his first career 100-yard rushing performance in the postseason with 146 yards on 27 attempts (5.4 avg.) with two touchdowns. WR Hines Ward had another big postseason performance with four receptions for 70 yards (17.5 avg.), including a long reception of 41 yards.

Defensively, the Steelers sacked Rivers four times, with LB LaMarr Woodley leading the charge with two sacks. LB James Harrison and DE Brett Keisel had the other two Steelers sacks. LB Larry Foote had a third-quarter interception, the second of his postseason career.

AFC 2008 Divisional Playoffs - Pittsburgh Steelers 35 San Diego Chargers 24

Source: NFL
San Diego Chargers	7	3	0	14	24
Pittsburgh Steelers	7	7	7	14	35

Source: NFL
Team	Qtr.	Time	Scoring Play	Drive	Score
Chargers	1	12:59	Jackson 41 pass from Rivers (Kaeding kick)	4-75; 2:01	0-7
Steelers	1	7:41	Holmes 67 punt return (Reed kick)	;	7-7
Chargers	2	1:56	Kaeding 42 FG	7-20; 3:09	7-10
Steelers	2	0:40	Parker 3 run (Reed kick)	7-66; 1:16	14-10
Steelers	3	7:04	Miller 8 pass from Roethlisberger (Reed kick)	13-77; 7:56	21-10
Steelers	4	12:52	Russell 1 run (Reed kick)	2-49; 0:49	28-10
Chargers	4	9:09	Naanee 4 pass from Rivers (Kaeding kick)	10-73; 3:43	28-17
Steelers	4	4:11	Parker 16 run (Reed kick)	9-73; 4:58	35-17
Chargers	4	1:53	Sproles 62 pass from Rivers (Kaeding kick)	4-79; 0:50	35-24

Source: NFL
STATISTICS	Chargers	Steelers
1st Downs	15 (1-13-1)	22 (12-8-2)
3rd Downs	5-12 (42%)	6-14 (43%)
4th Downs	0-0 (0%)	0-2 (0%)
Total Net Yards	290	342
Plays-Avg.	51-5.7	70-4.9
Rushing Yards	15	165
Rush Att.-Avg.	12-1.3	42-3.9
Passing Yards	275	177
Att.-Comp.-Int.	35-21-1	27-17-0
Sacks By	1-4	4-33
Punts-Avg.	6-47.2	5-43.4
Penalties	8-104	7-44
Fumbles-Lost	1-1	0-0
Time of Poss.	23:30	36:30

Rushing
Chargers Sproles 11-15; Bennett 1-0.
Steelers Parker 27-146, 2 TDs; Moore 3-13; Holmes 2-7; Russell 4-5, 1 TD; Davis 1-0; Leftwich 4-(-2); Clark 1-(-4).

Passing
Chargers Rivers 35-21-1, 308, 3 TDs.
Steelers Roethlisberger 26-17-0, 181, 1 TD; Leftwich 1-0-0, 0.

Receiving
Chargers Sproles 5-91, 1 TD; Gates 5-59; Chambers 4-72; Jackson 2-49, 1 TD; Hester 2-13; Manumaleuna 1-14; Bennett 1-6; Naanee 1-4, 1 TD.
Steelers Ward 4-70; Miller 3-37, 1 TD; Washington 3-30; Davis 3-7; Holmes 2-25; Moore 2-12.

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