San Diego Union-Tribune
http://www3.signonsandiego.com/sports/chargers/
Sunday, November 16, 2008
PITTSBURGH - NOVEMBER 16: Hines Ward #86 of the Pittsburgh Steelers runs after a fourth quarter catch past Antoine Cason #20 of the San Diego Chargers on November 16, 2008 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh won the game 11-10. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH — PITTSBURGH … Maybe it was all too fitting that it happened here, in Heinz Field, where the Chargers found a variety of ways – maybe around 57 of them – for their season to reach the unofficial finish line on Nov. 16.
Because, if the fat Wagnerian mother didn't sing here Sunday as the gray sky sprinkled dandruff on her shoulders, she was spraying her throat, getting ready for her last great aria.
"We've continually backed ourselves into a corner," linebacker Matt Wilhelm would say, "and we're facing that corner now."
Wiggle room? Gone.
Bad enough the Chargers were holding out hope that having their lifeline attached to the leaky AFC West dinghy might save them. They should have tried saving themselves first.
The Steelers' 11-10 victory may not have canned the Chargers' disappointing season in a Ball jar, but if you can see this 4-6 team playing in January, you've probably noticed pollywogs on Saturn.
They appear finished.
The Denver Broncos, now 6-4, went to Atlanta Sunday and won a game. So, by the time this one kicked off, San Diego knew what it had to do. And it didn't do it, because it couldn't, as it has been unable to all year.
The Chargers seemingly have played this entire season waiting for the Broncos to screw up. Well, as bad as Denver is, it hasn't screwed up enough and the team chasing its behind has. This is no way to run a football season.
They lost yet another close game. Their six defeats have come by a total of 25 points, three of them in the final 24 seconds (the Steelers' Jeff Reed kicked a 32-yard field goal with 11 seconds remaining).
"Well, we were close," is not a rack to hang your hat on. Close stinks, when your number is lower than the other guy's.
Doesn't anybody think teams that aren't all that good lose close games? The better ones – and Pittsburgh, while not of its '70s stature, is good enough – find ways to win.
It can be said the Steelers didn't deserve to win this thing any more than the Chargers did, but it wouldn't be right. The Steelers made plays when they had to and the Chargers didn't. Funny how games almost always come down to plays.
"We felt we were in control," said Rivers, who may have had his worst game as a professional. "We knew it was going to be that type of game. I made too many mistakes and we came up short."
PITTSBURGH - NOVEMBER 16: Ben Roethlisberger #7 of the Pittsburgh Steelers react to Jeff Reed's late field goal to beat the San Diego Chargers 11-10 on November 16, 2008 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
He did. It's hard to place the blame on one player, but if Rivers is going to lead his team to greater things, he has to be better than he was here. If he's just average, his playmates, despite their flaws, would have gone home happy.
Rivers held onto the ball too long in his own end zone, had the ball stripped, and the Steelers had a safety. At the end of the half, he had his offense in position to make it mighty tough for the hosts on this dreary day. With a first down on the Steelers' 17 and 1:33 to play to the break, he had receiver Vincent Jackson open, badly underthrew him, and linebacker James Harrison intercepted the pass.
According to coach Norv Turner: "He yanked it." According to Rivers: "It stayed in my hand too long. It was really a poor throw."
So, at the very least, assuming Nate Kaeding would make a field goal there – as it was, he missed a 42-yarder in the third quarter than might have been enough – San Diego could have found itself up 10-5 or 14-5 at intermission, instead of 7-5.
Points weren't falling like snowflakes. It sure didn't appear Pittsburgh was going to score a touchdown after it got real close once and the Chargers defense stuffed it, stopping the Steelers on downs at the goal line.
Meanwhile, while San Diego's defense surrendered yards – quarterback Ben Roethlisberger threw for 308 of them and tailback Willie Parker added 115 on the ground – it did its job until, you guessed it, the final minutes. The Steelers, down 10-8, got the ball on their own 13 with 6:31 remaining, and 13 plays later got it close enough for Reed to kick the 32-yard winner.
Under new coordinator Ron Rivera, the Chargers defense did some good things, some clever things. It sacked Roethlisberger four times, but it allowed far too many plays (73) and the Steelers had the ball almost a full quarter more than they did. Helping the visitors were the hosts' 13 penalties for 115 yards (the Chargers were flagged twice for 5).
This team never should lose a game when the other team scores 11 points. That's right. Never.
Tailback LaDainian Tomlinson, who had some good moments, agreed, saying, "They didn't score a touchdown. It's hard to believe we lost a game to a team that didn't score a touchdown."
It is, but it isn't. The Chargers now have lost five road games. They have become terrible while away, and it's not like they're the perfect storm at home, either.
When you're not good, it doesn't matter where you play.
Fat lady? Listen for your cue.
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