Much credit to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Sunday's AFC Divisional playoff win over the San Diego Chargers 35-24.
The Chargers simply were beaten by the better team. It's easy to look back at a couple fluky turnovers (the one-play drive in essentially the red zone where Philip Rivers was intercepted on a deflected pass, and the muffed punt return off Eric Weddle's helmet), but truly the deciding factor appeared to be the Steelers ball control - final drive of the first half and opening drive of the second half. In what's been a problem for the Chargers all year, they allowed Pittsburgh to move down field and take its first lead on a touchdown drive starting with under two minutes left in the second quarter. Then, as if that wasn't bad enough, the Steelers used up about 8 minutes to begin the third quarter for a killing TD drive and jump up 21-10.
Thought for a moment San Diego could get back into the game after Darren Sproles' splendid kickoff return, but the Rivers INT squelched that effort.
One storyline in the game about the Chargers was the absence of LaDainian Tomlinson. LT was inactive for the contest. No surprise considering his injury. However, could this have been his last game as a Charger? He is under contract for a few more years. San Diego is due to pay him $8.8 million for 2009. Nobody has said anything official regarding his status. I just remember the A.J. Smith quote, "You are a Charger one year at a time," and it makes me worry. I don't want to lose one of the most important players in franchise history.
LT has always had a great reputation for offseason work and conditioning. Charger management should give him the respect and have faith in him to come back stronger next season. Yes, he is getting older but the game plan doesn't revolve around him as much as it used to. I think he's got a lot of great football left in him.
And while we are at it - re-sign Darren Sproles!
Keywords: San Diego Chargers
