Third quarter was key to the Steelers 35-24 win over the Chargers

January 12, 1:30 PMSports ExaminerPaula Duffy

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                  Front line of the Pittsburgh Steelers

I gave the San Diego Chargers a puncher's chance to beat the Steelers on Sunday at Heinz Field in the AFC divisional playoff game. But rather than round-house blows, the Chargers landed jabs.

Their first stunned the Steelers and their fans as Philip Rivers threw a quick strike TD to Vincent Jackson before everyone had settled into their seats.

Their second was the Nate Kaeding field goal with less than two minutes left in the first half. It gave the Chargers the lead but left the door open for what came next.

The Steelers showed the Chargers what they could expect from that moment on in the game. In a bit more than one minute, Pittsburgh struck back and this was no jab.

Adrenaline only takes you so far. When it was flowing, the bitter cold and snow meant very little to the boys of sunny Southern California. But this quick 66 yard TD drive was impressive. It left no more than 40 seconds on the game clock in the half and made a statement.

Though the score was only 14-10 at the start of the second half, you knew the Chargers were doomed. In one of the most impressive displays of power football I have ever seen, the Chargers were denied the ball for the entire third quarter except for one play from scrimmage.

That one play was a tipped pass by Rivers that became an interception. But what came next just made you fold up your tents if you were a Chargers fan.

In what they thought was another chance in that fateful third quarter, the Chargers went back to receive a punt. It landed on the head/helmet of a San Diego player and was recovered by Pittsburgh. Although they ran it into the end zone it was called back on the "muff rule". Simply put, the kicking team that recovers it can't advance it from the point of recovery. In this case that was the 22 yard line of San Diego.

The humiliating and frustrating quarter ended with the Steelers on the San Diego 1 yard line. After a breather and a change of direction to start the fourth the Chargers withstood a fourth and one to get the ball back. This should have done something to change the momentum but as I said, the third quarter was a watershed moment and couldn't be overcome.

After that the Steelers scored twice to put the game out of reach even for the most die-hard of Chargers fans. And in what I chalk up to good training and maturity, the Chargers didn't throw in the towel. They scored twice and never looked like they were defeated although we all knew they were.

Kudos to Big Ben who showed no traces of his concussion of two weeks' prior and Willie Parker who looked healthier than he has in a couple of months.

The Steelers held up their end of the bargain as a favored, home team. The only one all weekend. I'm sure the Ravens took a long look at the game and might be uttering brave things to themselves. Although they have come far with a rookie QB, I just don't see the offensive talent on the Ravens who could knock off this version of the Steelers. Thoughts?