SportsDirect Inc. staff
Dec 9, 2012
Chargers 34, Steelers 24: Philip Rivers threw three touchdown passes and visiting San Diego forced two Ben Roethlisberger turnovers to win in Pittsburgh for the first time in 15 regular-season trips.
Danario Alexander caught seven passes for 88 yards and two touchdowns for the Chargers (5-8), who snapped a four-game losing streak and won for just the second time in nine games.
Mike Wallace had seven catches for 112 yards and two scores for the Steelers (7-6), who remained tied for the final AFC playoff spot when Cincinnati lost to Dallas.
Roethlisberger was not sharp in his return from shoulder and rib injuries, completing 22 of 42 passes for 285 yards. He had three late touchdowns but also threw an interception and had an errant throw bounce off a lineman's back and turn into a San Diego touchdown. It was ruled a backward pass that Quentin Jammer recovered in the end zone, and the call was upheld after a review to make it 27-3.
Pittsburgh punted on its first six possessions and turned it over on downs on the seventh before Shaun Suisham's 49-yard field goal made it 13-3 with four seconds left in the opening half. The Steelers picked up just two first downs in their first seven possessions.
GAME NOTEBOOK: The Chargers coach Norv Turner beat the Steelers for the first time in seven meetings. … Despite the loss, the Steelers limited San Diego to 294 total yards, the eighth consecutive game they have held an opponent under 300 yards. … Pittsburgh managed just 69 rushing yards and has failed to reach 100 yards in four of the past five games.