STEELERS vs. CHARGERS
DIVISIONAL PLAYOFF GAME SUNDAY, JANUARY 11, 2009 AT HEINZ FIELD KICKOFF 4:45 P.M.
Steelers (12-4) vs. Chargers (9-8)
Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4) vs. San Diego Chargers (9-8)
Date: Sunday, Jan. 11, 2008
Kickoff: 4:45 p.m. (ET)
Site: Heinz Field (65,050) • Pittsburgh, Pa.
Playing Surface: Grass/DD Grassmaster
TV Coverage: CBS (locally KDKA-TV, channel 2)
Announcers: Jim Nantz (play-by-play) Phil Simms (color analyst)
Local Radio: Steelers Radio Network WDVE-FM (102.5)/WBGG-AM (970)
Announcers: Bill Hillgrove (play-by-play) Tunch Ilkin (color analyst) Craig Wolfley (sideline)
National Radio: Westwood One Radio
Announcers: Ian Eagle (play-by-play) Dennis Green (color) Hub Arkush (sideline)
**A Look at the Coaches
*Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin
Overall Regular-season Record: 22-10 (.688)/second season
Regular-season Record at Pittsburgh: 22-10 (.688)/second season
Playoff Record/Years: 0-1/one year
San Diego Chargers Head Coach Norv Turner
Overall Regular-season Record: 77-95-1 (.448)/11th season
Regular-season Record at San Diego: 19-13 (.594)/second season
Playoff Record/Years: 4-2/three years
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Series History
*Series History: Series began in 1971
Overall: Pittsburgh leads 20-6
At Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh leads 13-0
At San Diego: Pittsburgh leads 7-6
Neutral Sites: n/a
Last Regular-Season Meeting: Nov. 16, 2008 (in Pittsburgh) Pittsburgh 11, San Diego 10
Postseason Series: San Diego leads 2-0
*(postseason record not included in overall series record)
Pittsburgh owns a 20-6 all-time record (regular season) against the Chargers, with the Steelers leading 13-0 in Pittsburgh and 7- 6 in San Diego...the Steelers won the most recent matchup earlier this year, 11-10, at Heinz Field on Nov. 16...it marked the first game in NFL history to end with an 11-10 final score...the Steelers outgained the Chargers 410-213 in that game asQB Ben
Roethlisberger *finished with 308 yards passing,RB Willie Parker had 115 yards rushing andWR Hines Ward finished with 124yards receiving...the Steelers have won six of the past sevenregular-season games versus the Chargers...the Steelers havenever lost to the Chargers in Pittsburgh in the regular season,which is the best home record against a single opponent in theNFL at home (minimum 10 games)...the Steelers have heldChargers RB LaDainian Tomlinson under 100 yards in each ofhis four matchups with Pittsburgh...San Diego's only two wins inPittsburgh have occurred during the playoffs in the 1994 AFCChampionship Game and on Jan. 9, 1983 in the first round of theAFC Tournament...Mike Tomlin is 1-0 against the Chargers in theregular season.
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Steelers' Postseason History vs. San Diego Chargers:
*• *The Steelers will face the San Diego Chargers in the postseason for the third time in team history with the Chargers leading the series 2-0.
• This marks the first matchup between the teams at Heinz Field as the previous two meetings were both held at Three Rivers Stadium following the 1982 and 1994 seasons.
• Pittsburgh is 6-9 in the postseason against teams/franchises currently in the AFC West, including an 0-2 record against the Chargers, 3-3 versus the Denver Broncos, 3-3 against the Oakland/L.A. Raiders and 0-1 versus the Kansas City Chiefs.
• The Steelers lost to the Chargers, 17-13, in the 1994 AFC Championship Game at Three Rivers Stadium in the last postseason matchup between the teams.
• This marks the first meeting between the teams in a Divisional Playoff Game. The first game was a first-round matchup in the AFC Tournament during the 1982 strike-shortened season, and the second game was the 1994 AFC Championship Game.
• In the two postseason games, Pittsburgh has been outscored by the Chargers by a total of seven points. Following is a look at the all-time postseason games in the series history:
1/9/83 San Diego Chargers L, 28-31 AFC Tournament
1/15/95 San Diego Chargers L, 13-17 AFC Championship Game
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**Steelers-Chargers Connections
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*Steelers-Chargers Connections: Several Steelers have ties to the Chargers and the San Diego area. The Steelers have several players who are from California, including DT Chris Hoke(Long Beach), S Troy Polamalu(Garden Grove) and QB Dennis Dixon(San Leandro). In addition, Polamalu attended USC while DE Travis Kirschkeand LB Bruce Davis played at UCLA.
Chargers with ties to the Steelers and Western Pennsylvania include offensive line coach John Henry, who was born in Houston, Pa. and coached with the Steelers in 1990-91. He was a linebacker at Penn State and a guard at IUP. Henry coached at West Virginia, Edinboro, IUP and Pitt. Offensive line coach Hal Hunterwas born in Canonsburg, Pa. and coached at Pitt and IUP. TE Kris Wilson played at Pitt.
What To Look For
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*PITTSBURGH TEAM NOTES
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• The Steelers look for their first postseason victory over the San Diego Chargers in the playoffs (0-2 record).
• The Steelers look for their first postseason victory since a 21-10 victory over the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XL.
• The Steelers look to improve to 29-20 all-time in the playoffs.
• The Steelers look for their second win over the Chargers this season, defeating the Chargers 11-10 in Week 11 at Heinz Field.
• The Steelers look to improve to 14-7 all-time in divisional playoff games, including an 11-1 record at home.
*PITTSBURGH INDIVIDUAL NOTES
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*WR Hines Ward
*• *Needs three receptions to become the first receiver in team history to post at least 70 catches in the playoffs. Ward currently has 67.
• Needs 12 yards receiving to move into second place on the team's all-time list for receiving yards in the postseason. Ward currently has 896, trailing Lynn Swann (907) and John Stallworth (1,054).
• Needs 104 yards receiving to become just the second receiver in team history to post 1,000 yards receiving in the postseason. Ward currently has 896 and Stallworth finished with 1,054.
• Needs one receiving touchdown to move into a tie for second place on the team's all-time list for receiving touchdowns in the postseason. Ward currently has eight career postseason touchdowns, trailing Lynn Swann by one (9).
• Needs one catch for his 12th straight postseason game with at least one reception, the third-longest streak in team history.
