Philip Rivers watched Ben Roethlisberger do what the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback so often does — lead a game-tying drive late in the fourth quarter — and decided it was time for the Los Angeles Chargers to do something they so rarely do: win a big one on the road against a team with Super Bowl aspirations of their own.
So the longtime Los Angeles quarterback gathered his teammates around him and delivered a very blunt message.
“It was: ‘Let’s go win it,’” Rivers said. “’Let’s make this the last drive and win it.’”
Photo: Charles LeClaire-USA Today
Done and done.
Rivers on Sunday drove the Chargers 64 yards in 11 plays to set up Michael Badgley’s 29-yard field goal on the final snap as Los Angeles rallied for a 33-30 victory.
Badgley’s initial 39-yard attempt sailed wide left, but the Steelers were called for offsides.
Badgley’s ensuing 34-yard attempt was blocked, but Pittsburgh’s celebration was cut short when the Steelers were again flagged for crossing the line of scrimmage early.
The Steelers jumped once more Badgley’s 29-yarder, but the Chargers gleefully declined the penalty as they spilled onto the field.
“There was no worry or doubt,” Badgley said. “It’s just one of those things where you stay tough. It’s a situation you never really plan out there where you get three in a row like that. You just have to go do what you know how to do.”
Down 23-7 at halftime, the Chargers (9-3) became the first visiting team to win in Pittsburgh after trailing by 16.
The Steelers (7-4-1) had been 174-0-1 when up by that much at home. Now Pittsburgh head into the final quarter of the season having their once comfortable lead in the American Football Conference North trimmed to just half a game over surging Baltimore (7-5).
“Don’t need to panic,” Roethlisberger said. “Don’t need to worry.”
Might be time to start.
The Steelers have dropped two straight for the first time this season and seemingly had no answer to the Chargers in the second half.
Rivers completed 26 of 36 passes for 299 yards and two touchdowns for Los Angeles.
Keenan Allen caught 14 passes for 148 yards and a score, while Justin Jackson ran for 63 yards and a touchdown in place of injured starter Melvin Gordon.
Desmond King added a 73-yard punt return for a score as the Chargers bolstered their post-season chances by winning in Pittsburgh for just the fourth time in 19 tries.
“These guys, they believe,” Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn said. “When you believe in something strongly, you can will it to happen.”
Roethlisberger threw for 281 yards with two scores and an interception for the Steelers.
Antonio Brown caught 10 passes for a season-high 154 yards and a touchdown.
James Conner added 60 yards rushing and two touchdowns before leaving in the fourth quarter with a leg injury.
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