Up until this point, Pittsburgh hadn’t be able to get their running back Rashard Mendenhall going. San Diego wasn’t able to stop him. Mendenhall helped Pittsburgh run a big lead up, then made sure they didn’t give another lead up due to a bad fourth quarter.

With his 165 rushing yards and two touchdowns, Mendenhall exceeded his previous career numbers. Ben Roethlisberger got the quick starting Steelers off with his passing as Pittsburgh opened a lead of 28 points up and then held on to defeat San Diego on Sunday night 38-28.

Mewelde Moore, Steelers running back, caught one touchdown pass and also threw one to Heath Miller from a play at the goal line. Pittsburgh (2-2), who during the last two weeks have been beaten by Cincinnati and Chicago in the final seconds, built a lead so big that their poor fourth quarter this time didn’t matter. During the final minute, Jeff Reed capped off the scoring with a field goal from 46 yards.

Roethlisberger said, we haven’t been finishing. This week we did it.

Until late third quarter San Diego (2-2), who was out gained almost 4 to 1 and 497 overall yards to 251, was able to make what appeared to be a blowout into a close game. During the fourth quarter Philip Rivers had a touchdown pass to Antonio Gates of 30 yards and another one to Chris Chambers from 13 yards, while Jacob Hester scored a touchdown on a fumble return of 41 yards.

Mendenhall, a first round pick of 2008, came into the game with 103 career yards rushing with no touchdowns. He was finally able to run out of the dog house of coach Mike Tomlin. He was filling in for Willie Parker who was out with an injured toe. Last week, Mendenhall didn’t get even one carry during the team’s loss in Cincinnati 23-0 because Tomlin didn’t think he knew the plays.

Mendenhall said, I didn’t have any chips on my shoulder. He challenge me. It was a good learning experience for me. I have always been confident. I always knew sooner or later I would get the opportunity to show what I can do.

The game’s first three plays indicated how the rematch from the AFC plays was going to play out. Ben Roethlisberger connected with Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes on 15 yard pass plays and also connected with Mike Wallace, the rookie, on a pass of 35 yards. Mendenhall then carried the ball three times to cover the last 14 yards and score the first touchdown of his career 3:11 into the game.

Max Starks, Steelers tackle said, Rashard was able to really prove himself.

The Chargers went three plays and out. Pittsburgh was then able to put a drive of 75 yards together. It started out with three runs by Mendenhall, and was capped off with Roethlisberger connecting with Ward for 15 yards, Holmes for 11 yards, and twice to Moore for 23 yards. The touchdown covered 19 yards.

Norv Turner, Chargers coach said, during the first half they played as well as the team could play. From our standpoint obviously we want to think there are things we can do to handle that. We didn’t respond how I wanted us to.

Roethlisberger went 26 for 33 for a total of 333 yards passing, while Ward caught eight passes for 113 yards receiving. Early on Roethlisberger got Pittsburgh moving so well that Tomlin let him run a quarterback sneak on fourth down and one at the 30 yard line of the Steelers to get a first down. The drive ended on a 2 yard run by Mendenhall to score the third touchdown for Pittsburgh.

Clinton Hart, Chargers safety said, in all phases they had it. When you get it going like they did, it’s hard stopping them. They are the world champions. They came out to play.

Last season during the fourth week Mendenhall’s rookie season ended with a fractured shoulder. He came in with 103 career rushing yards in seven games played. By late third quarter he had 100 yards. During the fourth quarter he had a run of 32 yards versus the No. 26 ranked rushing defense in the NFL.

Mendenhall said, I wanted people to be able to see me for who I am. I was able this time to do that. It was the first time of my career that I played a full game.

I don’t take any credit, said Tomlin. I didn’t have one single rushing yard.

With 4:08 left first quarter and Pittsburgh leading 14-0, some viewers on NBC may have had the temptation to switch to CBS to watch Three Rivers, the medical drama based in Pittsburgh, with San Diego struggling against those same three rivers.

However, you couldn’t fault Rivers. With no support from the running game, LaDainian Tomlinson only rushed for 15 yards in seven carries, San Diego’s quarter didn’t really have much of an opportunity for getting the offense going until things were basically out of hand. Rivers went 21 for 36 for a total of 254 yards passing with three touchdown passes. During his last two games he passed for 739 yards. Pittsburgh held onto the football for almost 23 minutes during the first half, while San Diego had the ball for only seven minutes.

Rivers said, the team we played had a 1-2 record. They were firing on all of their cylinders and were very hungry. We had an off night. At least at the end we made things uncomfortable for them.

It was the third time that San Diego had played at Heinz Field in the last 11 months. That’s as many times as University of Pittsburgh, stadium tenant, has played there. It was also their third loss in as many games. During regular season play, San Diego playing in Pittsburgh is 0-14. However during the post season they have won twice there.

The Chargers were trailing 28-0 in the game before having a possession ending in something other than a punt. San Diego didn’t advance the ball inside the 20 yard line until the third quarter when Gates caught a touchdown pass from 3 yards out.

Early fourth quarter the Chargers cut the lead to 28-14 when Pittsburgh thought that Stefan Logan had been downed on his punt return before fumbling the ball. However, he wasn’t. Hester returned the ball to the end zone and was not contested. Pittsburgh challenged the call unsuccessfully.