There were several worthy candidates -- Ben Roethlisberger and Brett Keisel, to name two -- but a breakout game by RB Willie Parker pumped some renewed life into the offense, which managed its most points since Cincinnati (38) in Week 6. Parker finished with 146 yards on 27 carries and two touchdowns, including a 16-yard scoring run with 4:11 remaining to cement the victory. His total was the third highest in postseason franchise history and the most since Franco Harris rushed for 153 yards against the Baltimore Colts Dec. 27, 1975.

A quick look at yesterday's top performances:

1. SANTONIO HOLMES PUNT RETURN: His 67-yard return for touchdown in the first quarter did for the Steelers what Maurice Jones-Drew's 96-yard kick return did last year for Jacksonville in the Steelers' playoff loss to the Jaguars at Heinz Field. One series after the Chargers scored on the opening possession for a 7-0 lead, he returned Mike Scifres punt for a touchdown -- the first by the team since Holmes had a 65-yarder in Week 14 against Carolina in 2006. "It was a big lift for the entire team," said inside linebacker James Harrison.

2. GIVE FOOTE A HAND: One play after Darren Sproles returned a kickoff 63 yards to the Steelers' 23, ILB Larry Foote picked off Philip River's deflected pass, quickly ending any notion the Chargers might have had of slicing into the Steelers' 21-10 lead. It was Foote's first interception of the season.

3. BACK-TO-BACK SCORING DRIVES: After not scoring a touchdown in the first meeting against the Chargers, the Steelers scored two on consecutive series at the end of the first half and start of the second. Setting it all up was a 41-yard reception by Hines Ward that carried to the Chargers' 3 on the first drive.

4. GIVING THE CHARGERS THE WILLIES: Parker put the finishing touches on his season-high rushing performance, answering a scoring drive by the Chargers that made it 28-17 by scoring on a 16-yard run -- a drive that saw Parker carry five times for 53 yards.

5. KEISEL WAS LIKE A DIESEL: After a failed fake punt gave the Chargers the ball at the Steelers' 44, DE Brett Keisel stopped Darren Sproles for a 1-yard loss on first down, then dropped him for a 5-yard loss three plays later, forcing the Chargers to settle for a field goal and a 10-7 lead.

17: That's the number of seconds the San Diego Chargers possessed the ball in the third quarter, and it included two plays -- a 63-yard kick return by Darren Sproles that took 11 seconds and a pass that was intercepted by Larry Foote that took six seconds.

Offensive coordinator Bruce Arians said during the week he wasn't about to play scared against the Chargers, and coach Mike Tomlin confirmed as much with several daring calls. Nonetheless, his nerve got in the way of what seemed like a prudent decision when he elected to disdain the FG on fourth down at the Chargers' 1 with the Steelers leading, 21-10, in the fourth quarter. A field goal would have forced the Chargers to score two touchdowns, not a TD and field goal. "I want our football team to know I have a great deal of belief in them," Tomlin said.

"Man, that sparked the team. Guys have been asking me to get the game started with a punt return. I was just trying to get to the end zone fast as possible." -- Santonio Holmes on his 67-yard punt return

SUNDAY, 6:30 P.M.: The Steelers won both games against the Ravens this season, including 23-20 in overtime in Week 3 at Heinz Field. The Steelers are 0-2 in AFC title games at Heinz Field (2001, '04)

Maybe the only scoring drive more important than the one at the end of the first half was the one that followed it at the beginning of the second half. Combined, those drives -- 66 and 77 yards -- allowed the Steelers to turn a 10-7 deficit in the second quarter into a 21-10 lead in the third. And it was Roethlisberger who was at his best, completing 9 of 12 passes for 132 yards and converting all four third-down conversions on those drives.