Bending steel

SAN DIEGO – With a flurry of passes, Philip Rivers beat Big Ben, wiped away the memories of “Martyball” and helped the San Diego Chargers make a pretty big statement.

Rivers threw two touchdown passes, including a 22-yarder to All-Pro tight end Antonio Gates midway through the third quarter that boosted the San Diego Chargers to a 23-13 victory over the slumping Super Bowl champions Sunday night.

Gates’ catch capped a remarkable 91-yard drive during which Rivers, in his first year as a starter, threw eight passes in the span of 10 plays, completing five.

“It was a little more than a win,” Rivers said. “We grew a lot as a team. We made a big step tonight.”

The Chargers know there’s a long way to go. But they also know a win over the defending NFL champions can go a long way.

San Diego (3-1) got its coach, Marty Schottenheimer, off the hot seat in the process. Schottenheimer, whose conservative approach has long been known as “Martyball,” was heavily criticized after sitting on a 13-7 halftime lead a week earlier at Baltimore. The Ravens rallied to win 16-13.

The Steelers (1-3) have lost three straight games. They also lost three straight late last season, recovered to earn a wild-card playoff spot and went on to win the Super Bowl.

The Steelers were shut out in the second half and gained just 49 yards after intermission.

Rivers and Roethlisberger were two of the top three quarterbacks taken in the 2004 draft. While Roethlisberger helped beat the Chargers here 24-22 last year when Drew Brees was San Diego’s starter, his return was a lot more painful.

He did look sharp in directing three scoring drives in the first half, but he also was pressured most of the night. He has yet to throw a touchdown pass this season and finished 20 of 31 for 220 yards.

San Diego’s go-ahead drive was set up when Roethlisberger threw long to rookie receiver Santonio Holmes on a flea-flicker and was intercepted by Drayton Florence.

The Chargers cornerback returned it to the Pittsburgh 38, but Steelers coach Bill Cowher challenged and, after a review, referee Bill Vinovich ruled that Florence had been down by contact at the 9.

Gates, mostly a forgotten man this season, finished it off when he outmuscled cornerback Deshea Townsend, then dived into the end zone for a 17-13 lead.

Rivers was 4 for 7 for 5 yards in the first quarter. He was 20 of 30 for 237 yards in the last three.

Roethlisberger helped the Steelers to a 13-7 halftime lead.

Willie Parker scored on a 9-yard run with 35 seconds left in the first quarter and Jeff Reed kicked field goals of 39 and 44 yards in the second period.

San Diego finally woke up after a lethargic start, with Rivers leading an 80-yard scoring drive capped when 6-foot-5 Malcolm Floyd outjumped 5-10 Townsend for a 9-yard catch in the left corner of the end zone with 1:11 left.

Rivers was intercepted on San Diego’s first drive when Ryan Clark wrestled the ball away from Eric Parker.

San Diego’s Nate Kaeding kicked field goals of 28, 33 and 22 yards in the fourth quarter.

LaDainian Tomlinson gained only 36 yards on 13 carries and had eight catches for 34 yards.