Chargers-Steelers Live Blogging: First Quarter

Our telecast begins with Steeler Fan showing us that they enjoy gimp masks, and lots of glorious HD snow. Nothing beats football in snow in HD, kids. Sproles takes the kickoff back to the 25 as I try to get past The Creepy.

First play from scrimmage is a throwback out to Gates, who goes for 25. Big and useful start for the road team. Sproles for no gain on a carry, but he's able to get free for 13 and a first on a nice little screen to the right. Then, Philip Rivers throws a perfect deep ball to Vincent Jackson, who wins the fistfight with Ike Taylor for the touchdown. Two minutes into the game, and the fourth road team of the weekend has a lead. OK, byes suck. Jackson draws 15 for celebrating, and it's 7-0 Chargers. Good grief.

A short and bad kick is brought back to the 40. Parker finds room and a burst for a first down. Next play is the same for less impact, but it's still positive. A third time gets the Fast One another nice little gain, and the first. Bubble screen to Ward looks good, but comes back on a hold by Holmes. Ward gets blown up on the same play, but the fact that Ben's got all kinds of time is promising. A nice ball to Miller gets back 7 yards, and from the gun on third, Ben has time against the blitz, but misses high to Holmes. From the 35, Tomlin goes for it -- fine play call, but I'd have ran it on third and made this down more manageable -- and from the gun, the Steelers get tricky with a lefty quick kick from Ben. It's ugly, but it's also downed on the 8, and the Steeler defense will try to get their bearings after the commerce.

The Chargers go three and out with two Sproles run and an incomplete, and then Santonio Holmes makes everyone who thought the Chargers would have a huge edge in punting eat their words with a knife and fork. The punt went 54, and the return went 68, with Holmes hurdling a man and bulling his way in at the close. The big play ties the game at 7 with 7:41 left in the quarter, and the reaction shot of Rivers on the sidelines is priceless, provided you don't like Rivers very much, and, well, that's most of the NFL. He's pouty!

The gimps are happy and waving towels; I think that means they like water sports. Charger Fan might have a gripe with a marginal clip call, but that coverage was just plain terrible. A spread run to Bennett goes nowhere, and Jacob Hester is flagged for a face mask to boot. A deep out to Chambers gets back the flag. On second down, Bennett goes down on first contract from a short toss. Third down needs 7 yards, and Rivers from the gun gets it to Gates, who seems a lot healthier this week. The field also seems to be in better shape than usual; more frozen than mucky.

From their 43, a false start shows the Chargers still trying to make things hard on themselves. Sproles gets back some on first, but a coverage sack by David Woodley creates third and 20 and a delay flag. Not exactly a good series of downs for the road team there, and even Simms is on the zero clock bandwagon. The safety handoff to Sproles isn't very safe at all, as Farrior nearly takes the handoff, and Scifres punts on 4th and 24. He keeps it out of bounds rather than face the power of Mewelde Moore -- interesting that Tomlin doesn't give Holmes that job again -- and the Steelers will start at the 26 after the commerce.

Parker for a yard, no real hole there. Ben pumps and goes deep with Washington falling from contact, and there's no flag on what would have been a marginal call. On third, Chargers' safety Eric Weddle comes clean and eventually wrestles Ben down for the three and out. Berger's punt gets a good bounce, and a clip makes it even better. The Chargers will start at their own 18.

CBS can't get enough of the Steeler Gimps. Sproles starts it with a hole and a burst, and he gets 8 yards for his first good run of the day. On second, there's a crowd in the backfield, but the dimunitive one gets out of it to move the chains. At the end of the first, it's 7-7, and once again, the bye and the home field doesn't seem to be impressing anyone. Sheesh.