(Sports Network) - OK, folks, perhaps it's time for a reality check.

Though they've been among the conference's best for the last several seasons and are perennially atop every list of favorites to reach the Super Bowl, perhaps the truth lies somewhere else.

Maybe, just maybe...the San Diego Chargers aren't really that good.

Oh sure, they've got the league's most prodigious TD-scoring running back and the quarterback who, until last January anyway, was looking like a better draft choice than that kid in blue from New Jersey.

And they maintain a solid defense even without Shawne Merriman, who called a halt to his season early on after initially choosing to play in spite of a shredded set of knee ligaments.

Problem is, it's still not translating on the field.

The Chargers stand at a less-than-stellar 4-5 through nine games of 2008, a game behind surprising front-runner Denver and just two and three games, respectively, ahead of the West's flotsam and jetsam in Oakland and Kansas City.

In fact, San Diego was just a point better than the latter last week, defeating the visiting 1-8 Chiefs by a waaaaaaaay-too-close 20-19 verdict after Kansas City misfired on a two-point conversion with 23 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.

LaDainian Tomlinson rushed 22 times for just 78 yards against a Chiefs run defense ranked at or near the bottom of the league in just about every meaningful category.

It marked the sixth time this year he averaged fewer than four yards per carry.

A toe injury suffered in Week 1 is speculated to be a factor in Tomlinson's regression, but the running back dispelled the notion his health is a factor.

"Physically, I'm fine," Tomlinson said.

"That's where I am. Mentally, I'm good. We're having our ups and downs this season. Obviously, it can drain you mentally. Mentally, it's hard to act like we're in great shape. I'm as healthy as I've ever been."

Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Steelers are having their own health issues.

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has taken both physical and emotional hits over the past several weeks since the warm and fuzzy glow of a 5-1 start.

The former Miami of Ohio standout, who'd already been gutting out a partially separated shoulder, took a few additional blows to the psyche in the midst of a 24-20 loss to the Indianapolis Colts.

The loss dropped Pittsburgh to 6-3 and into a first-place tie in the AFC North with Baltimore.

He tossed an interception in the late going of the first half that allowed the Colts to trim a 10-point deficit to three, then, with less than 5 minutes remaining in the game, threw another pick that kick-started a drive resulting in the winning points for Indy with 3:10 left.

Roethlisberger threw for 284 yards on 30-of-42 passing and was sacked just twice after being a human punching bag for most of the season, but the picks overshadowed any good the quarterback may have done.

"If this was an individual sport and I lost a game I wouldn't feel so bad," he said. "Letting the guys down. Letting your teammates down. It hurts because you never hear me say I anything, but I lost this game and it hurts.

"It's frustrating because you feel like you played well and the turnover at the end of the half, and the turnover at the end, it's frustrating. When you feel like it is your fault, it really hurts. I take it on myself, I let the guys down, offense and defense, but the good thing is that it is not the end of the season, we'll come back."

SERIES HISTORY

Pittsburgh has a 19-6 edge in its all-time regular season series with San Diego, but had a five-game winning streak in the series snapped with a 23-13 road loss in the 2006 season. The Steelers last defeated the Chargers in 2005 at Qualcomm Stadium, and were 40-24 winners when the clubs last met in Pittsburgh, in 2003. The Chargers are 0-12 in regular season games played in Pittsburgh all-time.

The Chargers have won twice in the Steel City, with those victories coming in the only two postseason meetings between the clubs all-time. The Bolts were 31-28 road winners in a 1982 AFC First-Round Playoff and stunned the Steelers, 17-13, on the road in the 1994 AFC Championship.

San Diego head coach Norv Turner is 0-2 in his career against the Steelers, with one loss each while with the Redskins (1997) and Raiders (2004). Pittsburgh's Mike Tomlin will be meeting both Turner and the Chargers for the first time as a head coach.

WHEN THE CHARGERS HAVE THE BALL

Statistically, there are still myriad reasons to fear the Chargers. Quarterback Philip Rivers leads the AFC with a 106.3 passer rating and, in his career against conference foes, has a 23-8 record as starter with 47 TDs vs. 27 interceptions and an 89.5 passer rating. In his past four games, Rivers has completed 92-of-132 passes for 1,171 yards with 10 TDs and a 109.8 passer rating. He's aiming for a fifth consecutive game with two or more TD passes. Tomlinson has three rushing TDs in three career meetings with the Steelers, and is averaging 91.5 rush yards per game in past two. At tight end, Antonio Gates aims for a third consecutive game with a TD reception against Pittsburgh. Gates leads all NFL tight ends with six touchdowns and aims for a third straight game with a score. At wideout, Vincent Jackson (621) needs three receiving yards to surpass his career-high of 623 yards in 2007. He has three TDs in the past four games. Elsewhere, wide receiver Malcom Floyd also has three TD receptions in four games. Overall, the Chargers average 349.3 yards per week and have a minus-3 turnover ratio. Rivers is second in the conference with 2,354 passing yards and first in the league with 21 touchdowns, while Tomlinson is third in the AFC with 629 yards and Gates is tied for first with his six TD catches.

The Steelers' signature stinginess hasn't changed in 2008. Pittsburgh is allowing a paltry 240.3 yards per game to opponents, the best mark in the NFL. Linebacker James Harrison has burst through for eight sacks in his last six games and is tied for second in the league with a season total of 11. Fellow linebacker LaMarr Woodley has 8.5 sacks in his last six, helping push the team total to a league-best 34. Meanwhile, strong safety Troy Polamalu leads the Steelers with three interceptions.

WHEN THE STEELERS HAVE THE BALL

The Steelers have a little statistical mojo on their side as well, in the form of a 12-0 record against the Chargers and an average of 28.8 points per game in those games. Additionally, Pittsburgh is 5-1 against the AFC in 2008. For his career, Roethlisberger is 24-8 at home and has completed 521-of-829 passes for 6,694 yards, 47 TDs and a 90.4 passer rating. Including playoffs, the team is 29-2 when he has an in-game passer rating of 100.0 or better. On the ground, Willie Parker, who is expected to return from a shoulder injury this week, is averaging 101.5 rush yards per game and has six games with 100-plus yards in his last nine at home. Backfield mate Mewelde Moore totaled 105 yards in Parker's absence last week (57 rushing, 48 receiving). Among the receivers, veteran Hines Ward posted a season-best 116 yards last week and aims for back- to-back 100-yard games for first time since 2002. Also, Nate Washington is averaging 18 yards per catch in 2008 - 21 receptions, 379 yards. The Steelers are averaging 288 yards per game and have a minus-2 turnover margin.

The defense has suffered without Merriman, allowing 368 yards per game and falling out of many league-leadership positions in turnovers and sacks. Linebacker Shaun Phillips tops the team with 3.5 sacks in nine games, while cornerback Antonio Cromartie is tops in San Diego in interceptions with just two. Still Cromartie, who had 10 picks last year, is tied for first in the league - with St. Louis Rams defensive back Oshiomogho Atogwe - since the start of 2007 with 12. Overall, the Chargers are 7-0 in games where Cromartie picks off at least one pass.

FANTASY FOCUS

In this game, the weapons are plenty. The Chargers boast of a prolific Rivers at quarterback and a consistently league-leading Tomlinson in the backfield. Gates has long been among the NFL's top tight ends, while Jackson and Chris Chambers provide compelling options through the air as well. For the Steelers, Roethlisberger is surely among the league's best, Parker is a yard-gobbling machine and Hines Ward broke through for a triple-digit game last week. Defensively, the Steelers are a clear superior in terms of their sacks and ability to limit points, while the Chargers may have more of a penchant for the turnover or the long return play.

OVERALL ANALYSIS

It's another of those "who needs it more" sort of games. Both teams are embroiled in surprising divisional races, the Chargers with the Broncos and the Steelers with the Ravens. San Diego, however, is more likely to remain in contention for the long haul even with a loss. For Pittsburgh, the schedule gets markedly more difficult in the next few weeks, with trips to New England, Baltimore and Tennessee wrapped around a home date with Dallas between now and Christmas. So, in order to maintain head-above-water status, it'd behoove the hosts in particular to win here.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Steelers 28, Chargers 20