Midway through the third quarter of the Steelers-Chargers game on Sunday night, I started pounding away at a post dedicated to how Pittsburgh silenced its critics with a dominating victory over San Diego.

Seriously, I was finished outside of adding the final score and some stats. And it was good too. It was about how the Steelers got back to their grass roots while running the ball down the Chargers’ throats, controlling the time of possession and finally playing four quarters. At the time, Pittsburgh was up 28-0 and the game was essentially over as San Diego was on life support.

Then Jacob Hester made an incredible play early in the fourth when he stripped Stefan Logan on a punt return and raced 41 yards into the end zone to cut Pittsburgh’s lead to 28-14.

No problem I thought, a couple extra sentences ought to cover me as the Steelers answered Hester’s touchdown with one of their own to make it 35-14.

Then the journalism gods decided to punish me for writing a recap when the freaking game wasn’t even finished, because the Chargers got within one touchdown of the Steelers late in the fourth before Pittsburgh iced the game with a 46-yard Jeff Reed field goal to give the Steelers a 38-28 victory.

Annnnnnnnnddddd delete.

In reality, not much changed from the time the Steelers were up 28-0 to the time they walked away with a 38-28 win. They still dominated a hapless San Diego run defense by racking up 177 yards on the ground (Rashard Mendenhall finally strapped on the big boy pants and rushed for 165 yards and two touchdowns on 29 carries) and kept the ball for 40 minutes and 20 seconds, compared to the Chargers’ 19 minutes and 40 seconds.

Pittsburgh dominated this game, but it can’t sit well with Mike Tomlin that his team nearly had another fourth quarter collapse. The Steelers can’t figure out a way to put their opponents away and I don’t know if that’s coaching or if the players are at fault for letting up. Either way, it’s a troubling sign so far for a defending Super Bowl champion that has split its first four games of the season and has looked rather mediocre.

Nevertheless, the Steelers earned their second victory of the year and did so by running the ball. Granted, Ben Roethlisberger looked great and the pass protection was outstanding, but this is a team that needs to run the football when the weather starts to turn and Pittsburgh did so tonight.

As for the Chargers, I applaud them for making it close in the end, but Norv Turner’s bunch didn’t show up until seven minutes left in the third when Hester gave them a spark. They were completely dominated in most phases of the game and all of a sudden they have zero running game. For a team that was supposed to walk away with the AFC West, San Diego barely looks like a .500 team right now.

Here are quick-hit previews for all the games in Week 4 of the NFL.

Ravens (3-0) at Patriots (2-1), 1:00PM ET
Baltimore must pressure Tom Brady more than Atlanta did last week if it wants to leave Foxboro with a victory today. It would be wise for the Ravens to stay balanced offensively and grind down a New England defense that looked good for the first time last week. The Pats did a great job establishing the run in their win over the Falcons. If they can do that again, things will open in the passing game and Brady can take advantage of a Baltimore secondary that has not played well so far.

Lions (1-2) at Bears (2-1), 1:00PM ET
Fresh off their first victory in nearly 20 tries, the Lions look to pull off an upset in Solider Field. Detroit could be without running back Kevin Smith, so look for the Lions to throw early and often to take advantage of a suspect Chicago secondary. The Bears will look to establish the ground game with Matt Forte, although Jay Cutler should make more than enough plays in the passing game against a brutal Detroit defense.

Bucs (0-3) at Redskins (1-2), 1:00PM ET
Jim Zorn’s team has a lot to prove this week after losing to the Lions last Sunday. They’ll take on a Bucs team that they can dominate as long as Zorn doesn’t get conservative with his play calling. Washington needs to throw the ball vertically against a brutal Tampa secondary or else they’ll once again give an inferior opponent a chance to win. The Bucs will start Josh Johnson at quarterback and the O-line must give him time to throw or else his inexperience will shine through. It would be nice if Kellen Winslow and Antonio Bryant (who is questionable to play) could step up and help the young man out.

Titans (0-3) at Jaguars (1-2), 1:00PM ET
Will Jeff Fisher’s team fall to 0-4 a year after they started 10-0 and had the best record in the AFC? Keys to victory for the Titans are to run the ball offensively, stuff the box with eight defenders to stop Maurice Jones-Drew, and to get better in a hurry in pass coverage. If they can force David Garrard to beat them throwing the ball, they should be fine. Offensively, however, they need to get Chris Johnson and the running game going to take pressure off Kerry Collins.

Raiders (1-2) at Texans (1-2), 1:00PM ET
Will the real Texans please stand up? Houston has enough talent to make the playoffs, but their inconsistent play so far this season is maddening. They have a prime opportunity to earn another win today, as Oakland continues to struggle moving the ball offensively. The Texans can’t allow Darren McFadden to run wild because that will take pressure off quarterback JaMarcus Russell and the passing game. If Houston can establish its run game early, take shots down field in the passing game with Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson, then they should control this contest from the onset and take home a victory.

Bengals (2-1) at Browns (0-3), 1:00PM ET
Cincinnati needs to continue to play with the raw energy it displayed in its first three games. The Browns have had major offensive issues, but will start Derek Anderson over Brady Quinn today in hopes of generating a spark. Anderson is turnover-prone, but he has a stronger arm than Quinn and can move the ball vertically. The Bengals can’t fall asleep in this one and think that they have an easy win. They need to shut down Cleveland’s poor running game and force the Browns to become one-dimensional. If they do that, Anderson should make a mistake or two to turn the game in Cincinnati’s favor.

Seahawks (1-2) at Colts (3-0), 1:00PM ET
It doesn’t appear that any defense can slow down Peyton Manning and the Colts’ offense, which is a troubling sign for a Seattle defense that has struggled the past two weeks. Without Matt Hasselbeck, the Seahawks need to try and control this game by wearing down Indy’s front seven. If they can keep the ball out of Manning’s hands, they’ll have a shot, but it’s going to be hard without a dominating running game and Seneca Wallace starting under center. Things could get ugly in a hurry at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Giants (3-0) at Chiefs (0-3), 1:00PM ET
The Chiefs could take advantage of a banged up Giants defense if they can protect Matt Cassel. New York has terrorized opposing quarterbacks so far this season and if KC can’t keep Cassel upright, then they don’t stand a chance. The Giants do a great job of mass-protecting Eli Manning, but the Chiefs still need to send extra defenders in hopes of disrupting his timing. If not, Manning will pick their KC’s defense apart as it continues to struggle with adjusting to the 3-4.

Jets (3-0) at Saints (3-0), 4:05PM ET
How great will this matchup be? The Jets will use multiple defensive fronts in hopes of disrupting Drew Brees’ timing in the passing game. Rex Ryan will use confusion to hide where extra defenders are coming from in attempt to slow this explosive Saints’ offense down. New Orleans has an outstanding offensive line, but received a huge blow earlier this week when Jammal Brown was placed on IR. Can the Saints establish a running game and protect Brees? Or will he be another QB that falls victim to Ryan’s aggressive game planning?

Bills (1-2) at Dolphins (3-0), 4:05PM ET
The Dolphins are in crisis mode after falling to 0-3 and losing Chad Pennington to a season-ending shoulder injury. Chad Henne will start in his place and if Miami can’t establish the run against a banged up Buffalo defense, then they’re going to have issues moving the ball offensively. The Bills need to find a way to get T.O. more involved in the offense before he strangles Trent Edwards in the huddle. If Buffalo can take advantage of the T.O.-Sean Smith matchup, they could flourish today at Land Shark Stadium.

Cowboys (2-1) at Broncos (3-0), 4:15PM ET
The Broncos will get their first real test of the year after earning wins over the Bengals, Browns and Raiders to start the season. The offense hasn’t taken shape under Josh McDaniels, but it has shown signs of improvement and this might be the game everything comes together against a Dallas defense that has been inconsistent in all phases. Tony Romo needs to limit the mistakes against a Broncos defense that is allowing less than a touchdown a game. Tashard Choice is expected to see the majority of the carries today as Marion Barber and Felix Jones battle through injuries. Can Choice carry the full rushing load?

Rams (0-3) at 49ers (2-1), 4:15PM ET
The 49ers will be without Frank Gore in this matchup, but rookie Glen Coffee had a great preseason and if he can build off his success he’ll lead San Fran to victory today. The Rams are bad in all phases of the game, although Kyle Boller arguably gives them more offensive firepower than Marc Bulger did. If St. Louis can get Steven Jackson going early, the Rams might have a shot at their first victory. But that’s going to be tough against a stingy Niners’ defense.

Chargers (2-1) at Steelers (1-2), 8:20PM ET
It’s amazing to think that the defending champs may fall to 1-3 on the year with a loss tonight against the Bolts. But that’s exactly what will happen if the Steelers can’t establish their running game. Without safety Troy Polamalu, the Chargers need to attack the middle of Pittsburgh’s secondary. Fortunately for them, they have a tight end in Antonio Gates who excels in that area. Pittsburgh has had trouble creating turnovers so far this year, so San Diego can’t give the Steelers opportunities. With the Charger running game struggling to produce, the Steelers need to stay back in coverage and take away Philip Rivers’ vertical game. This will be an interesting matchup to see unfold, because the Steelers are desperate for a win.

Packers (2-1) at Vikings (3-0), Monday, 8:30PM ET
Brett Favre’s last-second heroics in a win over 49ers last week have set the stage for the Vikes’ clash with the Packers on Monday. Favre recently said that revenge isn’t what he’s after, but he also stated last year that he wanted to stick it to Green bay GM Ted Thompson. Favre is going to be motivated to come away with a victory and the Packers would love to put the 39-year-old on his back early and often. But they must slow down Adrian Peterson and Minnesota’s running game and protect Aaron Rodgers first and foremost, or else they’ll be watching Favre celebrate at the end of this one.

Along with the odds and over/under totals, here’s a look at some of the marquee matchups for Week 4 in the NFL.

Jets (3-0) at Saints (3-0), 4:05PM ET
Perhaps the most anticipated match up on this week’s schedule (outside of the Monday night game, that is) will be played at the Superdome when the 3-0 Saints host the 3-0 Jets. Both teams are playing with tons of confidence on both sides of the ball and this game will be a great test for each team. How will Drew Brees and the explosive New Orleans offense handle Rex Ryan’s aggressive defense? Can Mark Sanchez and the Jets offense keep pace with Brees and company if they start lighting on the scoreboard? This should be a great game from start to finish.
Odds: Saints –7.

Ravens (3-0) at Patriots (2-1), 1:00PM ET
Although the Patriots soundly beat the Falcons last week, they still have some issues to resolve. Tom Brady didn’t play particularly well (especially in the first half), but he also didn’t face much of a pass rush. Baltimore won’t make the same mistake Atlanta did and allow Brady to sit back in the pocket and pick them apart underneath. The Ravens also have a better run defense than the Falcons do, so the Pats shouldn’t be able to control this game on the ground like they were able to do last week. Baltimore has its issues as well, particularly in the secondary. If Brady is on, he could have some success moving the ball against the Ravens’ pass defense. It’ll be interesting to see how New England’s defense handles Joe Flacco and a running game that already looks like it’s in midseason form.
Odds: Patriots –2.

Chargers (2-1) at Steelers (1-2), 8:20PM ET
Is this a must win for the defending champs? The lack of a running game is killing the Steelers right now because they can’t nurse leads late in games. If Willie Parker and Rashard Mendenhall can’t get going against a beat up San Diego front seven, then the onus will once again be on Ben Roethlisberger and the defense to win the game for Pittsburgh. The Chargers know what it’s like to play in Pittsburgh since they made the trip twice last year, which resulted in a 11-10 regular season defeat and a 35-24 loss in the Divisional Round of the playoffs. Consistency has been an issue for Philip Rivers and company, but the Steelers are primed for the taking. Will Pittsburgh fall to 1-3 or can it right the ship this Sunday night?
Odds: Steelers -6.

Packers (2-1) at Vikings (3-0), Monday, 8:30PM ET
Did the schedule makers nail this one or what? Brett Favre will host his former team a week after producing some of the late game heroics that made him an icon in Green Bay. The football world is abuzz with Favre’s game-winning touchdown pass to Greg Lewis last Sunday, which helped the Vikings edge the 49ers and remain undefeated. The Green Bay offensive line must do a better job protecting Aaron Rodgers, especially with Jared Allen ready to provide consistent pressure for a great Minnesota defensive line. Rodgers will have to make plenty of plays in the passing game, since Ryan Grant isn’t likely to find much running room against the Williams Wall. Can Rodgers outshine his predecessor or will Favre teach the young quarterback a thing or two about playing in primetime?
Odds: Vikings –3.5.

NFL Week 4 Point Spreads and Over/Under Totals:

Oakland Raiders +9 Over 42
Houston Texans –9 Under 42

Titans –3 Over 41.5
Jaguars +3 Under 41.5

Ravens +2 Over 44.5
Patriots –2 Under 44.5

Bengals –5.5 Over 38
Browns +5.5 Under 38

Giants –9 Over 42
Chiefs +9 Under 42

Lions +10 Over 39
Bears –10 Under 39

Bucs +7 Over 37
Redskins –7 Under 37

Jets +7 Over 45
Saints –7 Under 45

Bills –2 Over 37
Dolphins +2 Under 37

Rams +10 Over 37
49ers –10 Under 37

Cowboys –3 Over 42.5
Broncos +3 Under 42.5

Chargers +6.5 Over 43
Steelers –6.5 Under 43

Packers +3.5 Over 45.5
Vikings –3.5 Under 45.5

Check out updated odds on Week 4 at Bullz-Eye.com.