By Teresa Varley
Steelers.com 

Detroit here we come – the Steelers are going to the Super Bowl!

 

The Steelers were underdogs throughout the playoffs, coming in as the sixth seed, and never doubted for a minute that they could get it done.

 

And on Sunday against the Broncos, they got it done in incredible fashion.

 

“I am just so pleased with this team,” said Dan Rooney. “These coaches and players hung in there the whole time and were marvelous. This is one of the great moments in my whole history of the league and I’ve been here for a long time. It feels great today. The coach already told me we are going to the Super Bowl to win it, not just to be there.”

 

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger had one of his best games of the season, completing 21 of 29 passes for 275 yards and two touchdowns.

 

“The offensive line did a wonderful job of giving me time back there,” said Roethlisberger. “I put the ball out there and the receivers made plays. Nothing was possible without their help. We had a plan and we came out with it and it worked. I give them a lot of credit. They played tough on defense.

 

“I made a promise to Jerome (Bettis) last year. I told him, Bus, I am going to get you back to Detroit and I got him there and that is all I am happy about.”

 

Bettis had 15 carries for 39 yards and a touchdown and is now headed back to his hometown of Detroit – the reason he came back for another season.

 

“When it time for me to make a decision I thought about this team and how good this team was. The thought of Detroit was always in the back of my mind. I thought we could get there and it’s come true.”

 

The Steelers took control of the game early and never looked back.

 

The Broncos got the ball to start the game and came out running behind their number two-ranked ground game. Mike Anderson rattled off short gains of two and five yards and then Tatum Bell got the first down with a four-yard carry. Jake Plummer then went to the air and hit Jeb Putzier for a 19-yard gain to get the Broncos in Steelers territory at the 49-yard line. Plummer scrambled for a yard, Anderson added four, and then the defense stopped them and forced Plummer to throw incomplete to Rod Smith.

 

The Steelers started at their own nine-yard line as Roethlisberger hit Willie Parker for an eight-yard gain. Roethlisberger went right back to the air and hit Antwaan Randle El for a 20-yard gain to their own 37-yard line. The Steelers had two short gains and were faced with third-and-three at their own 44-yard line. Roethlisberger’s pass was tipped in the air, but Hines Ward came down with it for seven yards and the first down.

 

Two plays later the Steelers got a scare. Parker was stopped in the backfield and the ball appeared to come loose, with the officials ruling it a fumble. The Steelers challenged the call and it was overturned, giving them new life. Roethlisberger went back to the air and rookie Nate Washington came up huge with his first career catch, a 13-yard grab to the Broncos 33-yard line. The Steelers were then stopped on third down and Jeff Reed hit a 47-yard field goal to give the Steelers an early 3-0 lead.

 

Plummer looked poised to get the Broncos going when he came out firing and hit Smith for a 13-yard gain. Two plays later, though, Joey Porter sacked Plummer for a loss of seven and the ball came loose. Casey Hampton jumped on it, giving the offense the ball with excellent field position at the Broncos 39-yard line.

 

The Steelers took advantage of the opportunity in front of them. Roethlisberger looked to one of his favorite targets, rookie tight end Heath Miller, and connected for a 24-yard gain to the Broncos 14-yard line. Roethlisberger then hit Cedrick Wilson in the corner of the end zone for a 12-yard touchdown, giving the Steelers a 10-0 lead.

 

Reed’s kickoff went out of bounds, giving the Broncos the ball at their own 40-yard line to start their drive. They moved the ball down the field methodically, converting a key fourth-and-one. Plummer threw on five out of six plays, but the last two were incomplete, giving them third-and-10 at the Steelers 12-yard line. Anderson was stopped short of the first down, though, and they had to settle for a Jason Elam field goal, closing the gap to 10-3.

 

Roethlisberger and company came right back, though. He hit Wilson for a 17-yard gain, and then came right back to him for an 18-yard completion. After two incompletions he hit Ward for a 21-yard completion to the Broncos 24-yard line. Roethlisberger went to Randle El on the screen and he battled for 10-yards and a first down. He carried it himself for a six-yard gain, and then hit Verron Haynes for an eight-yard gain to the Broncos three-yard line. Bettis then went off right tackle for three yards and a touchdown, giving the Steelers 17-3.

 

The Broncos offense came out looking to get back in the game fast, but instead it was the Steelers defense that made the play. Plummer fired one to Stephen Alexander, but Ike Taylor stepped right in front of the pass and came up with the interception at the Denver 38-yard line.

The Steelers were determined to take advantage of the break. Parker had carries of 10 and 14 yards, and then it was Bettis’ turn as he took it up the middle for a 12-yard touchdown. But Ward was called for illegal formation, negating the score. The offense wasn’t going to be denied. Roethlisberger hit Ward for a 17-yard touchdown, giving the Steelers a 24-3 lead going into the half.

 

The Steelers got the ball to start the second half and continued to be effective on offense. Roethlisberger completed two passes to Ward, both for seven yards. Parker had a two-yard run around right tackle, but fumbled. But things continued to go in the Steelers favor as the ball went out of bounds and they maintained possession. Roethlisberger went to Randle El for a 14-yard gain, but the drive would stall and the Steelers would be forced to punt for the first time in the game. Chris Gardocki hit it perfectly, Chidi Iwuoma saved it from going into the end zone and the Mike Logan downed it at the Broncos three-yard line.

 

The defense then rose to the challenge and shut the Broncos down. Plummer hit Anderson for no gain on the first play and on third-and-10 Plummer’s pass to Anderson was for a two-yard loss.

 

For the first time in the game the Steelers went three-and-out on their next drive. It looked like the Broncos would be pinned deep again, with the ball at the three-yard line, but the Broncos challenged the call and had it overturned, ruling it a touchback.

 

With new life thanks to their field position Plummer went to work. He completed passes of nine and 32 yards to Smith and then Putzier for nine yards. On second-and-one from the 30-yard line Plummer then went for it all and found Ashley Lelie in the end zone for a 30-yard strike to tighten things at 24-10.

 

The Steelers didn’t let it shake them. Roethlisberger hit Wilson for 30 yards, and then came back to him a few plays later for a 15-yard gain. Randle El had an eight-yard reception to keep the drive alive. The Steelers were stopped then and looked to Reed who hit a 42-yard field goal, to extend the lead to 27-10.

 

In a game of emotions it can take just one play to get a team back into it, and it looked like the Broncos had that play when Charlie Adams returned the kickoff 47 yards to the Steelers 43-yard line. But, as quick as it can turn for one team, it can turn right back for the other. On the first play of the drive Plummer looked for Smith but instead Larry Foote intercepted the pass and returned it 14 yards to the Steelers 41-yard line.

 

After the Steelers went three-and-out the Broncos came charging back. Plummer continually avoided pressure by the defense, and made a huge play with a 38-yard completion to Lelie to the Steelers 31-yard line. Plummer’s deep call to Adam’s was incomplete, but Taylor was called for pass interference, giving them the ball on the nine-yard line. Plummer ran around right end for six yards to the three-yard line. Anderson then took it up the middle for the three-yard touchdown and brought the Broncos to within 10 at 27-17.

 

The offense went a quick three-and-out for the Steelers, putting it on the shoulders of the defense to stop them. And that they did. Plummer was pressured, and this time he couldn’t get away. On fourth and 10 Brett Keisel sacked Plummer and forced a fumble, which Travis Kirschke recovered at the Broncos 17-yard line.

It was then Bettis time as he carried it four times for 13 yards. Roethlisberger then took it himself for a four-yard touchdown to put the Steelers in control at 34-17.

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HOW THEY SCORED

FOURTH QUARTER

Steelers 34, Broncos 17
Play: Roethlisberger four-yard run

Steelers 27, Broncos 17
Play: Anderson three-yard run

Steelers 27, Broncos 10
Play: Reed 42-yard field goal

THIRD QUARTER

Steelers 24, Broncos 10
Play: Lelie 30-yard reception from Plummer

SECOND QUARTER

Steelers 24, Broncos 3
Play: Ward 17-yard reception from Roethlisberger

Steelers 17, Broncos 3
Play: Bettis three-yard run

Steelers 10, Bronocs 3
Play: Elam 23-yard field goal

Steelers 10, Broncos 0
Play: Wilson 12-yard reception from Roethlisberger

FIRST QUARTER

Steelers 3, Broncos 0
Play: Reed 47-yard field goal

 

GAME DAY PHOTOS