Mile High Sports

Broncos outlast Steelers for 23-16 victory

MHS Staff

Jan 17, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos running back C.J. Anderson (22) reaches for a touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the fourth quarter of the AFC Divisional round playoff game at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

John Elway got the kicking and screaming he wanted as the Denver Broncos clawed their way to a 23-16 win that saw the offense struggle for three quarters and the defense give up more big plays against Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Steelers. But a fourth-quarter fumble recovery and Denver’s first offensive touchdown in seven quarters of playoff football put Denver ahead for good and on to the AFC Championship Game. They will host the defending Super Bowl champion New England Patriots on Sunday.

Pittsburgh outgained Denver in the game 396 yards to 324, but Denver got a touchdown when it mattered and the defense surrendered only six points in the second half. The D also came up big in third-down situations, holding Pittsburgh to just 2-of-12 on the day. In the end, the 1:0 turnover ratio was the biggest factor, as Denver turned a fumble into eight points.

Denver carried the momentum in the fourth quarter, but they had to fight to regain it after trading field goals in the third quarter. Trailing 10-9, Denver got the ball to start the second half and didn’t get off to a hot start. They got bailed out on a third-down pass interference call that prevented a three-and-out. Three plays and three yards later, though, Denver was punting again.

Then Ben Roethlisberger, as he did multiple times in the first half, found a receiver in soft coverage and Martavis Bryant went 52 yards and into Denver territory. He went another 12 yards two plays later and soon after the Steelers were kicking a field goal to extend their lead to four points again, 13-9.

Peyton Manning found Demaryius Thomas early in the ensuing drive for a 19-yard gain, but that was all they would muster, again punting after a short possession. The failed third-down made Denver one-for-10 on third downs on the day.

Special teams and the defense nearly flipped the field though and after a three-and-out from Pittsburgh, Denver took over on their own 47. Two quick pass plays got Denver inside Pittsburgh’s 35 and C.J. Anderson took a handoff on the next play 11 yards for Denver’s third first down on three plays. But Manning was sacked and then had to burn a timeout before Denver had to again settle for a field goal.

Pittsburgh followed with a drive that looked at first like it could have taken the wind out of the Broncos’ sails. The defense again gave up a big plays, this time to Sean Coates for 24 yards, and then a 12-yard defensive pass interference penalty on Bradley Roby. But a facemask penalty and a negative play forced Pittsburgh to punt into the end zone.

As the possessions became more and more crucial, Peyton Manning was nearly sacked on the first play of the ensuing drive but slid away from pressure, popped up and found Emmanuel Sanders for 34 yards. But negative yardage on a run play after what was effectively a second wasted timeout forced another Denver punt.

Denver nearly caught the first big break of the day when they recovered the punt after it was muffed near the goal line by Markus Wheaton, but he recovered the fumble and slid into the end zone for a touchback.

Roethlisberger had the Steelers moving again when the big break finally came. At the Denver 30-yard line Bradley Roby stripped Fizgerald Toussaint and Denver took over with a chance to regain the lead for the first time since the first quarter.

C.J. Andeson had a 28-yard run negated by a Michael Schofield holding call and Emmanuel Sanders broke up a near interception before Manning found Bennie Fowler for a huge gain of 31 yards. Denver kept marching, and the running backs picked up two more first downs to get the ball to the two yard line for a first-and-goal.

Two straight runs went for less than a yard, but Manning rushed Denver back to the line and got the ball back into Anderson‘s hands for Denver’s first offensive touchdown in 23 postseason drives. They had not scored one since the first quarter of last year’s loss to Indianapolis. The drive went 13 plays for 65 yards and 6:52 off the clock.

Denver went for the two-point conversion to make it a seven point game, but had to use its final timeout. Finally, the timeout produced a positive result as Manning found Demaryius Thomas on a bubble screen who powered his way to a 20-13 lead with 3:00 left on the clock and the ball going back to the Steelers.

Pittsburgh started to move the ball, but had to burn a timeout on the north side of the two-minute warning and Roethlisberger faced a third-and-five at his own 43. Wade Phillips brought heavy pressure and Big Ben threw behind a receiver who was well short of the first down. On the down of the Broncos’ season, Von Miller got to the Steelers quarterback and DeMarcus Ware finished the job. Roethlisberger was lucky the play was whistled dead, as he fumbled and Von Miller took the ball into the end zone.

Denver kept it conservative on the ensuing possession and got a record fifth field goal to put the Broncos up by two scores with under a minute to play,23-13.

But Roethlisberger would not go out without a fight, getting the Steelers into Broncos territory on just four plays and setting up a field goal by Chris Boswell to bring Pittsburgh back within seven and setting up an onside kick attempt.

It appeared that Pittsburgh touched the ball before the 10-yard mark, but it wasn’t whistled and C.J. Anderson had to recover a ball downfield to secure the kick and the win.

It was a wild second half that saw the biggest plays ultimately go in the Broncos’ favor. As always, the team from MHS was plugged in and offering their take as the action unfolded. Here’s how the biggest plays of the game played out via social media and the MHS crew and some of our favorite follows…

There was cause for optimism in the second half, considering Denver’s trend for playing distinctly different halves…

The Broncos at least got to start the half with the ball and got a big third down PI call…

And the drop situation wasn’t helped with a banged up big two…

Zone defense continued to haunt Denver…

Denver’s D bent again, and expectations started to increase for the offense…

And again the offense could not get anything going…

The pressure was back on them after another good field flip by the defense…

Short but effective plays got them into field goal range…

And they’d settle, again, for a field goal…

Big Ben got the Steelers rolling again, but a facemask penalty continued to breathe hope into Denver…

Pittsburgh had to punt and Denver got a gift when the ball went into the end zone…

https://twitter.com/davidlukeramsey/status/688874360191356928

A bizarre play opened the drive and moved Denver 34 yards downfield…

But Denver again failed on third down…

The Broncos nearly caught a break, but didn’t…

Then, they did…

Anderson’s big run gets negated…

But a receiver finally came up big…

https://twitter.com/davidlukeramsey/status/688880679581384704

And C.J. Anderson finally put it in the end zone…

The two-pointer is good…

The defense wanted it on them…

Big Ben didn’t want to give up, though, and neither would the Broncos faithful…

Von Miller, who had been quiet all day, made one of the biggest of the day…

McManus put it away, and into the record books…

But Big Ben wouldn’t go quietly, or cleanly…

The onside kick was dicey, but Denver recovered for the win…

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