Denver Broncos 23, Pittsburgh Steelers 16 — In Focus

Thanks in large part to a defense that was able to keep Denver in the game, the Broncos topped the injury-depleted Steelers 23-16 to advance to the AFC Championship for the second time in three years.

“Even though these games have finality to them that some games in the regular season or preseason don’t have, he approaches it the same way”.

Jonathan Stewart ran for 106 yards on 19 carries and extended Carolina’s string of 100-yard rushing games to 28 in the Panthers’ win. “You just feel like things are going your way, because we’ve overcome so much in the way you come back from last week’s game. You had to lead the receivers, but that factored into them as well”.

“Down in the fourth quarter, (we got a) great play by our defence”.

Brady has four Super Bowl wins in six appearances while Manning has one win in three trips to the NFL’s championship game.

-Running back Fitzgerald Toussaint scored his first career touchdown on a 1-yard run in the first half to help put the Steelers in front. “We’ve had ups and downs”. We’re relentless in there.

“The shot was probably as painful as my shoulder was during the game”, he said. “Doing the things that you’ve done to get yourself in this position are really important….” “We’ve been here all the time, so it was just that we were going to do our job and make something happen'”. A 12-point win at Detroit in September was a five-point game until Owen Daniels’ TD with 2:28 left. “That was a dog fight, grinder and went down to the last drive”.

“It’s very satisfying to win, to beat the Steelers in a playoff game it’s – hey, those guys over there are battle tested, they’ve been in a lot of big games”. Now the Broncos will host the New England Patriots on Sunday at Sports Authority Field at Mile High.

“Our defense has been outstanding all season”.

After the game, Manning said that he told Sanders to be ready in case he fell down and got back up.

Jones had levelled a similar allegation at Antonio Brown regarding his concussion symptoms, which came about as a result of the Burfict hit that drew the first of the two crucial penalties in the win in Cincinnati.

“A couple of those were the wind, but as a receiver we should have still made those plays”, Thomas said. No more blown coverages. “I might not play.’ And then he comes in the game and tries to ball”.

“Our confidence is ideal”, cornerback Aqib Talib said. He has been a force for the Broncos on the inside this season. “They are like a league opponent like Oakland, Kansas City and San Diego”. “So, I wasn’t nervous at the time, but I knew it would make for an exciting day”.

Notes: S/PR Omar Bolden (knee) is out for the playoffs….

The Steelers added a 43-yard field goal Boswell in the second quarter, set up a 58-yard pass completion to Darrius Heyward-Bey on a blown coverage by the Broncos. And, for being one of the toughest players in the NFL, Roethlisberger does have a reputation as a “drama queen”.