Why The Denver Broncos’ Playoff Win Was So Critical

Ben Roethlisberger was taken aback by comments coming out of the Broncos locker room insinuating the Steelers quarterback was faking his shoulder injury leading up to the Steelers’ Divisional Round loss in Denver on Sunday.

Peyton Manning and Tom Brady will renew their storied rivalry in Sunday’s AFC title game but the clash will be unlike any other as it may be the last between two of the National Football League’s greatest quarterbacks. The one turnover by the Steelers was ultimately the difference and after a field goal and a failed onside kick by the visitors, the Broncos walked off with a win to the relief of the crowd.

With the win, the Broncos’ are due for another AFC Championship clash against the New England Patriots.

Denver’s DeMarcus Ware recovered and minutes later, C.J. Anderson scored the go-ahead touchdown on a one-yard run.

So far, Brady has managed to get the better of Manning.

Although the two maintain a golf-and-dinner friendship in the offseason, Brady said he wasn’t sure if he would be in touch with Manning this week with such an important game looming.

The crucial drive came just before the end of the half, when the Patriots began on the two-yard line after an unnecessary roughness penalty on Amendola during the punt return. “He didn’t fool anybody”, Talib said after the game, according to NFL.com.

“I feel for all of us”, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said.

Roby said playing in so many close games has kept the Broncos cool-headed when the heat is on.

The Steelers also lost star running back Le’Veon Bell to a torn MCL in Week 8 before his replacement, DeAngelo Williams, was lost for the playoffs to a right foot injury suffered in the regular-season finale. “Certainly you don’t want to make it easy for them, but you can outsmart yourself sometimes by trying to play too much of a mind game”.

“We can’t use injuries as an excuse”, Bryant said. We gave it our all. “We all know that”.

“We were able to move the ball, and then we just … we kind of get down there and hurt ourselves”, Roethlisberger said.

Dodging pressure from a safety blitz, Manning went down to the ground in a heap but he sensed that Steelers safety Will Allen didn’t touch him while he was on the ground.

If Manning struggles vs. Patriots, expect Osweiler to come in if he can.

See what I did there. I tell you what, I don’t know if you guys could tell, it was quite windy down there …