Steelers postseason history: Jan. 22 -- AFC Championship @ Denver
Since the Steelers have the wrong kind of home field advantage this postseason, we'll take a look back at some of the highlights and disappointments of playoffs past ...
Today: January 22, 2006 -- AFC Championship @ Denver Broncos
For Pittsburgh to take The Bus to Detroit, they'd first have to make a quick pit stop in Denver. And after a come-from-behind win over Cincinnati and a heart stopper against Indianapolis, that's all the AFC Championship felt like to the Steelers -- a final tune-up before Super Bowl XL.
The Steelers made short work of the Broncos, 34-17, in a game that they never trailed and was never really close after the first quarter. The Steelers scored on their first four consecutive possessions -- a Jeff Reed field goal, two Ben Roethlisberger touchdown passes, and a Jerome Bettis run -- to take an insurmountable 24-3 at halftime.
A pre-beard Brett Keisel lead the defense with two sacks, and Joey Porter added another as the Steelers forced four turnovers -- a pair of fumbles and a pair of interceptions -- to help seal a trip to their first Super Bowl appearance in a decade.
Post-Gazette coverage
- Front Page: Next Stop -- Super Bowl
- Jubilent Fans Swarm Into Streets
- Ed Bouchette's game story: Super Highway
- Gene Collier: And it came to pass ...
- Ron Cook: Steelers keep promise, Bettis going home
- Bob Smizik: Big Ben's growth takes team to new heights
- Heartfelt Talk: Bettis, von Oelhoffen get message through
- Broncos get The Boot
- It's a Super homecoming for Foote too
- Photo page
- Demand for tickets, lodging to be Super
- Bettis taking coach to Super Bowl
- Plummer stumbles over Elway's long shadow
- Steelers take charge in Broncos backyard
- Steelers attack targets Broncos rookies
- Game summary