This time around, the Denver Broncos QB will be on the field.
Advertisement
The Steelers were without star receiver Antonio Bryant (concussion) and running back DeAngelo Williams (foot), and quarterback Ben Roethliberger had a sprained throwing shoulder from a crushing tackle against Cincinnati eight days earlier. Denver’s drive stalled in part when Linebacker James Harrison set back the Broncos with a sack of Manning.
Peyton Manning (18) of the Denver Broncos throws a pass in the first quarter. Brady has won 11 of the 16 meetings, but they’re 2-2 in the playoffs, including Denver’s 26-16 win in the conference championship game two years ago.
Manning was not at his sharpest, and his passes didn’t have a lot of velocity, but his receivers weren’t helping much once the ball got there.
It’s last call for the greatest rivalry in National Football League history: Brady vs. Manning XVII.
“It’ll be the Broncos versus the Patriots”, Manning smiled.
“We stayed patient. We never really got frustrated”, Manning said.
“They’re the number one defense in the world, there’s a reason for that”, Roethlisberger said of Denver.
Football fans won’t wait that long.
– Jonathan Stewart, Panthers, ran for 106 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries in his return from a foot injury, helping Carolina to a 31-24 win over Seattle.
Perhaps it’s only fitting these two quarterbacks meet in the AFC title game, since Manning didn’t get to suit up against New England on November 29 because of a foot injury.
Super Bowls: Brady six appearances and four championships, Manning three appearances and one championship. The more crucial mistakes were made by the Broncos offense who continued to get in their own way with their multiple dropped passes and were held to field goals through the third quarter.
“This is not all on him by any means”, he said. “It’s on all of us”.
Manning’s experience proved crucial against Pittsburgh, as Denver mounted a late, time-consuming fourth quarter drive to score the game’s decisive touchdown through running back C.J. Anderson.
Denver ended up punting on the drive, so the play had little bearing on the final result.
Chris Boswell – 3/3 on field goals in a insane wind situation in an opposing situation.
“To quote Bill Belichick, we’re on to New England”, Manning said on CBS after the game. He was coaching up the defense when they came to the sideline after the Pittsburgh punt. So real credit to them.
Earlier in the third, the Steelers got a 28-yard field goal from Boswell.
“I thought he gave himself up”.
– DeMarcus Ware, Broncos, recovered a fumble after Bradley Roby punched the ball from Fitzgerald Toussaint’s arms to set up the winning touchdown in Denver’s 23-16 win over Pittsburgh.
It was a game that may be best remembered for a hit by Wes Welker on Aqib Talib, which knocked the then-Patriots cornerback out of the game and opened up things for Manning, who threw for 400 yards that afternoon. “And the offense ran it down their throat”. “We fight. We grind”.
But Toussaint stepped up to the plate when the Steelers needed him to up until that fumble, starting for the team in both playoff games, and playing well, even when the rushing yards were hard to come by, contributing in whatever manner he could. “And, sometimes, even as a player, you will take a minute to sit back in the game and watch their greatness”. “They gave us some good opportunities all day”. Receiver Martavis Bryant had a run of 40 yards.
Advertisement
Making his first start since November 15, Manning finished 21 for 37 for 222 yards, with no touchdowns or interceptions. But before that, Manning will savor a win in Denver’s 17th game of the season – one every bit as rough, rugged and up in the air as any of the previous 16.
