Steelers to face Green Bay inSuper Bowl after beating Jets
The Pittsburgh Steelers will return to the Super Bowl for the second time in three years after surviving a stirring New York Jets comeback to win the AFC Championship 24-19 at Heinz Field.
The Steelers waltzed into a 24-0 lead with a blistering start, but they were hit by a powerful Jets fightback in the second half, as Pittsburgh failed to score, and had to hang on in the end to a five-point victory which put them in an eighth Super Bowl against the Green Bay Packers.
In a classic game of two halves, Ben Roethlisberger and his side were rampant in the first half, but the Jets dominated the second period but fell just short in the end as they lost in the AFC Championship game for the second year running to again fall just one game short of the Super Bowl.
Roethlisberger had a poor game statistically with just 133 yards and two interceptions, while Mark Sanchez showed great spirit after being smashed early on with two TD throws and 233 yards with no picks.
Pittsburgh had more success running the ball, with Rashard Mendenhall scoring and recording 121 yards rushing, the most against the Jets this season, but overall the two offences were separated by just two yards in the end with just Pittsburgh's cutting edge getting them over the line.
Flying start
After losing at home to the Jets just a few weeks ago, the Steelers came out like they meant business, with a 15-play opening drive lasting nine minutes and covering 92 yards ending with a one-yard TD run from Rashard Mendenhall.
Pittsburgh's defence was all over Sanchez and manhandling the Jets' offence, who managed just one solitary rushing yard throughout the entire first half, such was the dominance of the home side at Heinz Field.
Shaun Suisham added a 20-yard field goal before Roethlisberger ran in a touchdown of his own from two yards to extend the lead to 17 points and have the Jets on the ropes.
The Steelers' defence then got in on the scoring act when Ike Taylor smashed into Sanchez and forced the fumble, which was recovered by William Gay and carried 18 yards into the end zone for a 24-0 lead just 90 seconds from half time.
The Jets at least got on the board with Nick Folk's 42-yard field goal seconds before the break, but at 24-3 down there seemed little hope for the visitors as the teams jogged off for half time.
Second half
Rex Ryan's team did emerge fired up after the restart though, and scored a much-needed touchdown when Sanchez launched a 45-yarder for Santonio Holmes to score a touchdown against the team he won the Super Bowl with two years ago.
The Jets stepped up on defence too, with Roethlisberger intercepted for the second time in one game for the first time this season, before he was sacked twice in three plays as Pittsburgh suffered a serious wobble.
New York used the momentum to march 88 yards down the field, but after eight minutes and 17 plays they were unable to punch it in from a yard and the Steelers came up with a huge goalline stand to keep them out of the end zone.
On the very next play though, Roethlisberger fumbled the snap and he was tackled in the end zone for a two-point safety, with the Jets getting the ball back too.
Sanchez showed great poise to lead the Jets 58 yards and this time found Jerricho Cotchery for a four-yard touchdown that brought them to within five points at 24-19 with just three minutes left on the clock of what was now a thrilling climax to the game.
The Jets could just not stop Roethlisberger finding the first downs though, and Pittsburgh managed to see out the time remaining to sneak home and earn a second trip to the Super Bowl in three years where they will face the Green Bay Packers in Dallas.
The Steelers waltzed into a 24-0 lead with a blistering start, but they were hit by a powerful Jets fightback in the second half, as Pittsburgh failed to score, and had to hang on in the end to a five-point victory which put them in an eighth Super Bowl against the Green Bay Packers.
In a classic game of two halves, Ben Roethlisberger and his side were rampant in the first half, but the Jets dominated the second period but fell just short in the end as they lost in the AFC Championship game for the second year running to again fall just one game short of the Super Bowl.
Roethlisberger had a poor game statistically with just 133 yards and two interceptions, while Mark Sanchez showed great spirit after being smashed early on with two TD throws and 233 yards with no picks.
Pittsburgh had more success running the ball, with Rashard Mendenhall scoring and recording 121 yards rushing, the most against the Jets this season, but overall the two offences were separated by just two yards in the end with just Pittsburgh's cutting edge getting them over the line.
Flying start
After losing at home to the Jets just a few weeks ago, the Steelers came out like they meant business, with a 15-play opening drive lasting nine minutes and covering 92 yards ending with a one-yard TD run from Rashard Mendenhall.
Pittsburgh's defence was all over Sanchez and manhandling the Jets' offence, who managed just one solitary rushing yard throughout the entire first half, such was the dominance of the home side at Heinz Field.
Shaun Suisham added a 20-yard field goal before Roethlisberger ran in a touchdown of his own from two yards to extend the lead to 17 points and have the Jets on the ropes.
The Steelers' defence then got in on the scoring act when Ike Taylor smashed into Sanchez and forced the fumble, which was recovered by William Gay and carried 18 yards into the end zone for a 24-0 lead just 90 seconds from half time.
The Jets at least got on the board with Nick Folk's 42-yard field goal seconds before the break, but at 24-3 down there seemed little hope for the visitors as the teams jogged off for half time.
Second half
Rex Ryan's team did emerge fired up after the restart though, and scored a much-needed touchdown when Sanchez launched a 45-yarder for Santonio Holmes to score a touchdown against the team he won the Super Bowl with two years ago.
The Jets stepped up on defence too, with Roethlisberger intercepted for the second time in one game for the first time this season, before he was sacked twice in three plays as Pittsburgh suffered a serious wobble.
New York used the momentum to march 88 yards down the field, but after eight minutes and 17 plays they were unable to punch it in from a yard and the Steelers came up with a huge goalline stand to keep them out of the end zone.
On the very next play though, Roethlisberger fumbled the snap and he was tackled in the end zone for a two-point safety, with the Jets getting the ball back too.
Sanchez showed great poise to lead the Jets 58 yards and this time found Jerricho Cotchery for a four-yard touchdown that brought them to within five points at 24-19 with just three minutes left on the clock of what was now a thrilling climax to the game.
The Jets could just not stop Roethlisberger finding the first downs though, and Pittsburgh managed to see out the time remaining to sneak home and earn a second trip to the Super Bowl in three years where they will face the Green Bay Packers in Dallas.
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