Game Recap

1st Quarter:
7 - 0 Steelers lead
The Broncos kicked off out of bounds at the 2 giving Pittsburgh opening field position from their own 40. QB Ben Roethlisberger connected with TE Heath Miller for a 1 yd TD 4 minutes into the first quarter. Key Play: WR Nate Washington 40 yd reception to the Denver 17.
7 - 7 Tie game
The Broncos answered immediately with a 15 yd TD pass from QB Jay Cutler to WR Brandon Stokley to cap a 54 yd drive. Key Plays: TE Tony Scheffler 26 yd reception, Stokley 12 yd reception.
Pittsburgh went 3 and out on their next possession and Denver got the ball back on their own 26. They converted on 3rd and 12 with a 16 yd Stokley reception and on the next play, RB Travis Henry was hit and fumbled but the ball was recovered by Broncos T Matt Lepsis. Denver was unable to convert again and punted away. With 2nd and 6 at thier own 16, Roethlisberger fired deep for WR Santonio Holmes but the pass was picked off by Broncos CB Dre Bly at the Denver 37.

2nd Quarter:
With the first play of the second quarter, the Steelers responded with a pick of their own by DE Aaron Smith in the end zone. On the next drive, RB Willie Parker ran for 27 yds but Pittsburgh was unable to score and punted away. The Broncos went 3 and out and the Steelers started their next drive at their own 32. After 2 rushes for losses, they converted on 3rd and 14 with a 16 yd Holmes reception. An incomplete pass to WR Hines Ward was challenged by Pittsburgh and upheld, and 2 plays later, Roethlisberger threw his 2nd pick of the night, intercepted by Broncos LB D.J. Williams.
14 - 7 Broncos lead
Denver capitalized on the turnover with a 1 yd TD reception by RB Cecil Sapp. Key Play: Cutler 31 yd scramble ending in an unnecessary roughness call on Steelers S Troy Polamalu that tacked on another 8 yds to set up 1st and goal at the 7.
21 - 7 Broncos lead
The Steelers opened their ensuing drive with a 7 yd run by Parker, followed by a 27 yd reception by Miller. A defensive holding penalty was declined and Pittsburgh had 1st and 10 with 38 to go. Two plays later, Broncos DL Elvis Dumervil sacked Roethlisberger for a loss of 12 and forced a fumble, then kicked the ball out to rookie DE Tim Crowder who picked it up and ran 50 yds for a TD. The Steelers then drove down the field with the help of two 18 yd receptions by Ward but stalled at the 47 with 3rd and 26 following 2 penalties and another Dumervil sack for a loss of 6. K Jeff Reed's 65 yd FG attempt fell short as time ran out in the half.

3rd Quarter:
21 - 14 Broncos lead
Denver opened the second half with a 25 yd drive that ended with an interception by Steelers LB Larry Foote who returned it 14 yds to the Denver 41. The Steelers narrowed the score to 7 with a 13 yd TD pass to Holmes on 3rd and 10. Key Plays: Roethlisberger 11 yd scramble, Parker 15 yd run.
28 - 14 Broncos lead
Denver closed out the quarter following an 8 minute drive that culminated in a 1 yd Scheffler TD reception, giving Cutler his 3rd TD pass of the night. Key Plays: WR Brandon Marshall 19 yd reception, rookie RB Selvin Young 16 yd reception to convert on 3rd and 14. On 1st and 10 at the Pittsburgh 36 Cutler was sacked for a loss of 14 by Steelers LB LaMarr Woodley and fumbled the ball. Marshall recovered the ball and took it 6 yds to set up 2nd and 21. Two plays later, Cutler completed to Stokley for 17 yds to convert again on 3rd and 14. He then threw to Marshall for 22 yds to set up the TD pass from the 1.

4th Quarter:
28 - 21 Broncos lead
The Steelers answered again with a 13 yd TD pass to TE Matt Spaeth. An unnecessary roughness call on Broncos S John Lynch, along with a 22 yd reception and a 24 yd run by Parker contributed to the 94 yd drive.
28 - 28 Tie game
The Broncos went 3 and out and Pittsburgh evened the score with a 12 yd Miller TD reception. The Steelers converted on 3rd and 8 with a 16 yd Ward reception, and on 3rd and 10 with a 12 yd pass to Cedric Wilson. A 12 yd Parker reception also contributed and Roethlisberger was sacked for the 4th time, this time by Broncos DE John Engelberger.
31 - 28 Broncos win
Denver got the ball back with 1:10 left to play and came out swinging with a 16 yd completion to Scheffler to open the drive. Faced with 3rd and 1 at their own 45, Cutler snuck up the middle for the conversion and a defensive offside penalty gave them another 5 yds. Cutler connected with WR Glenn Martinez for 11 and then TE Daniel Graham for 9 more. The ball was originally ruled incomplete but it was reversed under review. Young lost a yard on the next play and with 3rd and 2 at the 31, K Jason Elam kicked a 49 yd FG as time expired for the win.

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