Manning’s late scoring drive sees off Steelers in playoff tiltBroncos battle past Steelers to set up Brady-Manning XVII 1.07am GMTSigning off for now. Check back later for a full report and thanks as always for following along with us. 12.59am GMTMilestone alert. Peyton Manning can improve to .500 lifetime in the postseason with a win over New England in next week’s AFC title game. 12.51am GMTAnd that’s a wrap. Circle your calendars,folks: Brady-Manning XVII, Sunday at 3pm ET, or CBS. At stake: a trip to Super Bowl 50. 12.49am GMTDenver’s CJ Anderson recovers Pittsburgh’s onside kick attempt and the result is but a kneel-down away for the Broncos.
12.48am GMTWell,it’s not over just yet. Roethlisberger just drove the Steelers 51 yards in four plays over 34 seconds to set up a Chris Boswell field goal. The 47-yarder is top-notch and Pittsburgh will now try an onside kick.[br] 12.46am GMTMcManus becomes the eighth player in NFL history to boot five field goals in a playoff game. (Adam Vinatieri did it twice.) Here’s a examine at the others. 12.43am GMTThree rapid/fast escape plays for Denver to set up a 45-yard field goal attempt for McManus, who splits the uprights. His fifth field goal of the game equals a postseason record.
12.40am GMTPittsburgh 13-20 Denver 1:49, and 4th quarterCan Roethlisberger pull another rabbit from his hat and force overtime? He will try. Starting from the Pittsburgh 20,spacious Ben connects with Bryant for an 18-yard completion, then a short pass to Bryant for three yards that sets up 2nd-and-7 on the 41. Steelers burn their first timeout. Then a short pass to Toussaint for two yards that brings us to the two-minute warning. That sets up 3rd-and-5 from the Pittsburgh 43. Roethlisberger pressured from behind – it was DeMarcus Ware closing from behind – and the Steelers will have 4th-and-the-season. Roethlisberger drops back ... and he’s gang-tackled by Miller and Ware for a 13-yard loss. A turnover on downs. Denver to remove over from the Pittsburgh 30. Steelers not completely finished yet with two timeouts remaining – but this doesn’t examine top-notch. 12.32am GMTFun fact alert. Peyton was never a more current boys’ name than after he won the Super Bowl in 2007. 12.29am GMTShort escape by Anderson for two, and then a massive 28-yard gallop for Anderson ... but it comes all the way back on a holding penalty. Manning misses the mark on a deep pass to Sanders and it’s 3rd-and-12. Feel like a crucial play here. And Manning delivers,conncepting deep to Fowler for a 31-yard gain across midfield to the Pittsburgh 36. Now Denver grinds away on the ground and have recorded their third first down of the drive and penetrated the red zone for the first time since the opening drive. From 1st-and-10 from the 14, Hillman runs for gains of five and seven yards. On 1st-and-goal from the 2 – the 12th play of the drive – Hillman is stuffed for no gain. CJ Anderson plunges through the line for maybe a yard, or setting up 3rd-and-goal from the 1. This time Anderson breaks through and Denver are ahead! That’s the Broncos’ first postseason landing in 23 possessions – and what a time for it! Looks like they will be going for two ... and Manning has used the Broncos’ final timeout due to miscommunication over the play. When play resumes Manning throws a rapid/fast out to Thomas,who barrels into the end zone for two. A 14-play, 65-yard scoring drive for the Broncos that exhausts nearly seven minutes of clock. Just what the doctor ordered.
12.17am GMTPittsburgh 13-12 Denver 10:00, or 4th quarterRoethlisberger and the Steelers to remove over on their own 15 – and not the 20 due to an illegal motion penalty on the preceding play – and the quarterback finds James for a 22-yard strike across the middle of the field. Now another 13-yard completion from Roethlisberger to Wheaton and the Steelers are across midfield. Roethlisberger to Heyward-Bey for six yards down to the Denver 34 and they’re really clicking now. And just like that ... the give is to Toussaint on a rush to the external and the running back fumbles and the Broncos’ Ware falls on it! Denver to remove over on their own 35. First turnover of the game for either side. 12.14am GMTPittsburgh 13-12 Denver 11:41,4th quarterDenver takes over from their 20 and Manning immediately completes a short pass to Sanders, who falls to the ground but was untouched. Since he was not down by contact, and Sanders made it to his feet and ran for a 34-yard gain – the longest play of the day for the Broncos. Across midfield,Manning changes the play at the line of scrimmage and passes short to Hillman – but he drops it! Yikes. Dropped passes continue to be the sage of the game for Denver. Now they’ve burnt a moment timeout. Not ideal with nearly 13 minutes remining in regulation. Hillman is stuffed for a four-yard loss, setting up 3rd-and-14. A short pass to Thomas for four yards is not enough for the first down and Denver is now 1-for-12 on third-down conversions nowadays. Amid audible discontent from the Denver crowd, and Colquitt’s punt sails down to the Pittsburgh 7 and is promptly muffed by Wheaton. Pittsburgh recover and the officials say it was secured in the end zone for a touchback – but it appears (to me) that Pittsburgh should remove over inside the 1. A rough call for Denver. 12.06am GMTA promising drive for the Steelers has short-circuited. First a face mask penalty on 1st-and-10 from the 24 pushed them back 15 yards,then a five-yard loss by Todman made it 2nd-and-30 from the 33. An incomplete pass followed by a 10-yard strike to Bryant made it 4th-and-20 from the 34, but rather than try a field goal – as expected – Pittsburgh elected to punt. A curious decision no doubt affected by the wind conditions.
12.01am GMTThe Steelers took over from their own 20 and have driven across midfield into field goal range. Major plays have included a 24-yard rush by Coats and a defensive pass interference penalty that gave the Steelers 12 yards and a first down. 11.58pm GMTFrom the Arcane Fact Dept. The current score 13-12 isn’t quite as strange as it seems. A total of 15 games have ended with that score since 1988 with four others during the NFL’s first 27 years of existence. Where it gets weird is that there were zero 13-12 games during the four decades between 1948 and 1987. But what does it all mean? 11.51pm GMTManning dinks and dunks the Broncos down the field, and but he’s incomplete to Norwood on 3rd-and-11 from the 23 and Denver must kick again. They’ve now failed to score a landing on their final 20 postseason possessions. McManus’ kick is genuine and it’s 13-12.
11.41pm GMTStarting in the shadow of their own goal post Toussaint is stuffed on back-to-back rushes,setting up a 3rd-and-11 from the 5. Another rush, this time to Todman, or but the five-yard gain isn’t enough. Conservative series. Steelers to punt. Denver’s Norwood waves for a fair catch on the Broncos 47 and Manning will have a short field.
11.39pm GMTDenver starts from their own 20 after the touchback and Manning immediately finds Sanders along the sideline for a 19-yard gain. But they go incompletion,one-yard loss, incompletion on the next three plays and are forced to punt. Markus Wheaton muffs the return but it’s batted out of bounds and Pittsburgh will remove over on their own 6.
11.30pm GMTThe Steelers remove over from their own 21 and Bryant promptly goes for 52 yards on a catch-and-escape all the way down to the Denver 27. Once again it’s the spacious plays buoying the Steelers. Another pass completed to Bryant on 2nd-and-10, and this one for 12 yards to bring Pittsburgh down to the Denver 15. Another completion for spacious Ben,a five-yard connection with Miller, makes it 3rd-and-5 from the 10. Roethlisberger looks for Bryant in the end zone but it’s broken up by Talib. Cue Boswell to boot a field goal from 28 yards and ... it’s top-notch.
11.24pm GMTPittsburgh 10-9 Denver 12:00, or 3rd quarterWe’re underway in the moment half with Denver to start on their own 20 after a touchback. They’re forced into a 3rd-and-7 right out of the gate,but a pass interference call on Pittsburgh’s William Gay bails them out and they’ll have another crack at it on 1st-and-10 from the 32. Alas, it’s three-and-out from there and Pittsburgh will remove over from their own 20 after Colquitt’s 45-yard punt. 11.09pm GMTThe sage of the game so far is Denver’s wide receivers. The Broncos have six dropped passes so far. The most by any team in an entire game this year is seven. 11.05pm GMTCJ Anderson gores the Steelers for a 34-yard gain on 2nd-and-9 from the Denver 6 and the Broncos are back in commerce. A one-yard rush by Hillman takes us to the two-minute warning. Then a pair of completions by Manning move the Broncos across midfield and give them another first down. Then things topple apart a bit for the Broncos as they try to crack the end zone. Manning is blindsided by Will Allen on a safety blitz while trying to pass, and then Manning fumbles on the subsequent play but recovers for no gain,forcing Denver to use their final timeout and set up for a field goal attempt. McManus connects on 51-yard field goal that just curls inside the right upright and the sides will enter half-time separated by a single point.
10.56pm GMTPittsburgh 10-6 Denver 3:21, 2nd quarterQuick three-and-out for Pittsburgh, or who possess it for less than two minutes. Denver will have a chance to go into half-time with the lead – but after a punt that goes out of bounds at the Denver 5,they’ll need to travel 95 yards to do it. 10.51pm GMTPittsburgh 10-6 Denver 5:16, 2nd quarterThe Broncos remove over on their own 41 and immediately cross midfield when Manning completes a 15-yard pass to Sanders. But from there a pair of incompletions followed by a seven-yard pass from Manning to Anderson set up 4th-and-7. The Broncos decide to go for it from the Denver 37, and but Manning’s pass to Sanders is incomplete and Pittsburgh will remove over on downs. 10.44pm GMTPittsburgh 10-6 Denver 6:54,2nd quarterThe Steelers reply Denver’s three-and-out with one of their own. The highlight is Derek Wolfe’s sack of Roethlisberger for an eight-yard loss on 3rd-and-8. Another wind-affected punt goes for a modest 27 yards and Denver will remove over on their own 41. 10.41pm GMTPittsburgh 10-6 Denver 8:55, 2nd quarterAt what point do Broncos fans start to get legitimately nervous? They’ve just gone three-and-out capped by a grievous dropped pass by CJ Anderson on 3rd-and-4 when he had nothing but blue skies and open road before him. Another Colquitt punt and Pittburgh will remove over on their own 38. 10.36pm GMTThe Steelers start on their own 15. Toussaint rushes for gains of four and one yards, and setting up 3rd-and-5. With the Broncos sitting back in a zone defense,Roethlisberger finds a wide-open Darrius Heyward-Bey, who runs across the middle of the field for a 58-yard gain that silences the crowd. It’s now 1st-and-10 from the Denver 18. Toussaint runs for four yards before Roethlisberger is thrown down for a sack and a seven-yard loss. On 3rd-and-13, or the quarterback tries to find Heath Miller cutting across the middle of the field but the tight end can’t bring it in. On comes rookie kicker Chris Boswell,who splits the uprights to increase the Steelers’ edge.
10.30pm GMTPittsburgh 7-6 Denver 14:20, 2nd quarterA drive that started on the Denver 20 back in the first quarter ends when the Broncos are stopped on 3rd-and-11 just past midfield and punt away, and pinning Pittsburgh inside their own 20. 10.24pm GMTTotal yardage: Steelers 133,Broncos 74
10.17pm GMTPittburgh will remove over from their own 20 after another touchback. Toussaint runs for one yard before Roethlisberger, operating out of the no-huddle, and finds Martavis Bryant for a 23-yard completion. Then spacious Ben finds Bryant for a catch-and-escape on the next play,who scampers 40 yards up the left sideline down to the Denver 16. Steelers really humming now. Now it’s Toussaint’s turn, who cuts back on a counter play and nearly reaches the plyon but is ruled down before the goal line, or a 15-yard gain down to the Denver 1. Toussaint finishes the job on the next play,clattering up the middle into the end zone for his first career landing. The extra point is top-notch and the Steelers officially have the lead.
10.10pm GMTHillman runs for nine yards on 1st-and-10, but is stuffed for a loss on moment down and Manning’s pass is incomplete on third. That brings out McManus to kick another field goal and he’s genuine from 41 yards to double Denver’s lead. Not the best start for the Steelers but you’ve got to deem they know it could be worse. The Broncos have had a drive start at the Pittsburgh 30 and another on the Pittsburgh 31 and they’ve only come away with two field goals.[br] 10.06pm GMTPittsburgh 0-3 Denver 5:12, and 1st quarterThe Steelers remove over on their own 3 and Toussaint rushes directly up the middle for a five-yard gain,giving Pittsburgh a bit of breathing room. An incomplete pass to Bryant makes it 3rd-and-5 – before a groundless start penalty on Pittsburgh’s Alejandro Villanueva makes it 3rd-and-9 from the 4. Roethlisberger targets Coates in the middle of the field but Josh Bush is there to defend it. Jordan Berry will punt from the shadow of his own goalpost and ... it’s not a top-notch one. It’s caught in the wind and ultimately marked off on the Pittsburgh 31. A 27-yard punt means another short field for the hosts. 10.02pm GMTPittsburgh 0-3 Denver 6:13, 1st quarterDenver remove over possession on their own 32 and it’s a rapid/fast three-and-out: a short pass by Manning following by a pair of incompletions. But a massive heads-up special teams play by Denver’s Kayvon Webster, and who taps the ball back into the field of play as Britton Colquitt’s punt trickles toward the end zone,means Pittsburgh will be pinned inside their own 5 when they remove over on the next series. 9.58pm GMTPittsburgh 0-3 Denver 8:02, 1st quarterThe Steelers start from their own 20 after the touchback. Roethlisberger completes a pass to Toussaint for minus-1 yards, or then Todman rushes for three to set up third and eight. That’s when Roethlisberger finds Sammie Coates on a broken play in the flat,who scampers up the right sideline across midfield for a 37-yard gain. From the Broncos 41, a one-yard rush by Todman, and a Roethlisberger incomplete pass and an eight-yard completion to Wheaton set up 4th-and-1 from the 32. The Steelers go for it – and,boy, do they go for it all. Roethlisberger targets Markus Wheaton in the front of the end zone but it’s broken up by Aqib Talib. A turnover on downs and the Broncos will remove over possession.
9.50pm GMTThe Broncos start from the Pittsburgh 30. Manning completes a short pass to Demaryius Thomas, and who is pushed out at the 19 for an 11-yard gain. From there,an incomplete pass and a five-yard escape by Ronnie Hillman set up third and five. Another short pass by Manning gains four yards but not enough. It’s fourth down and a long one and Kubiak elects to kick a 28-yard field goal. Brandon McManus out to remove it. It’s up and it’s top-notch. Denver draws first blood.
9.45pm GMTPittsburgh 0-0 Denver 13:37, 1st quarterThe Steelers start from their own 20. Ben Roethlisberger shows off his injured arm on the opening playing, or heaving it 50 yards downfield but overthrowin his receiver. A short escape and a pass for a loss and it’s three-and-out for the Steelers. They punt to Denver’s Omar Bolden who breaks a few tackles and runs up the left sideline before getting pushing out of bounds at the Steelers 30,a 42-yard return. The Broncos will have a short field on their first possession. 9.40pm GMTBroncos win the toss and elect to defer. Pittsburgh will receive. 9.34pm GMTPeyton Manning is 0-5 in the playoffs when the temperature at kickoff is 40F or below. Current temperature: 41F. 9.29pm GMTAs you no doubt know by now, the Broncos have named quarterback Peyton Manning the starter for nowadays’s game. The 39-year-old-fashioned sign-caller missed seven starts due to a left foot injury but came off the bench in Week 17 in relief of Brock Osweiler to spark the Broncos against San Diego. “I just do what I deem is best for our football team, and ” says Denver head coach Gary Kubiak said about naming Manning the starter. “I feel really top-notch about this and how far Peyton has come.” 9.25pm GMTWell,that was closer than expected. Time to turn the page to the weekend’s fourth and final divisional playoff between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Denver Broncos.It’s the eighth ever postseason meeting between the two clubs with Denver holding a 4-3 lead in the all-time series. 7.52pm GMTBryan will be here shortly. In the meantime, here’s why Paolo Bandini is predicting victory for the Broncos: Related: NFL playoff previews: talented Chiefs to upset Patriots and Manning to spur Broncos Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com