After a season of forcing turnovers and rarely giving the ball away, a reversal of fortunes was the Broncos’ undoing during a 34-17 victory by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC title game at Invesco Field at Mile High on Sunday.
In their first playoff game, the Broncos forced five turnovers on their way to beating the two-time defending champion New England Patriots. Sunday, Broncos quarterback Jake Plummer gave the ball away four times, and Denver saw its Super Bowl dreams dashed.
The Steelers jumped to a 3-0 lead on their first possession of the game, then jumped on Plummer. Former Colorado State star Joey Porter, a Steelers linebacker, got to Plummer on a blitz and forced a fumble at the Denver 34-yard line. Pittsburgh’s Casey Hampton recovered at the 39, and the Steelers marched on for a crowd-quieting 10-0 lead.
Down 17-3 late in the second quarter, Plummer threw a pass intended for Stephen Alexander, but it was intercepted by Ike Taylor at the Denver 39.
It was coming all too easily for Big Ben and Co. as Ben Roethlisberger took the Steelers the rest of the way for a commanding 24-3 lead at the half.
The game essentially was over as Denver became a one-dimensional offense, needing to rely on Plummer’s passing instead of the legs of running backs Mike Anderson and Tatum Bell that had carried them most of the season. Everyone in the stadium knew the Broncos were limited, but more important, the Steelers knew it and took advantage of it.
Plummer would throw another interception early in the fourth quarter, then was sacked and fumbled again with 5:02 to play.
