PITTSBURGH - Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Steelers found a fitting way to shut down the New York Jets' season.What started with "Hard Knocks," ended with hard knocks.For the third time in six seasons, Terrible Towels will twirl at the Super Bowl, where the Steelers will meet Green Bay after silencing Rex Ryan's wild bunch in a 24-19 victory for the AFC championship Sunday.
New York (13-6) failed for the fourth time in the AFC title game since 1969, when the Jets won perhaps the most significant of all Super Bowls. It was a devastating finish, particularly after the Jets beat Peyton Manning and the Colts, then Tom Brady and the Patriots on the road to get to Pittsburgh.The Steelers snapped New York's hopes of making the Super Bowl a sixth-seed spectacular; the Packers are the NFC's No. 6 seed.Coach
Mike Tomlin had his Steelers eager for the fight from the outset, while Ryan's guys were flat until it was too late.
The Jets did get a 45-yard TD pass from Mark Sanchez to Santonio Holmes -- the hero of Pittsburgh's Super Bowl victory two years ago -- and a safety after Pittsburgh's goal-line stand.He finished 10 of 19 for 133 yards and two interceptions, though his mobility did give the Jets trouble much of thenight. He finished with 11 carries for 21 yards and a 2-yard scramble into the end zone to give the Steelers a 17-0 lead midway through the second quarter.But things got dicey for the Steelers in the second half.
The Jets defence pitched a second-half shutout on what had been a dominating Pittsburgh offence.Jerricho Cotchery's 4-yard TD catch cut the lead to five late in the fourth quarter, and the Jets kicked the ball back to Steelers hoping for a big defensive stand.It wasn't to be, not with Roethlisberger at the controls. His last pass turned out to be the most important of the night.
Nick Folk made a 42-yard field goal at the end of the first half as Pittsburgh went to a prevent defense. Holmes got behind Taylor down the right sideline for his TD, and Mike DeVito pulled down Roethlisberger in the end zone after the quarterback fumbled a snap.
The record crowd of 66,662 lost its fervor when Cotchery came free in the left flat for his score.But Roethlisberger hit Heath Miller for 14 yards, then Brown for 14 to send the Steelers to yet another Super Bowl.
Tomlin, only the third coach in Pittsburgh since 1969 – Chuck Noll won four Super Bowls and Bill Cowher one – led the Steelers to their last title in 2008. He could become the second coach to win two titles in his first four seasons. Joe Gibbs is the other.
Pittsburgh Steelers Vs Jets Super Bowl | Afc Championship Game: 2011 (Full Video)
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