Peyton’s Place

For nearly 57 minutes Sunday, it looked like Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos would suffer yet another early home playoff flop.

But a fourth-quarter fumble by Pittsburgh Steelers running back Fitzgerald Toussaint and one drive from Manning reversed the script. With a 23-16 come-from-behind win, the Broncos advance and will host the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game next Sunday.

“Everybody understands in the fourth quarter, there’s a sense of urgency,” Manning said. “Especially when you’re behind. You realize your opportunities are getting fewer and fewer.”

This has been the story of this Broncos season: Games that have plodded along, with an offense that sputters more than sparks, a stadium full of fans just awaiting the big defensive play in the final quarter. Game after game has transpired this way, so of course the divisional playoffs against the Steelers would follow the same pattern.

Right on cue, the Broncos defense delivered. This time, it was cornerback Bradley Roby lowering his shoulder into Toussaint, forcing the ball free. Outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware somehow corralled the fumble amid a pile of Steelers.

It was the momentum change Manning needed. After the offense settled for four field goals through the first three quarters, the group needed a touchdown to erase a 13-12 Steelers lead. Manning hit reserve receiver Bennie Fowler for a 31-yard completion on third down, sparking a drive that ended with a 1-yard touchdown by C.J. Anderson. The Broncos also added a two-point conversion and another field goal with 53 seconds remaining to end the Steelers’ upset bid.

“It’s been a unique season,” Manning said. “Kind of like tonight, I had to stay patient. … that served me well tonight, it served me well earlier this season.”

It was certainly a valiant attempt by the Steelers, who arrived in Denver set up for failure.

Pittsburgh faced the NFL’s No. 1-ranked defense without star receiver Antonio Brown, ruled out on Friday because of a concussion he suffered last week, without starting running back DeAngelo Williams (foot), and with quarterback Ben Roethlisbergernursing an injured right shoulder.

But from the moment Roethlisberger launched a deep pass on the first play of the game, a message was sent. Sure, that pass fell incomplete, sailing over the head of receiver Martavis Bryant, but it was clear Roethlisberger was healthier than expected, and the Steelers certainly weren’t scared.

The Steelers artfully attacked a soft Broncos zone defense – a noticeable change in scheme from the teams’ first meeting on Dec. 20, when the Broncos almost exclusively played man coverage. And though Pittsburgh surely missed Brown at times, Bryant and Markus Wheaton were more than capable enough replacements, as Roethlisberger passed for 339 yards. The Broncos allowed only two 300-yard passers this year – and both times it was Roethlisberger, who threw for 380 yards against Denver in December.

The loss was evidently an emotional one for Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin.

“I’ve never seen him cry before,” said Bryant. “It’s a hurtful feeling.”

Steelers players said the loss was so frustrating because they were seemingly in control for so much of the game despite missing so many important players. It wasn’t just that Brown was left behind in Pittsburgh, or that Williams was on the sideline in a sweatsuit. It was that they had overcome losing running back Le’Veon Bell earlier this year and had spent more than a month without Bryant as he served a four-game substance-abuse related suspension to start the season.

“We had a special group that faced adversity and overcame it all year, and it just wasn’t our year. It really sucks being in this position when we were so close,” cornerback Brandon Boykin said.

“You hold that lead, you hold the ball. Everything about this situation falls on us, as far as our execution,” left guard Ramon Foster said. “We take that. For 57 minutes, we owned it.

“Today was one of those days, we should have been able to fight through it,” added Foster. “No excuses. We take this loss and we’ll move on from it.”

The Broncos’ win sets up the 17th meeting between Manning and Patriots quarterbackTom Brady. Manning’s only win against Brady since joining the Broncos in 2012 happened two years ago in the AFC Championship Game played in Denver.

“We’ll talk about who we’re playing on Wednesday,” Manning said.

The Broncos beat the Patriots at Sports Authority Field in November while Manning was inactive because of a foot injury.