AFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME Steelers ride over Broncos 6th-seeded Pittsburgh heads to Super Bowl in Detroit

Sunday's victory avenges a Steelers loss to the Broncos in 1998.
By TOM WILLIAMS
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
DENVER -- Here we go ... to the Motor City.
Twenty-six years after their fourth Super Bowl victory, the Pittsburgh Steelers will try again to win a ring for the thumb.
The Steelers earned their second Super Bowl trip in 11 seasons Sunday with a 34-17 throttling of the Broncos at Invesco Field at Mile High.
Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's 4-yard touchdown run with 2:59 to go sent most of the 76,174 fans inside scurrying for the exits as the Steelers became the first sixth-seeded playoff team to win the conference by defeating the top three seeds.
Since a 38-31 loss at Heinz Field on Dec. 4 that essentially gave the Cincinnati Bengals the AFC North Division crown, Pittsburgh has won seven straight games.
Road to victory
They needed a win Jan. 1 over the Lions to secure the sixth seed. After a 31-17 victory over the Bengals in Cincinnati, the Steelers bounced the NFL's best team -- the Colts -- on Jan. 15 in Indianapolis.
"The toughest route to take was the scenic route, and it was the best route for us," linebacker Joey Porter said. "We went to three different cities; we shocked the world three different times. We weren't supposed to be in this situation, but we pulled it off everywhere we went."
Sunday's victory avenges a 24-21 Steelers loss to Mike Shanahan's Broncos in the 1998 AFC Championship Game at Three Rivers Stadium.
Steelers players dedicated the victory to tailback Jerome Bettis (13 years), defensive end Kimo von Oelhoffen (12 years) and center Jeff Hartings (10 years).
Thinking of "Jerome and Kimo got me teared up," left guard Alan Faneca said. "It means so much to both guys who have been around the league so long and to give them a shot -- it definitely means something."
Wide receiver Cedric Wilson, who caught five passes for 92 yards, called the win "big for Coach [Bill] Cowher, huge for the organization, but we've got one more. I'm happy right now, but the Super Bowl is awaiting us, and that is the ultimate."
williams@vindy.com