Page 19 - Aruba Today
P. 19
SPORTS A19
Monday 18 January 2016
Manning leads Broncos past gritty Steelers 23-16
dropped seven passes, but Then, Manning went to en NFL records he owns.
came through in crunch work, driving Denver to its Ware’s sack ended Pitts-
time. Denver is 10-3 in only touchdown. burgh’s next drive and
games decided by seven C.J. Anderson ran it in Brandon McManus kicked
points or fewer, and Man- from the 1, and Demaryius his fifth field goal, tying the
ning said being battle- Thomas — who was playing NFL playoff record.
tested helped them on this in front of his mother for the Chris Boswell made a
night. With Denver down first time in his life — caught 47-yarder with 19 seconds
13-12 with less than 10 min- the 2-point conversion for a left, but Anderson recov-
utes left, cornerback Brad- 20-13 lead with three min- ered the onside kick.
ley Roby punched the ball utes remaining. Manning credited Den-
from Fitzgerald Toussaint’s That was Manning’s 55th ver’s NFL-best defense for
arms and teammate De- game-winning drive in the thwarting a team that piled
Marcus Ware recovered at fourth quarter or overtime, up 34 points on them last
the Denver 35-yard line. extending one of the doz- month.q
Denver Broncos wide receiver Demaryius Thomas, left, pushes
off Pittsburgh Steelers defensive back Brandon Boykin during
the first half in an NFL football divisional playoff game, Sunday,
Jan. 17, 2016, in Denver.
(AP Photo/Joe Mahoney)
ARNIE STAPLETON once said there will nev-
DENVER (AP) — Get ready er be another rivalry like
for Brady-Manning XVII. Brady-Manning.
Peyton Manning earned Brady has won 11 of the 16
one more and possibly final meetings, but they’re 2-2
game against his rival by in the playoffs, including
leading the Denver Bron- Denver’s 26-16 win in the
cos to a come-from-behind conference champion-
23-16 win over Ben Roethlis- ship game two years ago.
berger and the Pittsburgh This game marks just the
Steelers on Sunday. seventh time Manning will
That set up an AFC cham- face Brady at home.
pionship game next week- This matchup was slated
end in Denver against Tom for November before Man-
Brady and the defending ning went out with a foot
Super Bowl champion New injury that pushed longtime
England Patriots (13-4). backup Brock Osweiler into
Manning and Brady have the starting — and starring
squared off 16 times be- — role.
fore, a full season’s worth Osweiler led the Broncos
of matchups between the (13-4) back from a two-
two quarterbacks whose touchdown, fourth-quarter
careers are so intertwined deficit against New Eng-
that a conversation about land on Nov. 29 in a game
one almost has to include Denver won 30-24 in over-
the other — like Bird vs. time. Manning had just
Magic or Ali vs. Frazier. gotten out of his cast and
“It’ll be the Broncos vs. the watched that game from
Patriots,” Manning said. the locker room.
“We’ll enjoy this one to- He returned to action in the
night. I think you knew that season finale, his cameo
answer was coming. To kind propelling the Broncos past
of quote Bill Belichick, we’ll San Diego and into the
be on to New England. But AFC’s No. 1 seed that en-
I’ll be talking about them sures Brady & Co. will have
on Wednesday.” to play at altitude in their
His boss, John Elway, who fifth consecutive trip to the
only got to face his fellow conference championship
Hall of Famer Dan Marino game.
twice in his playing career, Manning’s teammates
