Pittsburgh finally muzzles Jets in AFC championship game

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.

Look out Big D, here comes another Big D -- in black and gold, and with an unmatched history of carrying off the Lombardi Trophy.

The Steelers (14-4) also will challenge the Packers with a versatile attack led by their quarterback and running back Rashard Mendenhall.

Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker LaMarr Woodley (56) tackles New York Jets running back LaDainian Tomlinson (21) during the second half of the AFC Championship NFL football game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Jan. 23, 2011. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

The defense, led by James Harrison, had a fumble return for a touchdown and a goal-line stand that shut down the Jets' comeback in the fourth quarter.

That smothering defense set the tone for most of a frigid night at Heinz Field to end the Jets' stunning postseason run. Ryan slammed down his headset when Antonio Brown caught a pass for a first down that allowed Pittsburgh to hang on and run out the clock.

"It's not always pretty with us," Roethlisberger said, "but we do the job."

The Steelers ended the Jets' season with a dominant first half for a 24-3 lead. Mendenhall had 95 of his 121 yards and a touchdown.

"We played a good half. We never played a good game, and that was the difference," Ryan said. "You get to this point, you've got to play a great game against a great opponent, and we played a good half and that was it."

Steelers running back Mewelde Moore is upended by Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie after making a reception during the second half of the AFC championship game Sunday in Pittsburgh. The Steelers advanced to the Super Bowl with a 24-19 victory. (Matt Slocum ~ Associated Press)

At game's end, Roethlisberger knelt on the field, his face buried in an AFC championship T-shirt.

"I'm going to enjoy this," he said.

No one had to ask what he meant.

Roethlisberger sat out the season's first four games for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy -- an outgrowth of a college student's accusations that he sexually assaulted her in Georgia last March. The quarterback was never prosecuted over what was the second such set of allegations against him.

"God is good and this one was for Steelers fans," Roethlisberger said. "I'm really proud of the way you came out and supported us tonight."

Now he will lead the Steelers into their eighth Super Bowl, a game they handle pretty well -- and have a record six titles to show for it.

The cocky Jets seemed to have left everything they had in New England last Sunday. There was little trash talking all week and even less fire early in their biggest game since winning the championship 42 years ago. They haven't been back to the Super Bowl.

The Steelers are regulars, including Super Bowl titles for the 2005 and 2008 teams, both led by Roethlisberger and a fierce defense sparked by playmaking safety Troy Polamalu.

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.

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin's team was 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.

But the early hole was too deep, even after a 4-yard TD pass to Jerricho Cotchery made it 24-19 with 3 minutes, 6 seconds remaining. The Jets never got the ball back.

Pittsburgh set the early tone with a 66-yard march that took up the first nine minutes, with Roethlisberger displaying his scrambling skills on several plays, including a key 12-yard run on third-and-12. Mendenhall reached the ball over the goal line from the 1, the final of a 15-play drive.

Mendenhall's 35-yard sprint in the second quarter led to Shaun Suisham's 20-yard field goal and a 10-0 lead that was insurmountable the way the Jets were whiffing.

It became 17-0 as Roethlisberger scooted into the end zone from the 2. Just 47 seconds later, Ike Taylor sacked Sanchez, forcing a fumble that William Gay ran 22 yards for a 24-0 lead.

Then the Jets began their comeback.

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.