MNF: Big Ben's Three-TD Night Gives Steelers 28-10 Win Over Broncos

First half, schmirst half. What matters is what happens in the end and Behind The Steel Curtain likes what they saw in the 2nd half:

That my friends was a beatdown of epic proportions in the second half. We’ll get to the stats and some analysis on the most impressive 28-10 victory soon enough, but for now, a bit of celebrating and discussing the outstanding 2nd half performance. It was a long 15 days waiting for this one. By game’s end, it was well worth the wait.

The folks at Mile High Report have a lot of emotions swirling around tonight’s loss to the Steelers. Like most fans, they don’t like to lose…but better November 9th than January 9th.

It’s disheartening, and frankly, I am pissed. Pissed because the Broncos has limped home, leaving a final score that was not close to how competitive the game was.

But I love this football team and I love where the team is. They have earned their 6 wins in a similar way to earning the 2 losses. The important thing now is the team LEARNS from their losses and IMPROVES them. The Denver Broncos aren’t where they need to be yet – not even close – but the important thing is the season is a stepping stone – a progression. I want the Broncos to be playing their best ball on January 9th, not November 9th.

Denver, CO (Sports Network) – Ben Roethlisberger threw for a trio of scores and Pittsburgh’s defense came up with three interceptions of Kyle Orton in a 28-10 triumph over the Denver Broncos.

Tyrone Carter returned one of those interceptions 48 yards for a touchdown and Troy Polamalu’s pick-off set up Roethlisberger’s 25-yard scoring toss to Mike Wallace in the fourth quarter.

Roethlisberger connected on 21-of-29 passes and was picked off once as the Steelers (6-2) won their fifth straight game. Rashard Mendenhall rushed 22 times for 155 yards, while Hines Ward had a pair of TD catches as Pittsburgh controlled the clock in the second half. Santonio Holmes caught six balls for 93 yards in the win.

Orton connected on 23-of-38 passes for 221 yards for the Broncos (6-2), who were coming off a 30-7 blowout loss at Baltimore. Brandon Marshall had 11 receptions for 112 yards, but Denver’s running game was nonexistent as the Broncos combined for 27 yards on the ground.

Orton’s pass sailed over the head of Brandon Marshall into the waiting hands of Polamalu, giving the Steelers the ball at the Denver 25 midway through the fourth quarter. Three plays later, on 3rd-and-10, Roethlisberger scrambled to his right before throwing over the middle to the goal line to a wide open Wallace for a 21-10 lead with 7:03 remaining.

Denver failed to get a first down on the ensuing possession and the Steelers iced the win with an 11-play, 74-yard drive that chewed better than five minutes off the clock. Ward took a bubble screen pass from Roethlisberger on the right side of the field and then leaped over Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey to score with 1:22 left.

Via Sports Network

The Steelers and Ryan Clark agonized over whether Clark would play in Denver tonight; Clark suffers with sickle cell anemia and has complications associated with high altitudes. Clark lost his spleen and gall bladder after playing in Denver last year.

Despite those complications, doctors cleared Clark to play in Monday night's game. That didn't matter to Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, who has decided to keep Clark on the sideline anyway. His reasoning:

“I think it was the appropriate thing to do in this situation. I didn’t want to be worried about his physical well-being, and I know his teammates would be, plus his wife and family. By not allowing him to play, I think we all can be singularly focused on what we came to Denver to do, which is win a football game,”