DENVER – It was never easy, but the Denver Broncos advanced to their second AFC Championship in three years with a 23-16 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday afternoon.

What ended up being a complete struggle of a game started off quite well for the Broncos, with a three-and-out from Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers offense, followed by a 42-yard punt return from Omar Bolden but a Demariyus Thomas drop began a stall for the Denver offense and they settled for three.

That was the story of the first half for Denver, drops and field goals. Five drops and three field goals, to be exact.

On the other side, Roethlisberger, as the Broncos expected, looked pretty darn healthy. A drive helped along by a 40-yard reverse by Martavis Bryant was pushed in by Fitzgerald Touissant and that TD, compiled with a field goal of their own, was all the Steelers would need to take a 10-9 lead into the break.

In most of the second half, the Denver offense continued to struggle. Again stalling time and time again and settling for a lone field goal in the third quarter, but the defense continued to hold strong, only allowing the Steelers to match the three.

In the final quarter, though, the Broncos finally got the break, and the breakthrough, they needed. Bradley Roby stuck his helmet directly on the ball as Touissant attempted to get the edge, popped the ball right out and into the waiting hands of DeMarcus Ware.

It was the spark the offense needed. A third-and-12 conversion from Manning to Fowler was the catalyst of a 13-play 65-yard drive that lasted 6:52 and was finished off by a C.J. Anderson run to give the Broncos their lone touchdown of the game and the only touchdown (complete with a two-point conversion) they would need.

The Steelers had a chance with just over three minutes remaining, but, as they have so many times this season, the Denver defense came up clutch. A fourth-down sack of Roethlisberger by DeMarcus Ware, aided by Von Miller, would effectively seal the game and a second trip to the AFC Championship in three years for the Denver Broncos.

Player of the game

Bradley Roby

Nobody on the Broncos really played exceptionally well. It seemed, at times, that the squad was looking around waiting for someone else to make a big play. Roby made it. His fumble-forcing tackle in the fourth quarter was the difference in the game, giving the Broncos the momentum switch that they so desperately needed.

Quote of the game

"It was a hustle play for me. Roby saved the day" @DeMarcusWare pic.twitter.com/q3WEcKCj1F

— Adam Kinney (@adamrkinney) January 18, 2016

By the numbers

1 – The number of wins separating the Broncos and the Super Bowl.

2 – The number of AFC Championships Peyton Manning has led the Broncos to.

198 – The number of all-time wins (including postseason) that Peyton Manning now had. Just one shy of Brett Favre’s record of 199.

What’s next?

The Broncos will host the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship game. Tom Brady is 0-2 all-time in playoff games in Denver.