Steelers-Ravens * Saturday, January 3 * Heinz Field
AFC Wild Card Round
Gates open at 6:15 pm * Kickoff at 8:15 pm

January 18, 2009Steelers 23, Ravens 142008 AFC Championship Game

The Steelers beat the Ravens 23-14 in the AFC Championship Game behind a stellar defensive effort that limited the Ravens to 198 total net yards.

Coach Mike Tomlin on the pass coverage: "Dick (LeBeau) did a nice job calling plays early on. I think that they anticipated us loading up to stop the run, we played two high safeties. They were passing. I think at one point they had six passes to one run. The guys did a nice job of covering down the field. There really wasn't anywhere to go with the football. It was a little cat and mouse, if you will. That is all part of the rivalry. They know us and we know them. Sometimes you get those kinds of chess matches."

• Pittsburgh's defense had three interceptions and three sacks, including two from LB LaMarr Woodley. It marked Woodley's third straight postseason game with at least two sacks.

Linebacker James Harrison: "The secondary did a great job. Even the plays that Baltimore did have – that we gave to them – we did have some pass interference penalties that put them at the goal line and accounted for their points. We weren't really too rattled by it. We played defense aggressively and, eventually, [with] the pressure that we were getting on Flacco, we felt like things were going to turn around for us. And they did."

QB Ben Roethlisberger threw for a game-high 255 yards with one touchdown, a 65-yarder to WR Santonio Holmes to give Pittsburgh a 13-0 lead.

Tomlin on Roethlsberger: "Ben is a special guy; he is at his best in the midst of the most difficult adversity; in other years and in this year. Such was the case today. He recognized the magnitude of the game, and he did what his team needed him to do. He was very efficient and made great decisions. He was a special guy for us."

• The Ravens staged a comeback and got within two points. With the Steelers leading 16-14, S Troy Polamalu picked off QB Joe Flacco and returned it 40-yards for a touchdown to seal the victory.

Roethlisberger on Troy: "That's Troy. He comes out of nowhere. I actually thought that he overran the ball. Even if he batted it down, it would have been great. He just reaches back and makes a play. When Troy starts running with the ball you never know what's going to happen, and I was just so happy that he scored."

• With the win, the Steelers marched on to Super Bowl XLIII where they defeated the Arizona Cardinals, 27-23, to capture the team's sixth Lombardi Trophy.

Tomlin on the team: "We have a special group in there; guys that play for each other and don't want to let one another down."