Subject: The Drama Continues

AND THE AFC CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP...

	The Pittsburgh Steelers were coming off of a strong win over the Browns,
and their star was shining as bright as the sun rebounding off their bright
yellow jerseys.  Denver was not intimidated, however, after digging deep
last week for the overtime victory over the Titans.  The Broncos knew they
had the grit to slug it out- to stare deep into the eyes of the Pittsburgh
defense and crash through it.  Once again, it was to be a test of whose
gameplan would dominate the game.  Would it be the high-scoring, fast-paced
13-second Denver drives?  Or would the Steeler's defense dominate and bog
the game down into a scrappy schoolyard fight?
	It started out the way it has all season long, with Griese seemingly
unstoppable, connecting on deep routes for the early TD.  Then Kordell
brought his team out, and once again riding the strong sholders of the Bus,
took it the other way for the tying TD.  The Steelers D, already reeling
from giving up the quick score looked to be mired down in quicksand as the
the Bronos consistently jetted by them on their way down the field.  Finally
coming out of their daze, the Steelers D woke up and made a clutch red zone
stop.  Flowers lept up, timing it perfectly, and pulled in Griese's TD
bullet for the interception.  Then, it was the Bronco's much maligned
defense that did the trick, pulling off a 3-and-0 stop to get the ball back
for another try.  And so it went for much of the game, with the defense on
either side making key plays time and time again.  The punters saw more time
on the field this game than almost all season.
	The story of the game, however, was soon to turn from the players on the
field to the players in the infirmary.  Denver's star fullback, already
injured in the semi-finals, could only sit on the sideline and watch.  He
was soon joined by his back-up, who got crushed and had the wind knocked out
of him.  The Broncos, who funnel their entire offense through their FB, were
suddenly left in a quandary.  Then on the other side of the field, Jerome
Bettis finally got a flat, and was carried off the field.
	The back-ups came on and played their hearts out.  Westbrook, playing a
brand new position, for which he was definitely not suited, managed to
maintain the Bronco's offensive plan- even throwing a rare key block here
and there.  On the other side, "Famous Amos" Zereoue kept the Steelers in it
with a credible running game.  But it was to be the lack of Bettis that
proved to be the difference.  Down by 5, with the ball on the 30, 28 seconds
to go in the game, and plenty of timeouts- the Mark of Z was slashed through
and was just not strong enough to power his way for the necessary first
down.  Bettis could only hang his head on the sideline, knowing that that
play would have been his, and could have been the game-difference.  The 4th
and long was put in the air and knocked down, for the turnover on downs and
the end of the Pittsburgh season.  As Denver players streamed onto the field
celebrating their first AFC Championship in a long while, the Steelers
despondently trugged off the field, with Kordell breaking into tears like a
little girl on the bench.

Griese, still pissed at not winning regular-season MVP, has proved that
actions speak louder than words- or dancing with chearleaders pompoms for
that matter- and led his team to the Superbowl.