STEELERS ROLL WITH A 7 BIG BEN TAMES BRONCOS' DEFENSE.

Byline: Jon Clifford Staff Writer

DENVER - Fans in the Mile High City have seen it time and time before.

Old No. 7 dropping back, eluding a rush, flinging the ball to receivers downfield.

Yet this time, there were few Bronco fans cheering the heroics of Old No. 7, no reason to applaud Old No. 7 securing a Super Bowl berth.

This time Old No. 7 was not John Elway, he of two Super Bowl rings in five appearances. This time Old No. 7 was actually 23-year-old Ben Roethlisberger of the Steelers, who in his second season guided Pittsburgh to a 34-17 victory over the Broncos in Sunday's AFC Championship Game. In the process, he continued to show poise and precision that belie the date on his birth certificate.

``I'm excited. I lost it last year,'' Roethlisberger said about reaching the Super Bowl a year after losing the AFC Championship game at home to New England. ``This year, I feel a lot more older. I'm more comfortable and not run down.''

Roethlisberger, who can supplant New England's Tom Brady as the youngest quarterback to win a Super Bowl with a victory Feb. 5 against Seattle, picked on Broncos rookie cornerback Dominique Foxworth for many of his 180 passing yards in the first half and silenced the Denver crowd early with a pair of second-quarter touchdown passes.

``He's everything you want in a quarterback,'' Steelers guard Alan Faneca said. ``We wouldn't be here today without him leading our offense.''

Roethlisberger, who was 9 years old when coach Bill Cowher became Pittsburgh's coach, grew up idolizing Denver's famous No. 7.

``I wear No. 7 because of Elway,'' Roethlisberger said, ``but I tried to make sure I stayed focused on the task at hand, don't get overwhelmed. If you think about things like that, you get overwhelmed.''

It was Denver's defense that was overwhelmed by Big Ben's accuracy.

``He showed he is a great talent,'' Broncos safety John Lynch said, ``not only throwing the football, but he ran around out there and made plays as an athlete.

Roethlisberger completed 13 of his first 17 passes, and was 5 of 6 on third down. He also thwarted any chance of a Denver comeback in the fourth quarter with a 4-yard touchdown run.

``Talk about him throwing 20 times, but half of them are on third downs,'' said Cowher, who reached the Super Bowl for the second time, the first a loss to Dallas in Super Bowl XXX. ``He's very much in control. He's got a great feel for the game and a lot of self-confidence.

``I don't think he knows what not having success is. We'll keep riding his coattails and hopefully there will be more to come.''

CAPTION(S):

photo, box

Photo:

Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, right, celebrates with receiver Hines Ward after the two connected on a 17-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter on Sunday.

Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

Box:

PITTSBURGH 34, DENVER 17