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DENVER (AP) – Nose tackle Shelby Harris earned Ben Roethlisberger's 2-yard pass to Antonio Brown in the end zone with 1:03 left to seal Pittsburgh's 24-to-17 win over the Pittsburgh.
The Broncos (5-6) used four takeaways to counter a 97-yard touchdown between Roethlisberger and JuJu Smith-Schuster.
Roethlisberger was 41 for 56 for 462 yards, but was intercepted twice and the Steelers (7-3-1) lost two fumbles in the loss for the first time since September.
Phillip Lindsay racked up 110 yards and scored the decisive goal in just 14 assists for Denver, which also ended the Chargers' six-game winning streak last week and would have allowed the Houston to score five shots without a missed goal, time is up.
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Cornerback Bradley Roby and safety Darian Stewart were burned in Smith-Schuster's long strike, but they caught up with him when they teamed up for the final third quarter match for Denver's third goal.
Roby forced James Connor to take the ball after a 23-yard gain and Stewart picked it up at Denver 21.
The Broncos then collected 79 yards in 11 games. Lindsay racked up 2 yards to break the 17-17 tie.
Earlier in the third quarter, Roethlisberger was saved in his own end zone after the Broncos had a punt on 3, and Harris overturned him while he debouched the past.
Smith-Schuster, who overtook Roby, took it to Pittsburgh 35, then avoided Roby and Stewart for the rest of the way, eventually putting Stewart on the ground in front of the Broncos bench before heading into the end zone. 10-10 tie at half time.
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The Broncos drew twice against Emmanuel Sanders after Chris Harris Jr. intercepted a pass for Brown at the Steelers.
Brown, who burned Denver for 189 yards the previous time, had only 67 yards in nine catches. Smith-Schuster rushed for 189 yards this time in 13 shots.
Roethlisberger had 25 finals at half-time, the highest number in the first half of the regular season with a Steelers QB since 1960, but it took false ground for Pittsburgh to reach the end zone.
Kicker Chris Boswell threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to left striker Alejandro Villanueva to tie the game at 10.
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Boswell took the live photo and sent a perfect pass to Villanueva, an open player, who was receiver and tight end to Army. He became the first Steelers lineman to receive a touchdown pass since Ray Pinney did it against the Browns in 1983.
PHOTO GALLERY: Steelers, 17, Broncos, 24
The Steelers lost 10 more points in the first period.
Justin Simmons blocked Boswell's goalkeeper goal for 48 yards and safety Will Parks hit the ball just as tight end Xavier Grimble was about to score a decisive 24-yard goal. The ball went out of bounds for a touchdown.
INJURY
Steelers: T.J. Watt left in the first quarter with a wrist injury, but returned after half-time. … TE Vance McDonald left in the third quarter with a hip injury, but returned to the fourth.
Broncos: CB Tramaine Brock injured his ribs against Smith-Schuster in the third quarter. In the fourth quarter, TE Jeff Heuerman (back) and OLB Shaq Barrett (hip) left the game.
FOLLOWING
Steelers: Go home to welcome the loaders in another match in prime time.
Broncos: Travel to Cincinnati to face the worst defense in the league.
By ARNIE STAPLETON
(© Copyright 2018 The Associated Press Inc. All rights reserved This document may not be published, disseminated, rewritten or redistributed.)
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