Pittsburgh SteelersVERSUSDenver Broncos

Denver had reached the playoffs at 8–8 after Tim Tebow's unconventional midseason rise produced a string of close victories, then ended with three straight losses and renewed questions about whether he could function as an NFL passer. Pittsburgh arrived as the defending AFC champion with the league's top-ranked defense, even as injuries left the favorite vulnerable.

• Tebow was making his first playoff start after going from third-string quarterback to the center of the season's largest football debate.
• The Steelers had won two Super Bowls in the previous six seasons, and Ben Roethlisberger entered with extensive postseason experience despite an ankle injury.
• The game was the first playoff contest played under modified rules that guaranteed a response to an opening field goal but not to an opening touchdown.

Sources: NFL game recap · NFL: quickest overtime