Carter, Steelers pick off Broncos 28-10

DENVER - Rarely has playing it safe paid off so well for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Tyrone Carter started in place of safety Ryan Clark as a precaution Monday night and made the big play that sparked the Steelers to their fifth straight win, taking the first of his 2 interceptions 48 yards for a touchdown in Pittsburgh's 28-10 win over the Denver Broncos.

Clark nearly died following a game in Denver two years ago because of a rare blood disorder that is aggravated by playing in high altitude, so Steelers coach Mike Tomlin decided to hold him out of the game.

Tomlin said he didn't want to risk Clark's health or burden his teammates and family members with worry.

"Ryan likes to play. He's probably hacked off at me that I didn't play him," Tomlin said. "But he will get over it."

He already is, apparently.

"My goal for this trip was to go back with the team on the plane," Clark said. "Last time I came out, I didn't make it back with them."

Carter capped his night with his second interception with 15 seconds left, and Clark, dressed in charcoal sweats and a smile on the sideline, jumped up and down in celebration.

Hines Ward caught 2 short touchdown passes from Ben Roethlisberger, including 1 in which he hauled in a pass in the flat and hurdled cornerback Champ Bailey on his way into the end zone, a final indignity for Denver that capped the scoring with 1:22 remaining and emptied the stadium.

Rashard Mendenhall rumbled over the Broncos for 155 yards on 22 carries as the Steelers (6-2) handed Denver its second straight loss after the Broncos opened the season 6-0 under rookie coach Josh McDaniels.

Carter's first interception return gave Pittsburgh a 7-3 halftime lead even though the Steelers had generated just three first downs and were outgained 183-54 in the first half.

An ecstatic Clark was among the first players to swarm Carter, the first defender to pick off a Kyle Orton pass all season.

The Broncos stopped themselves over and over again on offense, with Orton making poor passes and bad decisions and his receivers making uncharacteristic mistakes.

Roethlisberger was 21-for-29 passing for 233 yards.