CINCINNATI — The longest pass completion in Bengals playoff history also turned out to be the costliest.

What could be worse than losing a Pro Bowl quarterback minutes after the coin toss?

Carson Palmer tore up his left knee on his first throw, and the Pittsburgh Steelers eventually took advantage of Cincinnati's devastating loss, pulling away to a 31-17 victory Sunday.

"It was real emotional to see our leader go down," offensive guard Bobbie Williams said.

Once emotion wore off, the Steelers (12-5) showed that having playoff experience — and especially a quarterback who has been there — takes a team much farther than adrenaline.

In his second try at the postseason, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was everything Pittsburgh needed. He went 14-of-19 for 208 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions.

His steady play helped the Steelers advance to a rematch in Indianapolis next Sunday against the AFC's top team. Defending Super Bowl champion New England plays in Denver on Saturday.

"We've been living our playoff lives for five weeks," linebacker Joey Porter said. "We've been fighting each week to stay in it, and we're still in it. This was a great game to keep our momentum going, get our confidence going. Going into another loud place in Indy, it's a great challenge to go out there and redeem ourselves on a bigger stage."

Last year, the Steelers had the AFC's top record and home-field advantage, but couldn't overcome their rookie quarterback's jitters. Roethlisberger threw five interceptions in his two playoff games, two of which were returned for touchdowns.

"I'm more mature this year," Roethlisberger said. "I think my play and our play spoke volumes for that."

Their playoff win said a few things, too.

After the Bengals (11-6) effectively won the AFC North with a 38-31 victory at Heinz Field on Dec. 4, receiver Chad Johnson boasted that the Bengals were now the division's top team and the Steelers were as out-of-date as black-and-white television.

Steelers receiver Hines Ward felt that the Bengals had gotten a little full of themselves.

"It was kind of disrespecting us," said Ward, who had a 5-yard touchdown catch. "We have won this division for a long time. Yes, they won it. But in the playoffs, the loser goes home."

When Palmer went down, the Bengals could have started packing.

Kimo von Oelhoffen, who played his first six seasons in Cincinnati and still has friends on the Bengals, was falling down when he hit Palmer low with his right shoulder and wrapped his arm around the leg.

Even though Palmer wears a protective brace on the left knee, it bowed ominously. His anterior cruciate ligament tore under the weight of the hit.

"I knew it," von Oelhoffen said. "I heard it. I felt bad."

Most of the Bengals were looking downfield and cheering the 66-yard completion to Chris Henry. When they turned back and saw Palmer on his back in pain, they got worried — and angry.

Several Bengals confronted von Oelhoffen and the Steelers, accusing them of taking a cheap shot on their quarterback. Officials deemed the play clean, and Bengals players who know the nose tackle absolved him.

"Guys were infuriated," right tackle Willie Anderson said. "I know Kimo. He's not a dirty player. It wasn't a dirty play."

The Bengals drew inspiration from the moment, pulling ahead 17-7 behind backup Jon Kitna. But they lost all of their momentum during a third-quarter sequence that was reminiscent of the old Bungles — a bad snap ruined a field-goal attempt, Kitna fumbled on a scramble, a shanked punt set up Roethlisberger's third touchdown pass on a flea-flicker.

"As a team, we imploded," defensive tackle John Thornton said. "We had some selfish penalties and selfish players. We just imploded. There was stuff that just shouldn't happen in the playoffs."

Notes:

Ward has caught a touchdown pass in each

of his last five playoff games. ... Pittsburgh has won seven of its last nine against Cincinnati, and 10 of its last 13. The Steelers have won their last five at Paul Brown Stadium. ... It was the Steelers' first road win in the playoffs since 1989. They had been 0-3 on the road under Cowher. Overall, they're 9-9 in the playoffs under their head coach. ... Henry hurt his right knee in the first quarter and had to be helped off the field. He was on crutches in the second half.