While rookie Ben Roethlisberger has the potential to be a great quarterback, last night Tom Brady again proved last that he has already reached this pinnacle.

01:02 AM EST on Monday, January 24, 2005

BY JIM DONALDSON
Journal Sports Writer

PITTSBURGH -- Big Ben is a promising young player, but he's no Tom Terrific.

Ben Roethlisberger is the NFL's Rookie of the Year, but Tom Brady has been MVP in two Super Bowls.

And perhaps a third, if he plays as well in Jacksonville against the Eagles two weeks from now as he did last night at Heinz Field against the Steelers.

Roethlisberger came in undefeated in 13 regular-season starts, plus a shaky playoff win in overtime against the Jets.

Brady came in undefeated in seven postseason starts.

Make it eight now.

While Roethlisberger kept making costly mistakes, Brady kept making big plays.

The difference in their ability and accuracy, in their experience and composure, was obvious.

That would be painfully obvious for the disappointed Steelers and their frustrated fans, losers for the fourth time in the AFC Championship Game at home in Bill Cowher's 13-year tenure.

Roethlisberger got off to a shaky start, throwing an interception on his first pass that led to a New England field goal, and the Patriots never trailed.

Brady, on the other hand, took immediate advantage of a tough stand by the New England defense, which stopped Pittsburgh's powerful running back, Jerome Bettis, on fourth-and-1 at the Pats' 39.

On the next play, Brady fired a perfect strike far downfield to Deion Branch, who had gotten behind Steelers' cornerback Deshea Townsend, for a 60-yard touchdown -- the longest scoring play from scrimmage this season for the Pats.

That was sweet for Brady, who had thrown an interception that was returned for a touchdown by Townsend when the Steelers beat New England, 34-20, on Halloween.

Speaking of interception returns for touchdowns, Pats strong safety Rodney Harrison had an 87-yarder last night.

It marked a dramatic turnaround, because Roethlisberger appeared to be rallying the Steelers, leading them from their own 23 to the New England 19 late in the second quarter.

Pittsburgh was trailing at the time, 17-3, but could have regained momentum with a touchdown just before halftime.

Instead, Harrison pounced on a sideline toss by Roethlisberger intended for tight end Jerame Tuman, picking off the ball in full stride and cruising down the sideline in front of the New England bench.

The only Pittsburgh player with even a remote chance of stopping him was Roethlisberger, whose frustrations increased when he was blocked to the ground around the Steelers' 35 by linebacker Mike Vrabel, enabling Harrison to jog, then walk, the remaining yards to the end zone.

"That was at least a 10-point swing, maybe more," Pats coach Bill Belichick said. "Rodney undercut the tight end on the out-route and got a nice block from Vrabel at the end."

Contrast that throw with the one Brady had made to David Givens on the preceding possession.

After a 45-yard completion to Branch -- who held on to the ball despite a jarring hit by Troy Polamalu -- had helped the Patriots move from their own 30 to the Pittsburgh 9, Givens was starting to jog from near the right sideline toward the formation.

Brady turned and emphatically waved him back outside.

At the snap, Brady whipped a pass to Givens, who romped into the end zone when Willie Williams slipped coming up to tackle him.

Roethlisberger did manage to throw a couple of touchdown passes in the second half, but one of them came in the final minute of play, long after the outcome had been decided.

And he put an end to whatever slim hopes the Steelers had of a comeback in the fourth quarter when he overthrew Hines Ward and was intercepted by Eugene Wilson, who had also picked off Roethlisberger's first pass of the game.

Brady, on the other hand, was remarkably efficient and error-free, compiling a lofty rating of 130.5 by completing 14-of-21 for 207 yards and 2 TDs, without an interception.

"Tom, to me, is kind of the same guy every day and every game," Belichick said. "Not every play is perfect, but most of them are pretty good, and he's very well prepared.

"He's a smart, tough guy and a great competitor. He seems like he's always ready to play. He's always on top of the game plan. He sees things well on the field. I don't think the magnitude of the game, or the crowd noise, or the situation ever bothers him. He's able to focus on what he has to do, and usually does a pretty good job of it.

"There's no quarterback I would rather have."