Injured during his team's regular season loss to the Steelers, receiver Deion Branch provides the Patriots with several big plays in the first quarter last night to help them to an early 17-3 lead.

01:00 AM EST on Monday, January 24, 2005

BY SHALISE MANZA YOUNG
Journal Sports Writer

PITTSBURGH -- He's so small compared to his much larger teammates it can sometimes be easy to overlook Patriots receiver Deion Branch.

It happened all last week, actually, as time and again it was mentioned that New England played its Halloween night loss to Pittsburgh without running back Corey Dillon.

But the Pats also played that game without Branch, their speedy receiver and a favorite target of quarterback Tom Brady. Branch hurt his knee in the second game of the season, at Arizona, and did not return for seven weeks.

Last night, however, it was impossible not to notice the 5-foot-9 Branch in the AFC Championship game against the Steelers.

There he was on the Patriots' first play from scrimmage, taking a handoff from Brady on an end-around and gaining 14 yards. That drive ended with a 48-yard Adam Vinatieri field goal.

On New England's next offensive play -- at their own 40 thanks to a forced fumble by Rosevelt Colvin and fumble recovery by Mike Vrabel (who else?) -- Brady aimed the ball downfield.

With Deshea Townsend in coverage, Branch barely broke stride as he caught up to the 60-yard pass and put the Pats up, 10-0, with eight minutes gone in the first quarter.

"The whole week, [Brady and Branch] did a great job connecting. The line did a great job of blocking," Branch said. "It was just like practice."

Branch's second reception of the game was for 45 yards, and in his first two catches, he had exceeded 100 yards.

The 45-yarder came with a price, however: Branch was hit hard at the end by Steelers safety Troy Polamalu, but held on to the ball and New England had first-and-10 from the Pittsburgh 14.

Two plays later, they were up 17-3.

Branch scored again, on another end around, this one for 23 yards in the fourth quarter that put the game away.

At home watching the October meeting on his television, Branch said he got so frustrated he turned off the set in the fourth quarter.

But yesterday he was able to make an impact for his team in its biggest game of the year.

"The last [touchdown] sealed everything. We needed the first one to get the game started, to get the momentum, and we wanted to take the crowd out of the game," Branch said.

On the first score, "Deion ran a good route," head coach Bill Belichick said. "Deion has come up big for us. He's such a dependable player. He's come up big for us lately."

Branch finished the day with four catches for 116 yards, an average of 29 yards per catch, and also had two rushes for 37 yards.

Since getting to the Super Bowl has become an almost annual occurance for the Pats, Branch knows last night's dramatic win is not the end-all for New England.

"We got this victory, we had our five-minute celebration, and now everyone is back to normal," he said. "Philly had a great game against Atlanta."