PITTSBURGH – It’s said often that it’s better to be lucky than good, and the Steelers embodied that today at Heinz Field.

After putting together the best regular season in franchise history, after becoming the only AFC team and just the fourth NFL team ever to finish 15-1, the Steelers won this AFC Divisional Playoff game against the New York Jets only because Doug Brien missed two field goals in the final 122 seconds of regulation.

But then in overtime, Jeff Reed did what Brien couldn't do -- make a game-winning field goal -- and the Steelers somehow beat the Jets, 20-17, in a game where the Pittsburgh defense allowed just three points and still almost found itself on the losing side.

Ben Roethlisberger entered the playoffs with a perfect 13-0 record as a starter, and he seemed to relish putting together performances that belied his status as a rookie. But if people were looking for Roethlisberger to play like the rookie he is, they got what they were waiting for yesterday.

Roethlisberger threw two interceptions, one seemingly more costly than the other, and at the time each appeared to be the play that was going to end the Steelers’ season.

The first interception came in the third quarter, on a second-and-10 from the Jets 33-yard line. After escaping the pocket to his right, Roethlisberger had Antwaan Randle El open for a touchdown, but the ball was underthrown, intercepted by Reggie Tongue and returned for an 86-yard touchdown that gave the Jets a 17-10 lead.

The second came with 1:58 to play, in a tie game from the Steelers 37-yard line. Roethlisberger mis-read the route Plaxico Burress was running, and David Barrett made an easy catch of that overthrow.

But just when it appeared he was to wear the goat’s horns, Roethlisberger bounced back to quarterback that decisive overtime drive that began at the Pittsburgh 13-yard line, and it ended with Reed’s field goal that allowed the Steelers to advance to the AFC Championship Game at 6:30 p.m. next Sunday at Heinz Field. The Steelers will play the winner of the Indianapolis-New England game.

Reed's 33-yard field goal with just more than 12 minutes gone in overtime not only won the game, but it was his 19th straight, which tied Gary Anderson's team record from 1994.

"The first thing that comes to mind is the effort by the New York Jets," said Coach Bill Cowher. "They are a football team that went through two overtime games, traveling across the country and back. They played hard. They were opportunistic. But we won the game. We are going to have to play a lot better, there is no question about it.

"We were fortunate. We recognize that. Let me say this about our football team, we are resilient, even through everything that took place. There was never anything on that sideline or in that locker room or at halftime, we were just focusing on the next series, the next play and doing what you have to do. We were fortunate but we won the game, and that is what is most important."

Jeff Hartings credited a higher power. "God gave us another chance."

Brien's 47-yard attempt with 2:02 left in the fourth quarter hit the spot where the upright joins the crossbar, but Roethlisberger gave the Jets the ball right back with his second interception of the game.

The Jets then drove cautiously to the Steelers 25-yard line, during which it appeared Coach Herman Edwards was playing just to give Brien another opportunity. But he hooked the kick to the left, and Heinz Field erupted for the second time.

"I tried to hit it a little harder because I was real surprised I didn't have the distance," Brien said, referring to the 47-yarder. "The second one I missed. The first one didn't go in."

"I had confidence in him, he made the one last week and I thought he could make it," Jets coach Herman Edwards said. "We were kind of in a spot, there was nothing else we could really do, we had to kick the field goal. He's been a good kicker for us. It was just a tough day."

The Jets became the first NFL team to play three consecutive overtime games, including their regular-season ending loss in St. Louis. They dropped to 0-7 in Pittsburgh and 2-16 all-time against the Steelers.

"This is about as frustrated as I've ever been in my career," said Curtis Martin. "Right now I feel there is no end to my anger. ... We left our hearts out there today."

The Steelers took a 10-0 lead in the first half and seemed to have the game under control, even though Roethlisberger seemed to be struggling from the start.

Pittsburgh scored first, when Jerome Bettis rushed for 17 of the 37 yards on a drive that ended with a 45-yard field goal from Reed for a 3-0 lead. Then two plays after the ensuing kickoff, Troy Polamalu cut in front of Santana Moss to intercept a Chad Pennington pass to give the ball back to the Steelers offense at the Jets 25-yard line.

Again, it was mostly Bettis. He rushed for 12 of those 25 yards, including the final 3 for the touchdown that gave the Steelers a 10-0 lead.

The Jets answered with a field goal of their own to close to 10-3, and then Santana Moss returned a punt 75 yards for a touchdown that not only tied the score but also stunned the second-largest crowd in Heinz Field history into silence.

"After what we went through today, I think it's our time," Porter said. "The way these circumstances played out, it's our time."

The Steelers had to be wondering if they were going to run out of time.

Bettis, who started for the seventh time this season, recorded his seventh 100-yard game, but he lost a fumble at the Jets 24-yard line early in the fourth quarter. It was another in the series of uncharacteristic mistakes that plagued the Steelers the whole day.

"We overcame two returns for touchdowns," said Cowher. "If you look at the game, the big difference in the first half was the punt return for a touchdown and then in the second half, you have an interception return for a touchdown. Then we move the ball all the way down and we fumble. We did move the ball."

But now the Steelers move on in these playoffs, almost in spite of themselves.

"I did everything I could to lose the game," Roethlisberger said. "I've got to play better. That was terrible. The game we played today is not going to cut it."

Roethlisberger is only the fourth rookie to win his first playoff start since the 1970 NFL merger, but he said he wasn't nervous.

"Maybe I should have been. I came out calm and relaxed and took it like a regular game," he said. "Maybe next week I need to be a little more stressed."

The Steelers haven't lost a divisional playoff game in seven tries under Cowher since 1993 and are 9-0 at home this season.