Broncos Back Themselves Into Another Victory, 20-13 : AFC: Greg Lewis gains 111 yards as running-back rich Denver holds off Pittsburgh and takes one-game lead in West.

The Denver Broncos entered the season thinking they might not have any good running backs.

Suddenly, they have three.

Rookie Greg Lewis rushed for 111 yards and a touchdown and quarterback John Elway ran for another score as the Broncos built a 20-10 lead, then held off the Pittsburgh Steelers 20-13 Sunday night in 20-degree temperatures.

At the start of training camp, Bobby Humphrey, a two-time 1,000-yard rusher, was a holdout. That left untested Gaston Green--a disappointment in three seasons with the Rams before his trade to Denver--and Lewis, a fifth-round draft choice.

Green has responded with 554 yards, although he’s currently sidelined with a nagging thigh muscle injury. Lewis has filled in admirably during his absence while Humphrey is rounding into playing shape after ending his holdout last month.

“It’s nice to have all three of them,” Elway said. “It never complicates things to have three great backs.”

Asked if he had a favorite, Elway tried to be diplomatic. “It’s hard to argue against Greg Lewis. He’s getting stronger and stronger.”

The Broncos scored on four consecutive possessions, then held the Steelers to a field goal on four drives into Denver territory--including two inside the 10--to win for the sixth time in their last seven games. The victory left the Broncos (7-2) one game ahead of idle Kansas City in the AFC West.

The Steelers (3-6) absorbed their fourth loss in a row as one of their deep penetrations ended on a missed 24-yard field goal by Gary Anderson.

The miss ended Anderson’s streak of 57 consecutive field goals from 35 yards or less.

“I personally take a lot of blame for this loss,” Anderson said. “The team depends on me to make kicks like those. I never should have missed that one. I had a chance to pull us closer, and I didn’t get it done. I just flat-out missed it.”

Denver cornerback Charles Dimry quashed a last-minute threat by the Steelers when he knocked away a fourth-down pass intended for tight end Eric Green in the end zone with 41 seconds left.

The Broncos sacked Steeler quarterback Neil O’Donnell six times and forced him from the game briefly with a bruised hip midway through the fourth quarter, but O’Donnell bounced back to drive his team in the final minute. O’Donnell’s first-down pass to running back Warren Williams put the Steelers on the Denver nine. O’Donnell, however, threw three consecutive incompletions, with Dimry getting the deflection on fourth down.

Denver scored on drives of 69, 61 and 62 yards in the second quarter to rally from a 10-0 deficit for a 17-10 halftime lead.

Lewis capped the first drive with a one-yard scoring run.

Denver went ahead, 14-10, on Elway’s four-yard run on a quarterback draw.

Elway then connected with Mark Jackson on a 41-yard pass play to set up David Treadwell’s 28-yard field goal with 56 seconds in the half.

The Broncos made it four consecutive scoring possessions at the start of the second half as Treadwell’s 21-yard field goal capped a 69-yard drive.