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PRO FOOTBALL / DAILY REPORT

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Neil O’Donnell has center stage, and the longer he can keep it, the more money he figures to earn.

O’Donnell, Pittsburgh’s starting quarterback, will be a free agent after the season and coming off one of his best regular-season performances.

O’Donnell, who had not been intercepted in postseason play since playing Buffalo on Jan. 9, 1993, was picked off twice Saturday. However, his 39 interceptions in 1,871 regular-season passing attempts is the best mark among quarterback with a minimum of 1,500 attempts.

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That’s right, Neil O’Donnell.

“He’s a very good quarterback,” said Tom Newberry, former Ram guard and currently a backup with the Steelers. “He’s really solid, a good leader, and if you give him time, he can do a great job.”

That’s right Neil O’Donnell, who has gone 39-22 as a starter with the Steelers, and is now one win away from the Super Bowl.

“When you score 40 points,” O’Donnell said, “I think you’re doing something right out there offensively.”

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The Steelers alternated running backs Erric Pegram and Bam Morris and, as a result, blasted a Buffalo defense that had yielded an average of 101 yards a game rushing. Morris, who sat out the end of the season because of a hamstring injury, ran 25 times for 106 yards, while Pegram added 33 yards in eight rushes. Morris became the 10th Steeler in team history to top the 100-yard mark in postseason play. . . . Linebacker Kevin Greene, who got his first sack in postseason play for the Steelers after collecting eight previously with the Rams, was impressed with the hometown crowd. “I looked up in the stands and there were people dressed in entire Pittsburgh Steeler uniforms with helmets on and everything,” Greene said. “These guys were ready to play too. This was a crowd ready to rock ‘n’ roll, and who knows, we might be back next week.” The Steelers will travel to Kansas City if the Chiefs win today, but will stay at home if the Colts spring an upset.

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