PITTSBURGH (REUTERS) — The New England Patriots needed Drew Bledsoe after all to reach the Super Bowl.

Playing for the first time since week two, Bledsoe stepped in for an injured Tom Brady and threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to David Patten late in the first half, and Troy Brown starred on special teams as the Patriots posted a 24-17 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC championship game.

By turning around a team that finished in last place in the AFC East with a 5-11 record last season, Patriots coach Bill Belichick has escaped the massive shadow of Bill Parcells. Belichick was a defensive assistant under Parcells when the Patriots last reached the Super Bowl.

Bledsoe was the quarterback on that Patriots team, but was injured in a week two loss to the New York Jets and lost his starting job to Brady, who led the Patriots to a 12-3 record, including a playoff win over Oakland last week.

But Bledsoe seized his opportunity after Brady suffered a sprained left ankle after being hit by safety Lee Flowers late in the second quarter, with the Patriots holding a 7-3 lead.

Bledsoe made an immediate impact, hitting David Patten three times for 36 yards, including an 11-yard touchdown with 58 seconds left in the half.

Bledsoe made numerous big throws in the second half, while Pittsburgh’s Kordell Stewart made the big mistakes, getting intercepted twice in the final four minutes.

Snubbed by the Pro Bowl despite catching 101 passes this season, Brown is heading to the Super Bowl. He also was a member of the Pats’ last Super Bowl team.

Brown returned a punt 55 yards for a touchdown, recovered a blocked punt and lateraled it to Antwan Harris for another score and caught eight passes for 121 yards.

This was Pittsburgh’s fourth AFC championship game in the last eight years under coach Bill Cowher, but three have resulted in losses — all at home.