This game was over in two plays, two plays that came long before the Patriots had finished putting up 41 points on the No. 1 defense in football.

If at any point after those two plays you were still biting your fingernails, you’ve got more catching up to do than the Pittsburgh Steelers did last night.

Fourth and a half-yard inside the New England 40. You, me and the guy plowing your driveway knew the ball was going to Jerome Bettis.

This was Topic A all week. Pittsburgh was supposed to be able to cram the ball down New England’s throat. It’s offensive line was too big, too strong, too quick. You can’t scheme against a power running team, we were told.

How do you draw up heart on a blackboard? How do you put strength and discipline and determination in a playbook?

Like 11 wrecking balls, Keith Traylor, Jarvis Green, Mike Vrabel, Rosevelt Colvin and Co. threw themselves into the big black-and-gold wall and drove Bettis back, stripping the ball for good measure.

The challenge was met. Our question was answered.

It wasn’t about X’s and O’s. It was about supremely skilled, superbly self-motivated football players having a sense for the moment and knowing that one play meant more than just a first down.

The offensive coordinator could probably coach the defense, because he’s on the same wavelength. Charlie Weis smelled blood and knew it was time to attack. Next play, Tom Brady dropped back and waited, and waited, and waited. Pittsburgh’s zone blitz was helpless, and its safeties were exposed. Sixty yards down the middle to Deion Branch. Longest play of the season.

Touchdown.

Ballgame. It was 6:54 p.m.

All that was left was for Ben Roethlisberger to continue his Kordell Stewart impersonation and for Tom Brady and Corey Dillon to take care of the football. By the end of their second drive of the third quarter, the Patriots had scored the most points of any Pittsburgh opponent all year.

There were just enough “But wait” moments to make you uneasy or even downright nervous if you haven’t been following this team for the last four years. But wait, Pittsburgh drives the field and finds the end zone on its first possession of the second half. But wait, Roethlisberger somehow finds Hines Ward on 4th-and-5 to pull the Steelers back within two touchdowns. But wait, Givens is ruled to not have control of the football on a late third quarter catch. The Steelers, to their credit, aren’t rolling over.

Before you knew it, Super Bowl XXXVIII threatened to break out, with the Pittsburgh Steelers substituting for the Carolina Panthers. The Patriots’ defense was tiring. The secondary was in tatters. It looked like the Patriots would be running on fumes at the end of the game, just like they were in Houston.

This is where Tom Brady stepped in. Unfazed. Staring the Steelers and 70,000 Terrible Towel waving fanatics right in the eye. The man soothes upset stomachs better than Pepto.

An interception at that point just might have put Pittsburgh over the top. Brady did it once, against the Panthers, when he channeled Drew Bledsoe, threw off his back foot and lofted a dying quail into the end zone that was picked off.

It wasn’t going to happen again. All the Patriots needed there was a tidy 5+ minute drive and three points. That’s what they got.

But if you had to wait until then to breathe a sigh of relief, perhaps you should start paying closer attention.

They’re 8-0 in the playoffs for a reason.