MIRACLE AT MILE HIGH: Jacoby Jones reacts after hauling in a 70-yard touchdown catch (above) with 31 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter to force overtime in the Ravens’ 38-35 double-OT win in Denver. (REUTERS)
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DENVER — The epic game, which extended into a second overtime, lasted four hours and 11 minutes.
And for about four hours it seemed inconceivable the Ravens could overcome the heavily-favored Broncos in their building with their oxygen-stealing, high-altitude home-field advantage.
Yet despite the four leads the Broncos took in yesterday’s scintillating AFC Divisional playoff game at frigid Sports Authority Field at Mile High, the Ravens showed the uncanny resilience that often characterizes Super Bowl-bound teams at this time of year.
Time after tantalizing time, the top-seeded Broncos, winners of their previous 11 games, seemed poised to put the Ravens away, and time after time the Ravens clawed back.
When it was over, deep into the Denver night with the temperature having dipped into the low single digits, it was the Ravens celebrating on the frozen field, emerging with a wild 38-35 comeback win in double overtime.
The improbable victory advanced the Ravens (12-6) to next Sunday’s AFC Championship Game at the winner of today’s Patriots-Texans game and stands as a testament to a strong will that very well could carry them to New Orleans in three weeks.
More than an hour after the game, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh walked alone through the bowels of the stadium en route to the team bus when he encountered two reporters. He shared something his team’s pastor, Rod Hairston, had just said to him inside the locker room.
“He said you have to learn to live by faith and not by sight,’’ Harbaugh said.
The Ravens never lost faith in this game, one that veteran linebacker Ray Lewis, who will retire after the season, said will “go down as one of the greatest wins in Ravens’ history.’’
“Anything is possible,’’ Lewis said, “when everyone buys in.’’
The end reward came in the form of a 47-yard field goal by rookie kicker Justin Tucker 1:42 into the second overtime.
“It got real quiet, real quick,’’ Tucker said of the stadium packed with 76,732 fans.
It was a moment of incredible symmetry for the Ravens, who a year ago watched their season end bitterly when veteran kicker Billy Cundiff missed a 32-yard field goal attempt against the Patriots that would have sent the AFC title game into overtime.
Cundiff was not brought back for this season and was replaced by Tucker.
Tucker’s game-winner was made possible by Ravens cornerback Corey Graham intercepting Peyton Manning with 51 seconds remaining in the first overtime at the Denver 45. Graham had given the Ravens their first points of the game when he returned Manning’s first inteception 39 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter.
The overtime pick was Manning’s third turnover of the game, leading to 17 Baltimore points.
Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco outplayed the great Manning, completing 18 of 34 passes for 331 yards and three touchdowns without a turnover.
Flacco’s improbable 70-yard touchdown heave with 31 seconds remaining in regulation to Jacoby Jones, who got behind Denver cornerbacks Rahim Moore and Tony Carter, sent the game to overtime.
The game was tied five different times — at 7-7, 14-14, 21-21 (halftime), 28-28 and 35-35.
“To be nine- or 10-point underdogs and listen to people say you can’t do something and you go do it is overwhelming,’’ Lewis said. “I’ve never been a part of a game so crazy like this.’’
There was so much for the Ravens to overcome — not the least of which was an historic and electric performance by Broncos returner Trindon Holliday, who had a 90-yard punt return to give Denver a 7-0 lead and a 104-yard kickoff return to open the second half to give Denver a 28-21 lead.
Holliday became the first player in NFL postseason history to return a punt and kickoff for a TD. Both returns were the longest of their kind in NFL postseason history.
All of that, however, are mere footnotes to this crazy game thanks to the remarkable resiliency of the Ravens, who now look like a dangerous out for either the Patriots or Texans next weekend.
“We are a team of destiny,’’ running back Ray Rice, who rushed for 131 yards and a TD, kept repeating inside the locker room after the game.
“The story,’’ veteran safety Ed Reed said, “is still being written.’’
mark.cannizzaro@nypost.com