We’ve arrived at Week Two of the NFL season and the Pittsburgh Steelers are on the road for the second straight week. Here’s everything you need to know about their contest with the Denver Broncos.
What: Pittsburgh Steelers 1-0 at Denver Broncos 0-1
Where: Empower Field at Mile High Denver, Colorado
When: Sunday September 15th, 2024 425pmET
Weather: Sunny with a high of 88 degrees. Winds to 11mph.
Wagering Information: Steelers -2.5 O/U 38.5
Last Week: The Broncos opened their season in Seattle with a 26-20 loss while the Steelers also opened on the road winning 18-10 at Atlanta.
TV: CBS Spero Dedes (play-by-play), Adam Archuleta (analysis), Aditi Kinkhabwala (field reporter)
TV Coverage in Your Area (courtesy 506sports.com): Most fans across the US will get the Bengals and Chiefs. (Blue indicates Steelers at Broncos)
Radio: Steelers Nation Radio/WDVERob King (play-by-play), Craig Wolfley (analysis)
Max Starks (field reporter) NOTE: This is the first game since the retirement of Bill Hillgrove.
Sports Radio USA: Larry Kahn (play-by-play), Brandon Noble (analysis)
Head Official: Clete Blakeman. He is a personal injury attorney who attended the University of Nebraska. Blakeman is in his 15th season as NFL Head Official. The last time he oversaw a Steelers’ game was January of 2023 in a 28-14 win over Cleveland. That means he didn’t officiate a single Steelers’ game in the 2023 season.
Key Injuries/Game Status (courtesy steelers.com) PIT: No. 3 QB Russell Wilson (Calf) – Questionable, No. 10 WR Roman Wilson (Ankle) – Questionable, No. 73 G Isaac Seumalo (Pectoral) – Out DEN: No. 17 WR Devaughn Vele (Ribs) – Out
Injury Notes: Denver enters the game very healthy. Russell Wilson is listed as ‘questionable’ but looks very unlikely to play once again. Roman Wilson will be an interesting call. The team did add WR Ben Skowronek to the Active/Inactive List meaning he can possibly play Sunday but will revert back to the Practice Squad on Monday.
2024 NFL Ranks:
Total Offense: PIT 23rd DEN 18th Passing Offense: PIT 28th DEN 29th Rushing Offense: PIT 15th DEN 22nd
Total Defense: PIT 3rd DEN 18th Passing Defense: PIT 7th DEN 11th Rushing Defense: PIT 10th DEN 22nd
AFC North Rankings: Pittsburgh 1-0, Cincinnati 0-1 Cleveland 0-1, Baltimore 0-1
This Week in the AFC North: Cleveland at Jacksonville 1pmET, Las Vegas at Baltimore 1pmET, Cincinnati at Kansas City 425pmET
What You Need to Know: Since the 1970 merger, the Steelers are 49-15 all-time when facing a rookie quarterback… The Steelers have never been shut out under Mike Tomlin… The Steelers have committed just 16 turnovers since the start of the 2023 season. The fewest in the NFL in that span… Since 2020, the Steelers have more wins (15) when trailing after the third than any team in the League.
Tomlin Time: Tomlin is 4-3 all-time vs the Broncos while Denver HC Sean Payton is 3-1 cs the Steelers… Tomlin is 24-6 all-time vs rookie starting QBs which ranks him second overall since the 1970 merger… Under Mike Tomlin, the Steelers have never been shut out. The last time they were was 2006.
Denver Broncos Names to Know: QB Bo Nix, WR Courtland Sutton, CB Patrick Surtain II, RB Javonte Williams, LB Jonah Elliss, OT Garett Bolles, OT Mike McGlinchey, K Wil Lutz
What’s at Stake: For Denver, it’s trying to avoid an 0-2 start which is often a death blow for teams in terms of making the postseason. For the Steelers, it’s a chance to go 2-0 and remain atop the AFC North while also trying to get their offense going.
All-Time Series: Broncos lead 20-13-1. Denver leads all-time in the Rocky Mountain State 13-5-1,
Last Meeting: October 2021 in Pittsburgh. Steelers 27 Broncos 19
Postseason History: Broncos lead 4-2
Steelers Game Highs vs DEN: PASSING: 462 yards Ben Roethlisberger 11/25/2018 RUSHING: 155 yards Rashard Mendenhall 11/09/2009 RECEIVING: 189 yards Antonio Brown 12/20/2015 Sacks: 2.5 T.J. Watt 09/20/2020 and
Gary Dunn 09/04/1983 Interceptions: 2 John Rowser 09/27/1970 and
Tyrone Carter 11/09/2009
Check out the latest Steel City Blitz Steelers Podcast for more on the Steelers.
Three Things We Need to See for a Steelers’ Victory:
1. O-Line Arrow Up. – While we still don’t know the starting five offensive linemen for the game, but I have to think the staff feels good about the direction. Zach Frazier proved he’s a long-term solution at center and while Spencer Anderson wasn’t “great” he was serviceable and that’s what you want out of backups. All this in mind, the best way to take a home crowd out of a game is by running the football. Need to see these guys get after it and open some early lanes for Najee Harris and company and I think they can do it.
*Sounds as though Dan Moore will start at left tackle while rookie Troy Fautanu will get the nod at right tackle.
2. An Alternative to T.J. – If you take away the penalties (I know that you can’t…) Then T.J. Watt would have literally been a one-man wrecking crew. It’s not that he wasn’t anyway but the stats would have born that out. The Broncos will do anything and everything to limit Watt’s impact on the game and that means someone else has to step up. This doesn’t mean that Watt won’t have his moments, but when someone like Alex Highsmith or Cam Heyward is getting to the QB, then it opens things up for Watt. Bottom line? Watt can’t be the only guy getting pressure.
3. From 0 to 60. – Last week the Steelers’ defense had a less than 100% Kirk Cousins in the pocket. For much of the game he was almost statuesque. That changes this week with a much more mobile Bo Nix at QB. Make no mistake, Nix is not Lamar Jackson, but he will make your defense pay if he’s given too much time to operate on the move. Typically the best way to combat this is to get some interior pressure which will then force the QB to roll into the waiting arms of either outside backer. This scenario would be nice but either way the Steelers have to be prepared for a massive departure from last week. Cousins literally wasn’t going anywhere while Nix will make plays with his legs. Containment will be at a premium.
The ‘X’ Factor: Each week I will select a player from each team who I believe will need to play above and beyond in order for his team to win.
X-Factor Steelers: Pat Freiermuth. Last week, I said it would be Van Jefferson and that flopped. So this week I’m still looking for an option whose name isn’t George Pickens. ‘Muth caught four balls last week but as Justin Fields largely avoided the middle of the field, Freiermuth’s opportunities were limited. That has to change this week as the Broncos will surely roll some coverages towards Pickens.
X-Factor Broncos: Garett Bolles and Mike McGlinchey. Normally I would pick just one guy here but instead I’m going to pick one position. The pressure on these two to corral T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith will be immense. If they consistently need help or if they can’t do it at all, then the Denver offense is in for a long day.
Prediction: The Denver defense isn’t great but it isn’t bad either. While Steeler Nation will no doubt be present, the crowd will still be something to overcome offensively. Don’t be surprised to see Arthur Smith’s offense look very familiar. Running the ball and designed rollouts will hopefully take the crowd out and produce some touchdowns. I fully expect this will be another classic rock fight but some Bo Nix turnovers will be the difference.
Steelers 23 Broncos 15
Season Prediction Record: 1-0
