This matchup was supposed to be about Russell Wilson coming back to the Mile High Stadium in Denver to face his former team and the coach that got rid of him, Sean Payton. Wilson will not start the game since the Steelers have chosen Justin Fields as the QB. The Steelers defeated the Falcons on day one, and the Broncos lost to the Seahawks.
Sean Payton and Russell Wilson did not see eye to eye while working together the prior season in Denver. The outlook on how football should be played differs a lot between the two of them. The Broncos drafted Bo Nix out of Oregon, and he is their new starting QB. Broncos lost 20-26 to the Seahawks in Seattle and will have a tough task at home against the very strong defensive side, the Steelers. Bo Nix was alright in his debut but is expected to take a leap forward at the Mile High Stadium today.
The Broncos' offense did not function as it should at Lumen Field last weekend. The question is if it will be better versus the Steelers, who have one of the best defenses in the NFL. The Broncos' running game will be in trouble since the Steelers are very good at defending it. It was awful versus the Seahawks, and it could get even worse today. Courtland Sutton and the other receivers on the Broncos need to make some plays if the home team wants to win this one. The Broncos' defense is very dependent on cornerback Pat Surtain, one of the best in the NFL.
Pittsburgh defeated the Atlanta Falcons last weekend thanks to their solid defense and the excellent TJ Watt. Watt could be the best defensive player in the NFL right now, and he will surely temper the Broncos' offense in this game. The Steelers won 18 to 10 last weekend, and most of the pundits in the States are expecting a low-scoring game at the Mile High Stadium today. Speaking of mile high, the high altitude in Colorado is always an advantage for the Broncos.
Justin Fields signed for the Steelers in the offseason, and he played the match of his career against the Broncos last season when he was with the Chicago Bears. He is without a doubt locked in for this game. Fields is in a position to create more damage to the Broncos than Russell Wilson is with his limited skill set. The Steelers are aware that they can win this match thanks to their strong defense and the fact that Bo Nix is inexperienced, and that goes for the young Broncos team in general.
The matchup on the sidelines between the two head coaches will also be a key factor for the outcome of this game. Mike Tomlin is the defensive genius, and Sean Payton is the offensive genius. If we judge how it looked in week one, the Steelers' defense was much more impressive than the Broncos' offense. Not strange since the Broncos are playing a rookie QB that needs time to grow into the NFL. The mutual respect between Tomlin and Payton is huge.
DENVER BRONCOS VS PITTSBURGH STEELERS
1.52
TOTAL (INCL OVERTIME) - UNDER 40 POINTS
DENVER BRONCOS VS PITTSBURGH STEELERS
1.52
TOTAL (INCL OVERTIME) - UNDER 40 POINTS
