PITTSBURGH — A pregame primer as the Broncos (10-3) prepare to take on the Steelers (8-5) at Heinz Field on Sunday:
INACTIVES
Out for the Broncos: Quarterback Peyton Manning, safeties T.J. Ward, Darian Stewart and Omar Bolden; outside linebacker Lerentee McCray; offensive lineman Sam Brenner; and nose tackle Darius Kilo
Ward (ankle) and Bolden (hamstring) were ruled out Friday because of injuries, but Stewart was listed as questionable. He tested his hamstring with coaches and trainers at Heinz Field a few hours before kickoff, and they later ruled him out for the game.
The loss of those three leaves David Bruton, Josh Bush and Shiloh Keo as the only available safeties.
STORYLINES
Broncos’ No. 1 defense vs. Steelers’ No. 2 offense. The Broncos lead the league in nearly every defensive category, despite a string of injuries to key players. They held Aaron Rodgers and the Packers to only 140 net yards, then they held the Patriots to only 39 rushing yards in victories at Sports Authority Field. Now they face another prolific offense with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, receiver Antonio Brown and running back DeAngelo Williams — on the road.
The Broncos, who now rank first in net yards allowed (272.5), passing yards (188.2) and points (17.3) haven’t allowed a 300-yard passing performance by an opposing quarterback this season. They hope Roethlisberger doesn’t become the first, but Pittsburgh’s offense ranks second in net yards (404.8), fifth in passing yards (284.8) and fifth in points (25.5).
“When they spread the field, they’re very balanced,” Broncos coach Gary Kubiak said. “… They’re playing at a very high level and getting a lot of snaps throughout the course of the game. You watch their games. There are a ton of snaps involved. I just think (Steelers offensive coordinator) Todd (Haley) has done a hell of a job with them. They’re a healthy football team. They’ve done a really good job. They’ve got a lot of speed on their football team, and it shows in everything they do.”
As outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware and cornerback Chris Harris have said repeatedly since their loss to Oakland, the game could be decided on turnovers. The Broncos’ defense, which has 23 takeaways this season, didn’t record one against the Raiders. With a Denver offense that struggles to put up points, the defense may, again, be relied upon to pull double-duty.
“We put it upon ourselves on the defense to win the game,” said Ware, who is expected to increase his snap count to 30-35 as he returns from a back injury. “The offense is always going to score points, but at the end of the day, you can see that when you have those turnovers and you can make plays that you need to make — it’s not about statistics of having 120 yards or holding them to 150—it’s about how many turnovers you can get and getting that ball to that end zone.”
The O-line and the run game. In only 18 quarters as the Broncos’ quarterback this season, Brock Osweiler has been sacked 17 times, a rate of 9.09 on drop backs. Part of it is inexperience.
“Anytime that there is anything that goes wrong with the offense, I believe that the quarterback is the first person that needs to fix something, so yeah, of course. I can get the ball out sooner in the backed up situation,” Osweiler said. “I can understand the protection that we’re in. I understand that we’re backed up and we can’t give up a sack at this point in the game and where is my quickest option to get the ball out. I’m always going to look at myself first and, of course, there are areas that I can work on.”
But a lot of it falls on the offensive line, which had its worst outing of the season against Oakland. Khalil Mack or the Raiders steamrolled the line to rack up five sacks, all in the second half.
The weak line also contributed to the almost nonexistent run game. Since Osweiler has taken the reins and has served, primarily, as a game manager in the pocket, the Broncos’ offense has been much more balanced on the ground and in the air. But on Sunday, the Broncos picked up only 34 rushing yards.
The return of C.J. Anderson (ankle) should help Sunday. But he, Ronnie Hillman and Juwan Thompson need lanes that Kubiak’s zone-blocking, stretch-run system is supposed to create. Supposed to.
Playoffs in sight? The loss to Oakland put off the Broncos’ shot at a fifth consecutive AFC West title for at least a week, if at all. A win at Pittsburgh and a loss or tie by Kansas City would give them title No. 5, and clinch a playoff berth. Another loss, however, could spell trouble, especially as the Broncos return home to face the Bengals on Monday Night Football on Dec. 28.
Two more losses and the Broncos would lose control over their destiny. The scenarios for Sunday:
AFC West:
1. Broncos win + Chiefs loss/tie
2. Broncos tie + Chiefs loss
Playoffs:
1. Broncos win
2. Broncos tie + Jets loss
HOW TO WATCH
Heinz Field — 2:25 p.m.
TV: CBS (KCNC) — Jim Nantz, play-by-play; Phil Simms, color; Tracy Wolfson, sideline.
Nation radio: ESPN Radio
Local radio: KOA (850 AM), The Fox (103.5 FM)
EXTRA READING
• Renck:
• Emmanuel Sanders
• Demaryius Thomas and drops:
• Loss to Oakland puts in pocket
• Von Miller is
• The friendship of
• Latest on
• Three Broncos
SERIES HISTORY
Meetings: 22
Broncos’ record: 14-7-1 (home: 8-3-1; away: 6-4-0)
Last game: Sept. 9, 2012 — at DEN 31, PIT 19
Last game in Pittsburgh: Nov. 5, 2006 — DEN 31, PIT 20
Broncos’ regular-season streak: won one
CONNECTIONS
• Broncos WR Emmanuel Sanders spent his first four seasons (2010-13) in Pittsburgh after the Steelers drafted him in the third round in 2010.
• Steelers OLB coach Joey Porter played at Colorado State from 1995-98 under Sonny Lubick, the father of Broncos assistant WR coach Marc Lubick. Porter has the second-most sacks in a season in CSU history (14 in 1998), while Broncos OLB Shaquil Barrett is tied for third (12 in 2013). Porter was an undergraduate assistant at CSU in 2013, when Barrett was there.
• Broncos OLB Von Miller was teammates with Steelers OL Cody Wallace at Texas A&M in 2007.
• Broncos ILB Danny Trevathan was teammates with Steelers LB Bud Dupree at Kentucky in 2011.
• Broncos RB Juwan Thompson played under Steelers offensive assistant Shaun Sarrett at Duke from 2010-11 and was teammates with CB Ross Cockrell at Duke from 2010-13.
• Broncos QB coach Greg Knapp coached Steelers WR Darrius Heyward-Bey in Oakland (2012) and QB Michael Vick in Atlanta (2004-06).
• Broncos coach Gary Kubiak (2007-11), OC Rick Dennison (2010-11), DL coach Bill Kollar (2009-11) and Marc Lubick (2010-11) all coached Steelers WR Jacoby Jones in Houston.
NUMBERS TO WATCH
7: A victory at Pittsburgh would set a franchise record of seven road wins this season.
50: David Bruton needs one special-teams tackle to reach 50 on his career and pass Wesley Woodyard for fifth place on the Broncos’ all-time list (since 1994).
11: One victory would give Kubiak 11 this season and move him past Dan Reeves (1981) for the second-most wins by a Broncos head coach in his first year with the team.
1: Chris Harris needs one interception to become the only NFL player with at least three in each of the last four seasons.
100: Demaryius Thomas needs 100 receiving yards Sunday to pass Rod Smith (31) for the most total 100-yard games in team history.
1: Thomas needs one touchdown to pass Haven Moses (44) and Lionel Taylor (44) for fourth place on the Broncos’ all-time list.
NEXT UP
Mon., Dec. 28 vs. Bengals — Sports Authority Field, 6:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Nicki Jhabvala: njhabvala@denverpost.com or @NickiJhabvala
