Game Thread: Week 2... vsDEN

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Game Info: Week 2​

Pittsburgh Steelers vs Denver Broncos​

Sunday, September 20, 2020 at 1:00 PM​

Early Betting line: -7.5
Early Over/under: 41.5
Steelers -350 (2/7 odds)

Last Regular Season Meeting: Steelers (L) 17-24 vs Broncos
Win streak: 2 game DEN
Last 3 Meetings: PIT 1 - 2 DEN
Last 10 Meetings: PIT 3 - 7 DEN

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

(d2d = day to day)

Key Injuries:
PIT - RG David DeCastro, d2d
PIT - RT Zach Banner (knee, torn ACL?), IR (season)
PIT - RG Stefen Wisniewski (torn pectoral), doubtful (no timetable)
PIT - RB James Conner (ankle), d2d

DEN - RB Von Miller (ankle), IR (3-6month timetable)
DEN - RB Phillip Lindsay (foot), d2d
DEN - WR Courtland Sutton (shoulder, AC joint), d2d but slated to return after missing wk1.
DEN - CB AJ Bouye (dislocated shoulder, torn labrum), doubtful (3-6 week, but could be shelved for surgery)

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

This game makes me nervous seeing the Steelers as such a big favorite, especially against a team they have struggled against in recent years. A little surprised the line is so high. Probably has a lot to do with home field advantage. On paper the Steelers are much more talented, but I still expect this game to be closer than the betting previews indicate.

Offense... Obviously the concern here is the O-line. Will it be reshuffled? Will it get DeCastro back? Lots to shake out there so its a situation to monitor all week. I'm sure protégé Shaun Sarrett will be eager to prove something to his former mentor Munch now that they are standing on opposite sidelines. What better time to prove it than through this much adversity? The 20th ranked Denver defense is led by Chubb & AJ Johnson. But the loss of AJ Bouye really hurts their secondary. I don't see a whole lot of concern with matchups here apart from the O-line. Steelers can approach this game with great balance or even continue the run-heavy approach if Snell can keep his ball security issues bottled up. Ben is going to be shaking off some soreness so I'm sure we'll see some more Sandy Sphincter Circus to start the game. Run run dump or dump dump run...

Defense... 7th ranked defense vs. the 22nd ranked offense. Not seeing a lot of concern here either. Honestly I'm keeping my eyes on the Phillip Lindsay injury this week, because he is a much tougher matchup for this defense than Gordon is. Not as much of a nightmare as he used to be because the Steelers edge containment is probably top 3 in the league now. But any time someone with Lindsay's speed gets into the open field against the secondary things get dicey. Speaking of secondary, hopefully they get things figured out back there and put those concerns to bed this week. Edmunds is always a liability. Sutton & Jeudy are independently scary on the field, but put them together... Yikes. I could see both doing some real damage this week regardless. Looking forward to the agony of seeing my favorite draft pick Lloyd Cushenberry line up at Center for the Broncos. I'll die a little inside if I see Munchak smirking on the sidelines lol.

Closer game, but talent should prevail. And I pray to the football Gods that the Steelers ST unit gets itself sorted out this week. Christ.

STEELERS 24 - BRONCOS 20

 

[Bridgeburner]

I worry about a trap game here. I wouldn't put it past Tomlin to look past this week into next. Seems every year there's a couple games where we just skip preparing or game planning. That said, the defense looks *giggles thinking about it* amazing and Ben looks *claps and giggles thinking about it* like he's in his prime.

Steelers 77
Donkeys 7

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

FRIDAY INJURY REPORT:

PIT - OG David DeCastro - OUT
PIT - OG Stefen Wisniewski - OUT (placed on IR)

DEN - LB Mark Barron - OUT
DEN - CB AJ Bouye - OUT
DEN - RB Phillip Lindsay - OUT
DEN - OT Garrett Boles - QUESTIONABLE
DEN - WR Courtland Sutton - QUESTIONABLE
DEN - WR Tyrie Cleveland - QUESTIONABLE

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

I done told you @SteelersPride ... I done told you

 

[SteelersPride]

I done told you @SteelersPride ... I done told you

nice LFG

 

[Wamu]

I hope the game ends in a tie.

 

[Wamu]

Iron City beer is awesome.

 

[Wamu]

Rocky Mountain Oysters (bulls balls) sound disgusting. WTF is wrong with the locals around here?

 

[Yo Tee]

Broncos have beaten us 6 out of the last 8 matchups including...THAT game. Last time Denver came to Heinz, we won 34-27 back in 2015. All those previous matchups, Denver had an actual QB in the QB position. I have no real worries here outside of our secondary being able to contain the offensive weapons of Denver. But in the end, I believe the Steelers will be too much for Denver and we will ultimately get the W by a score of 30-17. Another slow burner, probably, but another W in the books.

 

[SteelersPride]

lock dancing

 

[Yo Tee]

lock dancing

Not anymore.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Steelers O-line is garbage.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Fichtner doin a terrible job disguising personnel groupings. Every time Samuels is on the field they pass the ball.

 

[Yo Tee]

That was a perfect throw!

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

I think we can put Ben's deep ball concerns to bed.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Big nickel package with CB Sutton lining up at ILB was interesting

 

[Yo Tee]

Big nickel package with CB Sutton lining up at ILB was interesting

Interesting wouldn't be the word I would use lol