Steeler Nation doesn’t just reside in the surrounding areas of Western Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia. It is a world-wide army that lives and dies with the team that calls Pittsburgh it’s home. The six-time Super Bowl champions always strive for excellence, and their fans expect nothing less.
This is the preview that all fans of the black and gold come to find everything they need to know about the Steelers and their upcoming opponent! Mike Drakulich (@PghSportsNation) of Steelers Wire brings you inside the huddle for both teams, providing a weekly game story, the Steelers game plan to victory, score prediction, game day information, a detailed breakdown of each team, and up to date team injury reports. Heck, you’ll even know the weather at kickoff. The only thing you’re missing is a game uniform.
Steelers face off against the Broncos in fan-less home opener
No Steelers fans may be able to watch the game in person this week at Heinz Field, but some old traditions will still play on when the Pittsburgh Steelers (1-0) face off against the Denver Broncos (0-1) this Sunday.
There will be no thousands upon thousands of Terrible Towels waving rabidly, nor the deafening roar of the crowd, but when a crucial time of the game comes up, you can still expect to hear Renegade be blasted over the speakers at Heinz.
“I hope so,” Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt said. “I hope at some point they play it.”
Odd as this year may be, Pittsburgh will still try to make this seem like a normal home game as best as they can.
“It definitely does have a home game feel to it as far as being able to drive in, change in your own locker room and wearing the black jerseys,” Watt said. “We’ll have all the third-down sounds that we are used to, things that remind you that it is a home game. Even though the atmosphere isn’t going to be everything that we are used to, it will be nice to be at Heinz Field.”
As for Renegade, it does fire the players up when played before a big series.
“I always love watching the video and seeing what new wrinkle they add to the video and the explosive game-changing plays the defense and offense has,” Watt said. “I know it will be different without fans, but I’m sure it will bring back memories of what the atmosphere should be like, and it will juice up our defense for sure.”
Ben Roethlisberger and his offense will look to build off of last week’s success and keep the defense from needing any late-game heroics.
Big Ben is definitely feeling the effects of not playing live football in over a year, but he loves every second of it, painful as it may seem.
“I said today I feel like I was just in a car accident; yesterday I felt like I was in a train wreck,” Roethlisberger said on Wednesday. “Hopefully tomorrow it will feel like I fell off a bike. I’m definitely sore. The good news is my arm is the only thing that doesn’t hurt. That’s good.”
Roethlisberger’s arm, when it shook off a year of rust, went 21-32, tossing three touchdowns and no interceptions. He found nine different receivers in his arsenal. He’s looking forward to improving his game even more when he takes the field Sunday against a decent Broncos defense.
“It’s not like I played perfect,” Roethlisberger said. “Sometimes I got up into pocket too quickly. I didn’t have the same feeling I’m used to having. I think that comes from not getting hit even in practice.
“Defenders don’t hit you in practice so I think you lose some of that feel of where you can slide, where you can step to. I think that will come back with the more reps and plays you get into.”
Despite missing the 2nd half last week, James Conner practiced fully Friday and is ready to go Sunday. Conner has battled many nagging injuries over his career.
“I keep on getting treatment on it and just keep feeling it out,” Conner said during a Zoom call after practice Friday, “but definitely trending in the right direction.”
Conner has managed to stay healthy in an entire game only four times of his past 21 with Pittsburgh.
In the season opener, the injury bug bit yet again.
“It was just something that it didn’t feel right (Monday),” Conner said. “It hurt when I put pressure on it, I am not exactly sure how it happened. Not an old aggravated injury, no. I am feeling good now. So it’s all good.”
Rookie guard Kevin Dotson will start in place of the injured David DeCastro and Stefan Wisniewski, the latter going on IR and will be unable to practice the next three weeks.
“Dotson has been eager to learn, and he’s been showing good stuff ever since training camp,” running back James Conner said during a video conference call Friday. “Running back is all reaction anyway, so I trust that those guys are going to do their jobs, make the right blocks, and it’s up to me to make the right reads, so we will have to make it work.”
Chuks Okorafor also takes over at starting right tackle after the season-ending injury to Zach Banner.
Prediction
It’s no secret that the Steelers always seem to find a way to lose to Denver, but that luck ends for the Broncos this week. Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers offense will be too much for the Broncos to handle, and Pittsburgh’s defense will keep Denver’s offense in check. Too bad there won’t be a crowd at Heinz Field to witness it… Steelers 27 Broncos 13
Steelers game plan to victory
Offense
- Be balanced: The Titans behind Ryan Tannehill and Derrick Henry were able to successfully attack via air and land against the Broncos. Look for Ben Roethlisberger to utilize his array of weapons in the passing game while staying balanced offensively on the legs of James Conner (if he can stay healthy) and Benny Snell.
Defense
- Bottle up Melvin Gordon: Drew Lock is unlikely to overpower the Steelers defense. The Steelers will look to take Melvin Gordon under wraps and force Lock to use his arm to lead Denver to an upset.
- Watch Courtland Sutton deep: If Sutton plays, he is the Broncos’ deep threat, so the Steelers will have to keep and eye on Sutton and prevent any long passes like they allowed vs the Giants.
Game Day Information
Venue: Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, PA.
Field: Kentucky Bluegrass
Game-time: Sunday, September 20th, 1:00 pm
TV: CBS (Local on KDKA-TV)
- Announcers: Greg Gumbel (play-by-play) Rich Gannon (analyst) Jay Feely (reporter)
Local radio: Pittsburgh- 102.5 WDVE & WBGG 970 AM
- Announcers: Rob King (play-by-play) Tunch Ilkin (analyst) Craig Wolfley (sideline) Missi Matthews (sideline)
Internet broadcast: Steelers Nation Radio (SNR) on Steelers.com
Weather at kickoff: 62 and Sunny
Vegas line: Pittsburgh -7
NFL Standings / NFL Scoreboard
Steelers vs Broncos history
Steelers are 11-20-3 overall vs Broncos
- Series History: Began in 1970
- At home: 6-7
- On the road: 5-13-1
- Postseason: 3-5
- Streak: Broncos won the last game.
- Last regular-season meeting: Broncos Win, 24-17 (Nov. 25, 2018)
- Last postseason meeting: Broncos Win, 23-16 (Jan. 17, 2016)
A look at the Pittsburgh Steelers
Overall record: 1-0
Head coach: Mike Tomlin (13th Season with Steelers)
- Overall regular-season record: 134-74-1
- Playoff record: 8-7 (Qualified for playoffs 8 times)
2020 Pittsburgh Steelers Team Roster
Steelers Team/Individual Statistics
Pittsburgh Steelers 2020 Schedule
Last game: Steelers 26 Giants 10
Steelers offense
- Points per game: 26
- Total yards per game: 349
- Passing yards per game: 229
- Rushing yards per game: 141
Scouting report: Ben Roethlisberger is in great shape and looks as good as ever. After shaking off some rust from not playing in over a year, Big Ben tossed three touchdowns in the season opener, going 21-32 for 229. Roethlisberger even rushed for nine yards, which was eight more than Giant’s stud Saquon Barkley managed.
Juju Smith-Schuster and Diontae Johnson lead a talented group of wide receivers. James Washington and rookie Chase Claypool are both capable of big catches. TE’s Eric Ebron and Vance McDonald give Big Ben huge targets across the middle and down in the red zone.
James Conner can put up numbers when he is able to remain upright, but that is the problem, as Conner rarely makes it through a game unscathed. Benny Snell looks great in his 2nd year, leaner and a hint faster. He rushed for 113 yards in the opener when Conner sustained an ankle injury.
This is an offense capable of putting up big numbers weekly.
Quarterbacks: Ben Roethlisberger and Mason Rudolph
Running Backs: James Conner, Benny Snell, Jaylen Samuels, and Anthony McFarland, Jr.
Fullback: Derick Watt
Wide Receivers: Juju Smith-Schuster, Diontae Johnson, James Washington, Chase Claypool, and Ray-Ray McCloud III
Tight Ends: Eric Ebron, Vance McDonald, and Zach Gentry
Offensive Line
Left Tackle: Alejandro Villanueva
Left Guard: Matt Feiler
Center: Maurkice Pouncey
Right Guard: David DeCastro
Right Tackle: Chukwuma Okorafor
Steelers Defense (Base 3-4)
- Points per game allowed: 10
- Total offense yards per game allowed: 291
- Passing yards allowed: 262
- Rushing yards allowed: 29
- Sacks: 3
- Interceptions: 2
Defensive End: Cam Heyward
Defensive Tackle: Tyson Alualu
Defensive End: Stephon Tuitt
Left OLB: T.J. Watt
Left ILB: Devin Bush
Right ILB: Vince Williams
Right OLB: Bud Dupree
Cornerback: Joe Haden
Strong Safety: Terrell Edmunds
Free Safety: Minkah Fitzpatrick
Cornerback: Steven Nelson
*Nickle: Mike Hilton
Special Teams
Placekicker: Chris Boswell
Punter: Dustin Colquitt
Kickoff Returners: Anthony McFarland, Jr. and Ray-Ray McCloud
Punt Returner: Diontae Johnson
A look at the Denver Broncos
Overall record: 0-1
Head coach: Vic Fangio (2nd season with Broncos)
- Overall regular-season record: 7-10 / 7-10 with Broncos
- Playoff record: 0-0 (Qualified for playoffs 0 times)
Denver Team/Individual Statistics
Last game: Titans 16 Broncos 14
Broncos Offense
- Points per game: 14
- Total Offense per game: 323
- Passing yards per game: 216
- Rushing yards per game: 107
Scouting report: Drew Lock looked ok in the season opener, throwing one touchdown. Lock was 22-33 for 216 yards and did not get sacked. One of his favorite targets in Courtland Sutton is questionable Sunday but should suit up. Rookie Jerry Jeudy and Tim Patrick will try to pick up the slack if Sutton is unable to go. TE Noah Fant was Lock’s top target, catching five passes for 81 yards and a score.
With Phillip Lindsay sidelined this week, Melvin Gordon, formerly of the Chargers, will certainly see the bulk of the carries in the running game.
All in all, the Titan defense was able to keep this offense in check most of the game, so the Steelers should be primed to keep this game low scoring on their end.
Quarterbacks: Drew Lock
Running Backs: Melvin Gordon and Phillip Lindsay
Wide Receivers: Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, Tim Patrick, DaeSean Hamilton, and K.J. Hamler
Tight Ends: Noah Fant and Nick Vannett
Broncos Defense (Base 4-3)
- Points per game allowed: 16
- Total offense yards per game allowed: 377
- Passing yards allowed: 247
- Rushing yards allowed: 130
- Sacks: 1
- Interceptions: 0
Injury report (9/18/20)
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Out: G Stefen Wisniewski (Chest), G David Decastro (Knee)
- Doubtful: None
- Questionable: None
Denver Broncos
- Out: ILB Mark Barron (Hamstring), RB Phillip Lindsay (Toe)
- Doubtful: None
- Questionable: T Garrett Bolles (Elbow), WR Tyrie Cleveland (Hip), WR Courtland Sutton (Shoulder)