Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
Time for our weekly Q&A about the Steelers opponent.
It’s time for our weekly Q&A and this week we sat down with Broncos Wire editor Jon Heath. The Pittsburgh Steelers take on the Denver Broncos on Sunday hoping to snap their three-game losing streak. Let’s get the inside scoop on the Broncos.
Cam Sutton and three others are designated “out” for Steelers vs. Broncos.
The Pittsburgh Steelers released their final injury report for Sunday’s Broncos game.
Cornerback Cam Sutton (groin) tops the list of four Steelers who won’t be in the lineup on Sunday. Wide receiver James Washington is also battling a groin injury.
The Steelers must not have liked what they saw from defensive tackle Carlos Davis (knee) and offensive lineman Rashaad Coward (ankle) in limited practice participation, as they, too, are out.
Chase Claypool, limited on Wednesday and Thursday, was a full participant today which is a good sign for Sunday.
Full final injury report for Steelers-Broncos pic.twitter.com/vFR4EfaAP5
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) October 8, 2021
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The Denver Broncos should have Teddy Bridgewater back.
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Earlier in the week, Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said the team was planning to go against Denver Broncos quarterback Teddy Bridgewater on Sunday. It sounds like he was right.
Bridgewater suffered a concussion last week but according to Broncos beat writer Mike Klis, Bridgewater is expected to be released from the NFL’s concussion protocol and will be practicing on Friday and expects to play on Sunday.
Denver is a completely different offense with Bridgewater in there. The Steelers defense needs a big comeback after a miserable performance last week against the Green Bay Packers and Bridgewater presents another significant challenge.
Per source, the expectation is Teddy Bridgewater will be cleared by independent docs this morning and fully practice today. He’ll meet with Bronco medical staff post practice, but barring setback, the expectation is he’ll be fully cleared for Sunday’s game. #9sports
— Mike Klis (@mikeklis) October 8, 2021
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There was encouraging news from Thursday’s practice about Ben Roethlisberger’s status for Sunday’s game against the Broncos.
Ben Roethlisberger (pec/hip) was atop the Pittsburgh Steelers injury report on Thursday. But instead of carrying the “did not practice” designation he did on Wednesday, he was a full participant in Thursday’s practice.
Though Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said he’s unsure of exactly when Roethlisberger suffered the pec injury, we know it happened in the Week 2 brawl with the Las Vegas Raiders when he was sacked twice and hit 10 times.
“I don’t know specifically when Ben got injured in game,” Tomlin told the media. “I don’t know that he does. You know, sometimes just in the midst of competition, adrenaline and so forth, you just don’t know. Sometimes things just come up after.”
Roethlisberger was full go on Thursday, which bodes well for his status for Sunday’s game against the Denver Broncos, who are tied for the fifth-most sacks in the NFL through four weeks.
Here’s a look at the Steelers’ injury report from Thursday:
Full
Limited
Did Not Practice
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Matt Canada blames himself for the bad calls on 4th down.
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In the last two weeks, the Pittsburgh Steelers have put on a clinic on how not to approach tries on fourth down. On Thursday, offensive coordinator Matt Canada addressed the failed attempts in Sunday’s loss to the Green Bay Packers and took the blame for the call.
According to Canada, their play design falls into two categories. Some are zone beaters and others are man beaters. The swing pass to running back Najee Harris on 4th-and-4 was designed to be a man beater and the Packers came out and played zone.
While it is admirable that Canada fell on his sword for the play, it could point to a bigger problem. Pittsburgh’s offense is terribly predictable. The notion the Packers knew to come out in zone because they knew what the Steelers would try to do, it is a problem the team must address.
Matt Canada on the failed 4th down to JuJu, who implied the play would only work vs. man coverage pic.twitter.com/JVweM5Mr8T
— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) October 7, 2021
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Denver might be without its starting quarterback on Sunday.
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Despite suffering a concussion last week, the Pittsburgh Steelers are taking no chances with Denver Broncos quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin told the media that his team is going into the week preparing as if Bridgewater will play on Sunday.
The earliest Bridgewater can be a full participant at practice is Friday. The Broncos are going to do everything in their power to push him through the concussion protocol and get him on the field. Denver is 3-1 and in the thick of the AFC West and can’t afford to lose a second game in a row.
Denver was blown out by the Baltimore Ravens last week due in large part to Bridgewater being out of the game. Pittsburgh is currently 1-3 and dead last in the AFC North. They can’t take any chances if they have any aspirations to climb out of the cellar and make the playoffs.
Steelers HC Mike Tomlin on the uncertainty at QB for the Broncos:
“We’re prepared to see Teddy Bridgewater.”
— Aric DiLalla (@AricDiLalla) October 6, 2021
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Here’s the latest on the Steelers injuries.
The Pittsburgh Steelers got back to work on Wednesday. Here are the updates from the Wednesday practice report, per the team.
Here is what the Steelers should be worried about this week.
If there is such a thing as a must-win game in the fifth week of the season, this one is it. The Pittsburgh Steelers are sitting at 1-3 and dead last in the AFC North. Staring up at three teams with no let-up in the schedule really adds to the importance of this home showdown with the 3-1 Denver Broncos. Here are the early concerns.
It isn’t often a Steelers team is an underdog at home.
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The start of the 2021 NFL season has been abysmal for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Much like last season, the offense has been inept and the defense cannot pick up the slack. Because of these struggles, Tipico Sportsbook has the Steelers as 1.5-point home underdogs to the 3-1 Denver Broncos this week.
This number could move in a big way if the Broncos rule out starting quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. Bridgewater left Sunday’s blowout loss to the Baltimore Ravens with a concussion. If Bridgewater cannot go, Drew Lock would replace him in the starting lineup. In total, the Broncos lost eight starters during the game to injury.
Meanwhile, the Steelers continue to try to figure out why the offense can’t get out of neutral. The Steelers have lost three in a row and there seems to be no end in sight with the current roster.
The over/under this week is 40.5 and with both teams struggling to put points on the board, the under feels like a strong bet.
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