Despite a lengthy injury report, the Broncos rushed out to an early lead Dec. 20 and looked like world beaters in Pittsburgh. Brock Osweiler wowed in the first half completing 14-of-18 passes for 214 yards and three touchdowns while the defense allowed 13 points. It looked like they would not be missing anyone on their way to a big win.
The lead, however, would not last. The Broncos stalled out offense with negative plays and penalties killing drives, while the Steelers gashed the secondary for big chunks of passing yards. When the dust settled the Steelers had scored 24 unanswered points on their way to a 34-27 victory. The tale of two halves highlighted some missing players on both sides of the ball.
T.J. Ward and Darian Stewart weren’t around to patrol the middle of the field; as a result Ben Roethlisberger led his team to an improbable victory on 55 pass attempts and a total of 380 passing yards, the first and only quarterback this season to surpass 300 in a game against Denver. Osweiler suddenly became unable to handle the Steelers pressure and completed only 7-of-26 second half throws
The loss magnified the Broncos’ health problems. Entering their first tangle with the Steelers, the Broncos listed 22 players on the injury report, tying a season high. The team had to deal with key injuries for several weeks, but four weeks later on Sunday they will be nearing full strength. The injury report listed only 14 Broncos, zero were ruled out and only Brock Osweiler was listed as questionable.
Three out of the seven inactive players from the Broncos loss in Pittsburgh will be back and play vital roles in the rematch in the divisional playoffs at Sports Authority Field at Mile High Stadium.
Manning is obviously the biggest name to play in the second meeting of the two AFC mainstays. Manning sat out six games in order for his plantar fascia to heel enough to return to the field. That return came sooner than some people would have thought. He entered the team’s Week 17 game just two drives into the third quarter and led the team to a AFC West-clinching win.
“I was pleased to be available in the last game of the season against San Diego. I wasn’t really able to be available up until that point. I was pleased to make progress to that standpoint, and then that game took a funny turn and here we are going against Pittsburgh,” Manning said Wednesday. “We feel fortunate to be one of the eight teams still playing. It’s an exciting time and never take for granted this opportunity. We’re looking forward to Sunday being here.”
While Osweiler had a great game the first time around he has not felt the pressure of a playoff game and Gary Kubiak was ready to turn the reins back over to the experienced Manning, making the call on Jan. 7 saying, “Obviously, we’re looking forward to Peyton [Manning] leading our football team. I feel very good about that. It’s best for our football team.” The move makes sense from a sheer experience standpoint. Manning has played in 15 postseasons (NFL QB record) and will be more equipped to diagnose the Steelers disguised blitzes and coverages.
The Broncos will need to run the ball effectively in order to keep their recent balanced attack successful against the stout run defense and weak pass defense of the Steelers. Asked whether Manning could work from under center, Kubiak answered plainly Monday saying, “Yeah, that’s how he played against San Diego. He played both. Yeah, there are no hold backs, I guess, so to speak or anything we have to do. He’s ready to go. He’s working in everything we do and he’s fine.”
Having Manning taking the snaps this time should limit the Steelers ability to stack the box with extra defenders and hopefully he can read the defense better than Osweiler did in the second half of the first match up. Kubiak was asked Wednesday if the game plan may call for more passing considering the weakness of the Steelers secondary. He quickly rebuffed that notion.
“We’re going to do what we do. We’re at our best when we protect the ball and find a way to run the football. That’s what’s good for our football team. I don’t think this week is going to be any different.”
Monday, running back C.J. Anderson was adamant that experience in the playoffs matters and the atmosphere of playoff games demands extra focus.
“I think it’s just huge. If you look at yesterday – or this past weekend – you see everything. Home field doesn’t matter. It depends on how you play. Also, those teams had no experience at quarterback. That can hurt them, too, so I don’t know. It just changes everything. It’s going to be amped up a little more.”
Darian Stewart
Stewart has been the unsung hero of a stacked defense this season. His physical play at free safety meshes perfectly with strong safety T.J. Ward’s equally hard-hitting mentality. Stewart missed the first run-in with the Steelers with a hamstring injury and returned briefly in the game versus the Chargers before re-injuring it. The Broncos are thrilled to have had a bye week to get their center fielder back for the playoffs.
“It’s full speed,” Aqib Talib said Wednesday about how Ward and Stewart’s return affects the team. “These guys are who I want to go with in the first 11 guys. That’s what it gives you. It gives you that confidence that all of your starters and all of your regular guys being able to go.”
The Steelers have finished the regular season with the third-ranked passing offense in the NFL and showed what they can do even against the best passing defense in the league, the Broncos, in Week 15. Stewart will provide the deep help that was missing on Dec. 20 while also playing is sure-tackling style in the run game. Roethlisberger is still listed as questionable for the game after a shoulder injury briefly sidelined him last week in their playoff win over the Cincinnati Bengals. If he does play he will likely have a hard time throwing deep and they will also try to run the ball often. Stewart is ready for his chance at Pittsburgh’s highly touted offense.
“It was just tough to not be able to help my squad last time,” Stewart said Monday. “It’s a playoff game. We know what happened last time and so we definitely remember it. We just have to go out there with our ‘A’ game. It is going to be best-against-best again. We will have a full strength [defense]. We just have to limit their yards.”
Almost every defender for the Broncos separately stated all week that the major difference in the game in Week 15 was simply tackling, which Stewart does that exceptionally well. He ranks fourth on the team in total tackles with 59. Asked if the game would have been different with him and Ward in last time, Stewart answered quickly saying, “most definitely.” Sunday he will have ample opportunities to prove it.
T.J. Ward
Ward was on likely on his way to another Pro Bowl before he injured his ankle early Nov. 29 against the New England Patriots. He has played the “Swiss army knife” role of the defense all year. He has improved in coverage, played well as a nickel linebacker and been all over the field. He is third on the Broncos defense with 61 total tackles despite missing nearly five whole games. Longtime NFL coach Wade Phillips is certainly excited to get him back in the mix Sunday, calling him a “heat-seeking missile” Wednesday.
Ward will be tasked with helping cover Big Ben’s longtime target Health Miller, while also making sure the Steelers don’t get their rushing attack going. Last week the Steelers ran the ball 29 times to the tune of 167 yards, 5.8 per carry with third and fourth string running backs Jordan Todman and Fitzgerald Toussaint. Stopping them this week, with the injuries to Antonio Brown (ruled out Friday) and DeAngelo Williams (ruled out Friday), will be monumental and will fall in part on Ward’s shoulders. Still, Ward is not concerning himself with the injury reports.
“We’re playing the Pittsburgh Steelers. They’re going to get everything we have. We’re not worried about individuals coming in hurt, maybe hurt or that may play. We’re getting ready for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Whoever plays, they’re going to get 100 percent of the Broncos’ D.”
Ward was eased back into the Week 16 meeting with the Bengals and then was full go in the regular season finale versus the Chargers. He was glad to get back into the groove of playing before the playoffs hit.
“It felt great to get out there, first and foremost. I’m not just jumping right into the playoffs off an ankle, I’m got a couple games under me to get back into game conditioning, just that wear and tear,” he said Jan. 7.
The Broncos will have a big edge in talent Sunday, mostly due to injuries, when the two teams meet but anything can happen in the playoffs. Several Broncos players admitted to downplaying their playoff opponent (Indianapolis) last year before being ousted by them at home. This time, with the top-ranked defense in the NFL, Ward knows the opportunity they have Sunday. When asked what the defensive rankings and accolades would mean without a championship his answer was clear.
“It doesn’t mean much if you’re not toting that trophy at the end of the year.” He said. “When it is all said and done, hopefully we can be No. 1 and have that championship.”
His addition to the rematch Sunday will be large step in the right direction of that coveted trophy.
Email Sam at sam@milehighsports.com and follow him on Twitter @SamCowhick.