The Denver Broncos will face a banged up Pittsburgh Steelers team in the Divisional Round of the AFC Playoffs. Both Ben Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown, the league’s top passer and receiver (in terms of yards per game) were hurt in Saturday’s 18-16 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. But Vic Lombardi of Altitude Sports says the Broncos should expect to see those two on the field in one week.
While you never root for injury, the injury news on Roethlisberger and Brown might be some of the best that the Broncos heard all weekend. The duo torched Denver for 189 yards and two touchdowns in a Week 15 Steelers win in Pittsburgh.
Renaud Notaro on The Mile High Sports Show on 104.3 The Fan was joined Sunday by Lombardi, who was confident when he said he expects both players to be back on the field against Denver.
Roethlisberger injured his right shoulder in the fourth quarter Saturday when Vontaze Burfict sacked the Steelers QB and drove him into the ground. After a trip to the locker room and sitting out two series, one of which included a Landry Jones interception to Burfict that should have put the game away for Cincinnati, Roethlisberger returned to lead a final game-winning drive.
That drive was helped by a personal foul penalty Brown drew (also by Burfict), but one that now has the All-Pro receiver in concussion protocol. Brown was visibly woozy getting up after a huge hit on a crossing route by Burfict. He was later diagnosed with a concussion.
Denver has its own quarterback who is coming off injury in Peyton Manning, but earlier this week head coach Gary Kubiak said this is the healthiest he’s seen Manning since the first week of the season. Notaro, meanwhile, thinks it could be a question of who actually starts for the Steelers when they travel to Denver next Sunday.
Jones looked unimpressive in his limited time against the Bengals, throwing an interception that in most circumstances would have iced the game. (Cincinnati running back Jeremy Hill fumbled on the ensuing drive that set up Pittsburgh’s game-winning drive.) As a starter in relief of Roethlisberger, Jones went 1-1 with a win over Cleveland and a loss to Kansas City. With a week to recover, and the fact that he re-entered the game Saturday, it seems likely that Roethlisberger could play, though it’s unlikely
Brown’s status is more in question now that he’s officially in concussion protocol, but Lombardi says because this is the playoffs, the Steelers will find a way to get him on the field.
For Lombardi, there’s no question that Roethlisberger will play. “The dude thrives on coming back from injury,” he said. “I mean, he played at the end of the game last night. He’s going to play next week. He may not play at 100 percent, but he’s going to play.”
Pittsburgh could also be without running back DeAngelo Williams, who missed Saturday’s Wild Card game with a foot injury and is questionable for the Divisional Round.
A Cincinnati win would have sent the No. 5 seed Chiefs to Denver after their convincing 30-0 win over Houston. Kansas City are the winners of 11 straight games and will now face New England in the Divisional Round.
Denver has to be happy about facing a banged up Pittsburgh over a Chiefs team that is catching its stride at just the right time. It may only be a matter of time before Denver and Kansas City play the rubber match of a season series that is split 1-1, but for now the Broncos can focus on stopping a team that is hurting after a tough win on the road.
For the full discussion between Notaro and Lombardi, plus some pontification on female head coaches in the NFL, listen to the podcast below…
Catch Renaud Notaro every Monday-Thursday from 6p-8p on Mile High Sports AM 1340 and every Sunday from 7a-9a simulcast on 104.3 The Fan.