The Denver Broncos missed out on their chance to grab the top spot of the AFC after a brutal loss to the Oakland Raiders. Now they get a new opportunity to go back to the win column when they head East in a crucial matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Steelers made sure they’d be in the running for the playoffs with a dominant 33-20 victory on the road against the Cincinnati Bengals, who had a firm hold of first place in the AFC before their loss. And with another win in Week 15 over Denver, Pittsburgh could inch one more step closer toward a coveted postseason berth.
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[sc:Football ]Denver Broncos vs. Pittsburgh Steelers Preview
Where: Heinz Field, Pittsburgh
When: Sunday, December 20, 4:25 PM ET
Line: Denver Broncos (+6) at Pittsburgh Steelers (-6); total: 45.0 – view all NFL lines
TV Broadcast: CBS
Betting on the Denver Broncos (10-3)
The Denver Broncos’ defense was on point; so was quarterback Brock Osweiler. But the rest of the Broncos made some costly mistakes int he 15-12 loss to Oakland on Sunday afternoon. The Broncos stormed to a 12-0 halftime lead, limiting the Raiders to minus-12 yards — the lowest figure by any team in the first half since November 1992.
[sc:NFL240banner ]Osweiler had a solid game, completing 35 of 51 passes for 308 yards, but his receivers had plenty of mistakes. Demaryius Thomas had two big drops, one for a touchdown and one for a first down, and he also lost a fumble. Then there was tight end Vernon Davis, who dropped what should have been a wide open reception from fourth-and-5 with 3:45 left in the fourth quarter.
The Broncos also lacked a running game against Oakland, tallying just 34 yards on 21 carries. But Denver could bounce back for this game, considering the Steelers don’t really have a very solid defense. Pittsburgh ranks just 23rd in the league in total defense, limiting opponents to 367.3 yards per game. Osweiler could explode for another big game if his receivers stop dropping passes, especially since he has the perfect chance to shine against Pittsburgh’s secondary, which has allowed 279 yards passing per game, 31st in the league.
The Broncos’ defense also needs to have a very solid outing if they are to win this coming Sunday’s game. Pittsburgh has arguably the best offense in the league with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger under center. The Broncos could look to their amazing pass rushers this season to hound the Pittsburgh quarterback, such as DeMarcus Ware (6.5 sacks), Shaquil Barrett (5.5 sacks) and Malik Jackson (3.5 sacks).
There’s also Denver’s solid secondary led by cornerback Aqib Talib, who has three interceptions (including two pick-sixes) this season. If there’s a defense that could stop Pittsburgh, it might be the Broncos’.
The total has gone under in four of the Broncos’ last six on the road.
Betting on the Pittsburgh Steelers (8-5)
The Pittsburgh Steelers cruised to a 33-20 victory over AFC North rival Cincinnati on Sunday. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger had a pretty big game, completing 30 of 39 passes for 282 yards, but he was also picked off as once. Even better, the Steelers used their defense and rushing offense to get themselves on the board.
Running back DeAngelo Williams struggled to move the ball, rushing for just 3.3 yards per carry, but scored the Steelers’ only two offensive touchdowns. Meanwhile, cornerback William Gay returned an interception 23 yards for a crucial pick-six.
Expect Roethlisberger to have an even better outing in Week 15. If Derek Carr, a second-year quarterback, could throw for two touchdown passes against Denver in Week 14, then surely a Super Bowl-winning quarterback with a rocket for an arm like Roethlisberger certainly could do just that and more.
Roethlisberger has all the tools at his utilization against Denver. Antonio Brown is one of the best wide receivers in the league right now. He led the Steelers with 87 yards on seven catches against Cincinnati, while fellow wideouts Markus Wheaton and Martavis Bryant are also solid targets downfield should Brown be locked up.
The Steelers also have a pretty good defense that could keep Denver out of the end zone. Pass rushers Cameron Heyward leads the team with six sacks this season, while James Harrison and Bud Dupree are a step behind with five and four, respectively. The Steelers could have a field day attacking Denver’s QB, considering that the team allowed Brock Osweiler to get sacked five times on Sunday by the Raiders.
The Steelers are 4-2-1 ATS in their seven home games this season.
Writer’s Prediction
It’ll be too close for comfort for the Steelers. They take the victory, but Denver covers the spread. Create a betting account now and win big on these tasty football matchups.
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