Awaiting the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Denver Broncos are coming off a disappointing loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Broncos head coach Sean Payton admits that his rookie quarterback, Bo Nix, has a good larger problem this week. They fell 26-20, surrendering 15 unanswered within the second half. And the Seahawks solely allowed one practically meaningless rating within the remaining minutes of the sport after halftime.
“Definitely the Steelers’ defensive custom and the way they carried out through the years is deserving of the accolades and all of the success they’ve had”, Payton stated, through the Broncos’ YouTube channel. “It’s robust, it’s bodily. They do a variety of issues extraordinarily effectively, and that’s not accidentally. I believe we’ll be seeing a greater protection this weekend—and that’s with no disrespect in any respect to Seattle. It’s only a extra skilled protection. That’s a greater method to say it. We’ll should make the corrections after which prepare for a superb week right here for a house recreation”.
The Seahawks had one of many best defenses of this millennium, although that’s feeling like some time in the past. As for the Steelers, they may have one of many prime models within the league this 12 months. They have been strong general final season, however they boosted expertise this 12 months in key areas.
With stalwarts T.J. Watt, Cameron Heyward, Minkah Fitzpatrick, and Alex Highsmith, the Steelers see Joey Porter Jr., Keeanu Benton, and Nick Herbig maturing of their second seasons. To that group they added DeShon Elliott, Donte Jackson, Patrick Queen, Payton Wilson, and Beanie Bishop Jr. And let’s not neglect Larry Ogunjobi and Elandon Roberts, who’re no slouches, both.
Within the opener, the Steelers restricted the Atlanta Falcons to only 10 factors, their lowest scoring output since 2010. They solely allowed two third-down conversions on 9 tries and 226 internet yards, dominating time of possession. On prime of that, they created three takeaways, and it might have been extra. Donte Jackson dropped an early interception, and T.J. Watt had a number of strip-sacks negated by penalty.
No disrespect to the Seahawks, I say in my most cartoonish Italian mafia voice, however the Steelers’ protection is certainly a more durable problem for Sean Payton, Bo Nix, and the Denver Broncos. And so they can also be with out one in every of their most necessary offensive gamers. With that stated, Nix additionally wasn’t excellent in Seattle. He completed 26-for-42 for 138 yards with two interceptions, managing simply 3.3 yards per try.
Fairly actually, it might be exhausting for Nix to be worse than that towards the Steelers, and he in all probability gained’t be. A rookie solely makes his NFL debut as soon as, and he learns from it. The Steelers are additionally going to Denver for this one, the Broncos on the street for his or her opener.
