Bring on the freakin' Steelers

[fontaine]

Time to move on.

Our defense needs to bounce back after this tough loss.

Let's not forget that our Defense was playing just like they had been all year in the first half when they limited the Colts to 6 points. With Warren back (hopefully) we'll field a full strength unit.

The Steelers are struggling right now with Roethlisberger doing his best impersonation of a crash test dummy with his latest concussion.

But we also need to watch the Tatum Bell situation. Turf toes freakin' suck because they can stay with you all year and we'll need his perimeter ability, since Mike Bell is an interior runner and the Steelers have a lot of strength there.

1. Oh yeah, without a pass rush we'll make Roethlisberger look like Peyton Manning, so we need to get something out of our DL because we all know how good their offense has been in picking up our blitzes!

2. Jake Plummer, please, keep playing like you did against the Colts. He could be a huge plus for us if he continues to limit his mistakes.

Those are my two keys. What do you think we have to do to win?

[Popps]

If there is a regular season "second chance" for our defense, this is it.

There were obviously two games circled on our calendar. Indy was #1, Pitt is #2.

Though, Pitt hasn't looked like the same team as last year, for whatever reason. (Losing Bettis and others, Ben R's injuries, etc.)

Still, this is a bounce-back game for the taking. It'll be a stiff test for both sides of the ball, because this is Pitt's season, folks. If they lose, they can start talking draft picks. They are absolutely on the ropes. Not exactly where you want to catch a team with that much talent.

But, we might as well see what we've got right now. I expect good things. I was wrong this past weekend. Hopefully I won't be again.

[fontaine]

If there is a regular season "second chance" for our defense, this is it.

There were obviously two games circled on our calendar. Indy was #1, Pitt is #2.

Though, Pitt hasn't looked like the same team as last year, for whatever reason. (Losing Bettis and others, Ben R's injuries, etc.)

Still, this is a bounce-back game for the taking. It'll be a stiff test for both sides of the ball, because this is Pitt's season, folks. If they lose, they can start talking draft picks. They are absolutely on the ropes. Not exactly where you want to catch a team with that much talent.

But, we might as well see what we've got right now. I expect good things. I was wrong this past weekend. Hopefully I won't be again.

I'm a bit more confident with our OL now that Pears/Alexander did a good job.

Schef/Marshall seem to give us an optional 3rd Wideout and Plummer seems to have gotten over his early season hiccups.

It's hard to get a real pulse on the Steelers Offense this year. They have put up a ton of points but Batch has also played a lot while Roethlisberger looks shaky.

I'm thinking Cowher goes with Roeth purely because of what he did to this defense last year. No doubt about it, this is a big game because the Chargers are level with us and we can't afford to lost two straight.

[BroncoFanCam]

I'm with you in hoping the D can come out and atone for their display against the Colts.

They said a couple weeks go that they wanted a shut-out, that they hated giving up a TD, and they just gave up 4 in one game...

GO BRONCOS!!!!!

[55CrushEm]

I'm with you in hoping the D can come out and atone for their display against the Colts.

They said a couple weeks go that they wanted a shut-out, that they hated giving up a TD, and they just gave up 4 in one game...

GO BRONCOS!!!!!

We gave up only 3 against Indy....but whose counting? ;D

[ludo21]

Im with Popps, this is going to be on helluva game.

Pitt will play their hearts out, but we gotta rip it out and stomp on it!

The DL has gotta get some pressure, and everyone in theback 7 has gotta work in unison.

[Rohirrim]

I hope Coyer has learned that giving an NFL QB the same defensive look on almost every play is a bad idea. Roth is good, but the reality is that he is still a sophomore QB. You've got to mess with his reads. Frankly, I think we'll see Charlie before the second half anyway.

All in all, this is a game where the Broncos have to go into somebody else's house and beat 'em up. They have to go in mad. Jake has to continue with what he started this week. No dumb throws! Mike Bell has to keep it going. The running game HAS to work in order to control the Pitt safeties with the play action. If they don't fear the run, their INT numbers go up. Warren has to play this game.

All I can say is, if the Faders can beat them, the Broncos better beat them.

[fontaine]

All I can say is, if the Faders can beat them, the Broncos better beat them.

Last weekend certainly put a new spin on things huh?

KC got to face Seneca Wallace.
Oak vs. a post concussion Roeth.

And we got to face Manning on a good day.

I'm thinking lady luck owes us a bl**job!

[Mile High Shack]

I think we can win this game
but it will be another 13-3 type of game I think

we NEED this one

[Bronco Bob]

We gave up only 3 against Indy....but whose counting? ;D

I dunno, against Manning maybe limiting him to 3 TDs isn't that bad.
On 4 drives all Indy could get is field goals. It could have been worse.
And one of those TDs was on a short field after a recovered fumble.
And another started at the 44 yard line. Only one of Mannings drives,
the last one, started at their 20 yard line.
Now Indy has a crappy defense, but all of the Broncos TD drives
started at their own 20 yard line or worse.
:strong:

[Rohirrim]

Anybody have any news on Warren's tootsies?

[Jetmeck]

We gave up only 3 against Indy....but whose counting? ;D


Right and five all year, not bad.

Someone said in this thread that the DEFENSE played like they had all year in the first half of the Colts game and I agree and was feeling quite confident going to halftime.

Colts adjusted and COYER did not !

[BroncoFanCam]

Right and five all year, not bad.

Someone said in this thread that the DEFENSE played like they had all year in the first half of the Colts game and I agree and was feeling quite confident going to halftime.

Colts adjusted and COYER did not !If someone can show me a game where we HAVE adjusted defensively at half-time since Coyer has been here, I think I will send them a cookie (although it might be slightly stale by the time they get it).

I really can't remember one...

Especially not against Peyton, with a player of his calibur, you HAVE to change things up at half-time, because he will disect that half, and adjust accordingly. That's what happened and we got roasted.

[toad]

I'm not feeling good about the Steelers.

- The defending champs at 2-5 coming off a bizarre loss (to perhaps the worst team in the league) will have a chip on their shoulder and a lot to prove. They're fighting for even a slim chance of a playoff birth.

- Did the heartbreaking Indy loss take anything out of our sails? Has the defense lost some swagger after Wayne and Manning put up their best game of the season against us?

- Pittsburgh will be the 2nd best defense we've faced this year (behind Baltimore) and, despite some silver lining here and there, our offense still isn't full clicking. Also, will memories of last years poor AFC championship game haunt Plummer (who's overall off to a shakey start this year)?

- Some major flaws in our defense were exposed against Indy; many of which Pittsburgh exposed in last years AFC championship game. Will they nickel and dime us to death while Coyer oversimplifies to avoid giving up the "big play?" Will D-Will be gunshy? Will our LBs actually try to wrap-up Fast Willie Parker (who runs very similiar to Joseph Addai whom averaged over 5 ypc against us)?

- Pittsburgh offense has faired as well or better than ours against common opponents.

- Roethlisberger, in all liklihood, is due for a better game than he had against Oakland.

I think it will be a close one...decided by a single TD or less.

[BroncoFanCam]

I'm not feeling good about the Steelers.

- The defending champs at 2-5 coming off a bizarre loss (to perhaps the worst team in the league) will have a chip on their shoulder and a lot to prove. They're fighting for even a slim chance of a playoff birth.

- Did the heartbreaking Indy loss take anything out of our sails? Has the defense lost some swagger after Wayne and Manning put up their best game of the season against us?

- Pittsburgh will be the 2nd best defense we've faced this year (behind Baltimore) and, despite some silver lining here and there, our offense still isn't full clicking. Also, will memories of last years poor AFC championship game haunt Plummer (who's overall off to a shakey start this year)?

- Some major flaws in our defense were exposed against Indy; many of which Pittsburgh exposed in last years AFC championship game. Will they nickel and dime us to death while Coyer oversimplifies to avoid giving up the "big play?" Will D-Will be gunshy? Will our LBs actually try to wrap-up Fast Willie Parker (who runs very similiar to Joseph Addai whom averaged over 5 ypc against us)?

- Pittsburgh offense has faired as well or better than ours against common opponents.

- Roethlisberger, in all liklihood, is due for a better game than he had against Oakland.

I think it will be a close one...decided by a single TD or less.I know what you mean man, but have a little bit-o-faith.

Their offense was absolutely horrendous this week. That's not to say they will play that way every week, but we have a good D too, and their offense, even when clicking on all cylinders is nothing close to Indy.

Yeah it will be a toughy, but but by no means un-winable, and I would favor our "D" to their "O", vs. their "D" and our "O".

(= something to add to the cliche thread)

[BroncoMatt]

I don't buy all the psychobabble bs about Pittsburgh being embarrassed, fighting for their lives, Jake haunted by last year, our d being demoralized etc. If you make all those points for Pissburgh you can easily make them for us, you could easily say Jake wants revenge from last year, our d has something to prove after the colts game and so on. These guys are professionals and all that revenge crap is for the fans.

[BroncoFanCam]

I don't buy all the psychobabble bs about Pittsburgh being embarrassed, fighting for their lives, Jake haunted by last year, our d being demoralized etc. If you make all those points for Pissburgh you can easily make them for us, you could easily say Jake wants revenge from last year, our d has something to prove after the colts game and so on. These guys are professionals and all that revenge crap is for the fans.I believe some of what you say (green), but not always (red).

How else do you explain a raiders team that no matter how sucky, they ALWAYS show up to play us, same with the Chiefs. You can't take either of them for granted during any season. Some of that is familiarity, and some of it is pure hatred for the other team.

New players to one of these teams don't really undertsand, but after a year or two, even they start to hate the other guys.

I think it's entirely possible for teams to hold certain grudges, and play to another level vs. them.

[Inkana7]

Getting pressure should be aided by the absence of Pro Bowler Jeff Hartings.

[watermock]

I'm a bit more confident with our OL now that Pears/Alexander did a good job.

Schef/Marshall seem to give us an optional 3rd Wideout and Plummer seems to have gotten over his early season hiccups.

It's hard to get a real pulse on the Steelers Offense this year. They have put up a ton of points but Batch has also played a lot while Roethlisberger looks shaky.

I'm thinking Cowher goes with Roeth purely because of what he did to this defense last year. No doubt about it, this is a big game because the Chargers are level with us and we can't afford to lost two straight.

Pears did such a great job that he pulled a false start deep in our own territory to make it 3rd and long before Jakes turnover.

[Bronco Billy]

Right and five all year, not bad.

Someone said in this thread that the DEFENSE played like they had all year in the first half of the Colts game and I agree and was feeling quite confident going to halftime.

Colts adjusted and COYER did not !

Up until last week, we didn't need to make defensive adjustments, but I know what you're saying.

[Donk]

Good post toad.


I hope they let DW try defense his way a few times. If he gets burned then he will shutup.

I think he's right..

[broncofan2438]

This game is not going to be easy at all, just because they got their asses handed to them by the raiders

[wabbit]

I have a good friend who works in the Pittsburgh press...works with the Steelers on the weekly coaches show as a matter of fact....who says that if the Denver game starts going the way of the Oakland game for Big Ben, Cowher will yank him in favor of Charlie Batch.

It isn't intended to be a permanent move nor any kind of judgement on Roethlesberger. The feeling is the guy may just need to sit down for a while..read that a quarter or four.

As I understand it, Ben & Cowher has discussed this, so it isn't some kind of inside secret.

This is better based than a rumor, and I trust this individual, but, like anything else of such a sensitive nature, it's only as good as the source.

We'll see I guess. I only hope the game does go so badly for the Steelers that they have to make a change, however temporary.