Gerry Dulac breaks down the Steelers’ 80th opener
GAME PLAN
When the Broncos have the ball: The Steelers will be the first team to find out what the Broncos have constructed for QB Peyton Manning. It is expected to be a mix of what Manning liked best with the Colts — play-action, no-huddle and plenty of three-wide receiver sets. And it will be predicated on his receivers — Demaryius Thomas, Eric Decker and ex-Colt Brandon Stokley — making adjustments to what Manning reads at the line. The Steelers will have a new starter at left CB, Keenan Lewis, and Ryan Mundy will start at FS because Ryan Clark is being held out again for health reasons. But the Broncos will also use more two-back looks than Manning ever ran in Indianapolis. Willis McGahee and Knowshon Moreno are the primary backs, but the Broncos will use a fullback, Chris Gronkowski, to attack the middle. Although Manning was not sacked in the preseason, the Broncos have struggled at times with protection in the middle of the field.
When the Steelers have the ball: The Broncos have switched from a 3-4 to a 4-3 alignment under new defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio. He has three impact players in the front seven — DE Elvis Dumervil, OLB Von Miller and rookie DE Derek Wolfe. Miller was the NFL’s defensive rookie of the year in 2011 after registering a team-high 111⁄ sacks. All three will
2 generate pressure on QB Ben Roethlisberger. But the Broncos rush defense, which finished 22nd in the AFC last season, remains suspect, especially in the middle. Tackle Ty Warren hasn’t played a regular-season game since 2009 because of injuries. And MLB Joe Mays isn’t a strong tackler and doesn’t finish plays. The Steelers rushed for 156 yards in the playoff loss to the Broncos –—121 by Isaac Redman — and look for them to attempt to do the same under new offensive coordinator Todd Haley. Redman, though, could be replaced as the starter by Jonathan Dwyer, who led the team in rushing in the preseason. Last year, teams had success getting the Broncos in their nickel package and pounding the ball on the ground against their smaller personnel grouping.
KEEP AN EYE ON
DE Derek Wolfe … The Steelers really liked the 6-foot-5, 300-pound rookie from Cincinnati at the combine in February and considered taking him high in the draft. The Broncos took him in the second round, and he has quickly become a matchup problem for opponents. He has the power to bull rush on the outside but has also shown what Del Rio calls “slippery moves” when he drops inside in their sub packages.
DATA
Game: Steelers at Denver Broncos, Sports Authority Field at Mile High Stadium, Denver.
When: 8:30 p.m. TV: WPXI.
Radio: WDVE-FM (102.5), WBGG-AM (970) and the Steelers Radio Network.
Favored: Broncos by
11⁄ 2.
INTANGIBLES
The Broncos lead the regular-season series, 13-7-1, and won the last meeting in Denver, 29-23, in the 2011 AFC wild-card playoff game. But this game is about the euphoria surrounding the return of Manning from a season-ending injury and his arrival in Denver. Broncos fans have waited since John Elway’s retirement for a future Hall of Fame quarterback who can end his career just as Elway did — with backto-back Super Bowl wins. Excitement has been amped since Manning and the Broncos drew over 41,000 to the stadium for a training-camp practice. If it’s possible, the fervor has easily surpassed Tebowmania.