Broncos looking to snap Steelers’ 6-game win streak
The Pittsburgh Steelers can unnerve plenty of defenses with the NFL’s best pair of pass catchers and the league’s top tight end tandem.
Not Denver’s.
“We’ve had a tough game every week,” Broncos cornerback Chris Harris Jr. said. “We haven’t had any easy games. So, this is just another top offense that we get to see, another great challenge and we’re up for it.”
The Steelers (7-2-1), bursting with playmakers in wide receivers Antonio Brown, JuJu Smith-Schuster, tight ends Vance McDonald and Jesse James and running back James Connor, are the third consecutive opponent to bring a winning streak of at least five games into their matchup against the Broncos (4-6).
The 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers were the last team to face that sort of gantlet, wrapping up an 0-14 season with losses to the Raiders, Steelers and Patriots by an average of 40-10.
The Broncos snapped the Chargers’ six-game roll with a stirring comeback last week capped by Brandon McManus’ field goal as time expired — one game after his errant kick as time expired allowed the Texans to escape with their sixth straight win.
“We’ve seen it all already,” Harris said. “Now, it’s just another challenge, another great offense, another great quarterback and receivers. We’ve had some success this year playing the top offenses.”
In addition to letting Deshaun Watson and the Texans duck out of Denver with a win, the Broncos had their chances against Jared Goff and the Rams and twice against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. They lost those four games by a combined 12 points.
ORANGE CRUNCH
The Broncos counter Pittsburgh’s dynamite duos with the league’s most prolific pass-rushing pair in Von Miller and rookie Bradley Chubb, both of whom are riding five-game sack streaks.
Miller and Chubb have combined for 19 sacks, 21 tackles for loss, 29 QB hits, five forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and one interception.
“It’s unbelievable, maybe the best one in the game right now, those two guys,” Roethlisberger said.
MAD SCIENCE
Miller is coming off his 100th sack and a key interception that was a game-changer and maybe a seasonturner, and he certainly has the attention of the Steelers.
“I’ve got nothing but crazy respect for him,” Roethlisberger said. “Such a good football player and he really takes pride in his craft. He’s almost scientific about it.”
Miller was the MVP of the Pro Bowl last year, where he was coached by Mike Tomlin in the Steelers staff.
ROAD WARRIORS
The Steelers are 15-1-1 in their last 17 road games, though the going has typically been difficult in Denver. Pittsburgh has dropped four of its last five visits to the Mile High City, including a pair of playoff setbacks in 2012 and 2016.
JUJU’S MOJO
While Brown has caught at least one touchdown in eight consecutive games, it’s the development of Smith-Schuster that’s helped keep Pittsburgh’s offense humming even with running back Le’Veon Bell sitting out the season.
Smith-Schuster has 64 receptions for 866 yards and has developed a rapport with Roethlisberger that is paying off in the clutch. He caught four passes in Pittsburgh’s final frenetic two drives last week against Jacksonville, including a leaping 35-yard grab that helped set up the winning touchdown. talk and colorful Boston-New York comparisons spicing things up.
Not so much this time around. It doesn’t help, of course, that the Jets (3-7) are struggling mightily while the Patriots (7-3) appear headed to their 10th straight division title and 15th in 16 years. But New England is hitting the road, where it’s 2-3 this season, and knows to not expect a cakewalk Sunday at MetLife Stadium.
“Throughout all sports history, it’s always that rivalry there,” Patriots defensive back Devin McCourty said of Boston vs. New York. “When we go down there, it’s not many Patriots fans in there. If they are in there, you probably don’t want to be too loud in that stadium because the Jets fans will get rowdy. It’s a lot of fun.”
Coming off a 34-10 loss to Tennessee two weeks ago , the Patriots are looking to avoid their second two-game losing streak of the season — something the franchise hasn’t experienced since 2015.
This might be as good a week as any to get things back on track for New England, which has won four straight in the series against New York and seven of the last eight.
“I think the rest kind of came at a good time for us to evaluate ourselves, get some rest, recover up, just come back and get ready to go for this last six-game stretch,” running back James White said. “Lot of division games, big, tough one against the Jets this week, so we’ve just got to come out ready to go from the start to the finish. It’s tough every time we play those guys. It’s never easy.”
That’s true on the road, despite the lopsided results in the Patriots’ favor.
In the last five games between the teams at MetLife Stadium, all have been decided by seven points or less — including a 26-20 overtime win by the Jets in coach Todd Bowles’ first season.
OLD GUYS
With Jets rookie Sam Darnold out with a foot strain, 39-year-old backup Josh McCown will get his second straight start.
That means this game will likely feature the NFL’s second-oldest QB combo at 80 years, 258 days with 41-year-old Tom Brady expected to go up against McCown. Brady was limited during the week with a sore knee, and didn’t practice Friday and was listed as questionable.
Only Carolina’s Vinny Testaverde (44) and Green Bay’s Brett Favre (38) in 2007 are an older combination at 82 years, 44 days old.
GRONK’S BACK
Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski is expected to return from back and ankle injuries after sitting out the last two games. He was listed as questionable after being limited at practice all week.
CHART TOPPER
Brady needs four touchdown passes to top Peyton Manning (579) for the most in NFL history, including postseason games.
The Patriots QB could make some more history. He needs 147 yards passing to top Manning (79,279) for No. 1 on the career list.
With 252 yards passing, Brady would reach 3,000 for the 16th straight season to tie Manning for second most behind only Brett Favre (18).