OK, enough backwards thinking. I blame myself for this 3 game losing streak the Broncos are currently riding. It’s all about attitude, and listing 5 ways to lose the game is like adding a cancer to this team. I’ve been a distraction in the locker room, and for that, fellas, I apologize.

Not to mention, I’ve been giving the enemy coaches a Bible on beating our Broncos. No doubt Norv Turner meandered his way to my post, read what I had wrote and had an epiphany. “I now know how to beat the Broncos.” Don’t blame Jim Bates. Don’t blame Mike Shanahan. Blame me.

That said, I’m done giving the enemy valuable scouting notes they, no doubt, would have never come across had I not pointed them out first. Sorry, Mike Tomlin, I will not win this game for you!

Here are 5 steps to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers!

1. Fix Ourselves First

The Broncos are a bit of a mess, but hopefully these two weeks have given the team a chance to look inward and realize that we’re beating ourselves. Give the other teams credit, but we’re beating ourselves out there.

Jay Cutler has been good, not great, and we may need one of his best games yet this week. Zero interceptions would be a huge help. Travis Henry needs to run with authority and not fear the Steelers vicious defense. No more returns for touchdowns, either from the opposing special teams or defense – fix these mistakes and we’ll be asking the Steelers to beat us without giving the game away. Something we have yet to do ALL YEAR LONG.

2. Stop the run. Seriously.

No more excuses. We did better against San Diego until garbage time Michael Turner runs padded the running stats. But not good enough. With a final score of 41-3, it’s tough to find a silver lining.

We will have to stop Willie Parker or we will lose, it’s that simple. If Parker tallies anything over 120 yards, we’re likely looking at a blowout the other way.

This is not impossible. We held Ladainian Tomlinson to 67 yards on 21 carries, but we had to throw everything and the kitchen sink to do it. The Chargers still beat us handily through the passing game, because we asked so much of our secondary to focus on the running game. We need to lean toward stopping the run but not sell the house in doing it.

I would start Marcus Thomas and Sam Adams at DT – I think Thomas has shown the most aggressiveness of our DTs, and Adams is a big boy that can hopefully step up his game just a little bit. Alan Faneca is one of the best Guards in the business, and he will plow through to get to the second level in the run game. Looking at film, I believe these guys have the best chance at slowing the All Pro.

3. Force the Bad out of Big Ben

If Ben Roethlisberger doesn’t throw an interception, the Steelers are unstoppable. He’s played three games mistake free this year, and the Steelers have outscored their opponents 82-23 in those games. He only has three interceptions on the year – two came in the team’s loss to Arizona. To some extent, the team goes as Ben goes.

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Pittsburgh Steelers (4-1) @ Denver Broncos (2-3)
Sunday, October 21, 2007 at 6:05 PM MT
NBC | 850 KOA AM | Sirius 124

WEATHER FORECAST (weather.com):
Temp: 60° F
Chance of rain: 30%
Wind: NW 14 MPH

INJURY REPORT:
Coming Friday

SCORING TREND*:
Pittsburgh 26.8, Denver 12.2
*(based on points allowed and scored for both teams)

“Even though they’re not in the same division, this is still a rivalry game. And games in Denver, with that crowd and that atmosphere, especially at night, always feel like big games.”
– John Madden

This Sunday Night is Football Night. The Denver Broncos are headed for their first prime time game on the year as they welcome the Pittsburgh Steelers into INVESCO Field at Mile High Stadium. The game marks the first time the Steelers have visited Denver since they eliminated the Broncos in the AFC Championship Game in January of 2006.

Last year the Broncos visited the Steelers at Heinz Field and handily exacted revenge, 31-20, in a game where the Broncos’ leading rusher was Javon Walker after his 72-yard reverse run for a touchdown. Champ Bailey added two picks in a game where the Steelers outgained the Broncos significantly in yards, but the bend-but-don’t-break defense of the Broncos was perhaps never better in action.

This year, the Steelers are 4-1, losing their only game to the Arizona Cardinals in week 4. They bounced back with a 21-0 shutout against the Seahawks as they head into their bye. The Broncos are also coming off a bye and enjoy a 14-4 record in games played after the off week.

This game will be a real test for the Broncos, as the Steelers come with the 2nd best rushing offense in the league behind the legs of Willie Parker. The Broncos feature the league’s worst rush defense.

The Broncos are the underdogs at home, not a common sight before the game, but with a 2-6 record in the last 8 home games it comes as little surprise. With the #1 defense coming into town and our own defense struggling, we’ll have to outscore this beast to beat them.

• Javon Walker was limited in practice Wednesday, although he insists he’ll play Sunday.  Champ Bailey was sidelined again.  Oh, and Jim Bates loves Jordan Beck. – Mason’s Morsels
• Quotable: “Asked Wednesday about the physical nature of the Steelers defense, which is ranked No. 1 in the league, Walker answered: ‘Last I remember, I put up 200-some yards on them.‘”  Priceless! – Rocky Mountain News
• The first four paragraphs of this article are the perfect synopsis for the start of our season, compared to expectations heading in.  The bottom line: Jay Cutler is the least of our worries. – Denver Post
• VP of PR (talk about shortening someone’s job title!) Jim Saccomano felt it was his duty to at least ask the NFL if the Packers-Broncos game next Monday Night could be moved to Sunday for the Rockies game (the answer was no). – Denver Post
• Something’s gotta give – the Steelers allow 72.6 rushing yards per game; the Broncos force 138.8 yards per game. – CBS4 Denver
• Over the past three games, our opponents’ tight ends have tallied 15 catches for 222 yards and 3 touchdowns. Nearly half of the passing yards we’ve allowed this season have come from the opposing tight end.- Rocky Mountain News
• Steelers’ Willie Parker and Mike Tomlin surprised at our run defense. – CBS4 Denver
• Every so often, this Broncos forum mainstay updates his own mock draft with in-depth scouting reports.  Really great stuff.  Right now he has us drafting LB, RB, DT – The Beat

Looks like Kyle is finally going to get to see his boy attempt to do some returns. According to the Denver Post, Clark is out as a returner, and Young and Hall are in.

Now, Hall I don’t really know enough about to comment on. It’s nice to see him get a shot; of course, if he blows it, there’s not too much else to look at.

But Young I’m worried about. His biggest problem in college, from what I’ve read, was ball control. And, well, ball control is certainly one of the factors that’s absolutely killing us in these games.

And the Steelers? They’re a physical team that hits you hard and is going to go after the football. Is Young capable? I hope so. We’re going to have to see.

The week before the Steelers’ bye, the team was suffering from its fair share of injuries. Four of its better starters were sidelined, yet the team still managed a 21-0 shutout of the Seattle Seahawks.

It appears the bye week has allowed three of those four starters to heal – ESPN.

WR Hines Ward (knee), WR Santonio Holmes (hamstring), and S Troy Palumalu (rib cartilege) all expect to practice all week and play against the Broncos on Sunday. NT Casey Hampton (hamstring) was limited in practice Wednesday, but coach Mike Tomlin was optimistic he would be good to go.

Good news for the Steelers is naturally bad news for the Broncos. Ward is one of the best in the league at run blocking among wide receivers, too – wouldn’t surprise me to see runs going his way against the Broncos’ weak run defense. We’ll keep you posted.

• If Scott O’Brien is such a Special Teams Guru of a coach, why are the Broncos ranked dead last in starting field position (and virtually every other special teams category)? – Denver Post
• Stats, notes and tidbits on the Steelers-Broncos matchup. – Denver Post
• Chris Kuper talks about getting benched during training camp, and how he never wants to feel that way again. – Rocky Mountain News
• The AFC West is still prime for the taking. – Denver Post
• Injury Notes – we all know Javon returned to practice while Champ sat out, but there’s good news regarding Hamza Abdullah and Simeon Rice. – Denver Post
• Detroit Lions WR Roy Williams‘ escapades with the pizza guy are well documented.  Now he knows what it’s like to live on the other side. – 100% Injury Rate

The 2007 NFL trade deadline has now come and gone. Usually this is a pretty uneventful day in the National Football League, but that wasn’t the case for two AFC West teams.

The Kansas City Chiefs unloaded backup RB Michael Bennett to the ailing Buccaneers for an undisclosed draft pick. The move is speculated to have been made as a result of Priest Holmes possibly practicing and even playing this week for the Chiefs.

Meanwhile, the San Diego Chargers made a surprise blockbuster move to acquire Chris Chambers from the Miami Dolphins for a 2nd round pick. The compensation is high, but it’s obvious Miami was holding the leverage card with the trade deadline approaching. This trade is also speculated to be in reaction to in-house news: WR Eric Parker was placed on injured reserve, ending his season.

Chambers immediately becomes the Chargers’ best wide receiver. Everyone on their depth chart automtically moves down (including rookie Craig “Buster” Davis). This also means that the Chargers will not be drafting until the third round of the 2008 draft (their first round pick was traded on 2007 draft day so they could move up to select safety Eric Weddle).

If the team believes they’re ready for a Super Bowl run this year (which they do), the move makes a lot of sense. Aggressively making your team better is the right attitude if you’re hoping to win now, and the Chargers are a better team now with Chambers in fold.

Over Hall of Fame week (the week before the preseason began for 30 NFL teams), I discussed in detail five Broncos who belong in the Hall of Fame. They were all current eligibles, and I illustrated how disgraceful it is that a successful franchise like the Broncos has only one representative in the Hall of Fame. Year after year, we get snubbed, there’s no other way to put it.

I’ve heard over and over again that “they won’t be able to ignore Shannon Sharpe.” Well, this article (from a current member of the Hall of Fame selection committee!) is already planting the seeds to snub Sharpe upon his eligibility in 2009. The Dallas Morning News – Hall of Fame Window can Slam Shut.

When tight end Shannon Sharpe retired after the 2003 season, I assumed he’d be a slam dunk for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Sharpe left the game with the triple crown for tight ends – most career receptions, yards and touchdowns. Statistically, there had never been anyone better at the position.

But that’s what we thought about Art Monk, too. When he retired after the 1995 season, he was the NFL’s all-time leading receiver with 940 catches. Being the best at what you do logically would qualify you for Canton.

But by the time Monk became eligible for the Hall of Fame, Jerry Rice had motored past him on the all-time receiving list. Rice became the new standard – and Monk was passed over by the Hall of Fame selection panel in his first year of eligibility in 2001. And every year thereafter – seven years up, seven years down.

Now five players are ahead of Monk on the all-time receiving list: Rice, Cris Carter, Tim Brown, Marvin Harrison and Andre Reed. It’s tougher to sell the sixth all-time leading receiver as a profile in greatness than it is the first.

And as offensive statistics continue to explode in the pass-happy NFL, Monk will continue his slide down the receiving chart. Every year that passes makes it more difficult for him to secure a bust in Canton.

And that’s the potential pitfall facing Sharpe. By the time he’s eligible in 2009, he will not be the all-time leading receiver for his position. Here comes Tony Gonzalez.

The Kansas City tight end broke Sharpe’s record for career touchdown receptions by a tight end last weekend with two against the Cincinnati Bengals, giving him 64 in his career. Sharpe had 62.

Gonzalez also posted his 20th 100-yard receiving game against the Bengals, moving him past Sharpe into sole possession of third place on that list with 20. By 2009, Gonzalez will be the statistical standard for the position. Here are the all-time leaders at the tight-end position:

RECEPTIONS

1. Shannon Sharpe – 815

2. Tony Gonzalez – 759

3. Ozzie Newsome* – 662

4. Kellen Winslow* – 541

YARDS

1. Shannon Sharpe – 10,060

2. Tony Gonzalez – 9,048

3. Ozzie Newsome* – 7,980

4. Jackie Smith* – 7,918

TOUCHDOWNS

1. Tony Gonzalez – 64

2. Shannon Sharpe – 62

3. Jackie Smith* – 60

4. Wesley Walls – 54

100-YARD GAMES

1. Kellen Winslow* – 24

2. Jackie Smith* – 22

3. Tony Gonzalez – 20

4. Shannon Sharpe – 19

* Hall of Famer

Sharpe amassed his statistics in 14 seasons. Gonzalez has constructed his resume in 11. And off in a distance you can see the likes of Antonio Gates, Kellen Winslow Jr., Dallas Clark, Chris Cooley, Jeremy Shockey and Todd Heap getting situated for their own runs at the tight end record book.

So the first year of his eligibility will be an important one for Sharpe. That will be his best shot for induction. Every year thereafter, the memory of Sharpe and his statistics may fade. Ask Art Monk.

I can already picture the Hall of Fame voters formulating arguments against Sharpe in their minds. Maybe I’m paranoid after years of injustice toward the Broncos, but this article, plain and simple, sounds to me like the type of snowball that could turn into an avalanche against Sharpe once he’s eligible in a few short years.

The Gazette reports that the Broncos will honor fallen teammates Darrent Williams and Damien Nash before the game on Sunday Night.  Darrent’s mother Rosalind and Damien’s widow Judy will be in attendance and will be honorary participants in the coin flipping ceremony.  They will be recognized by the team and by the crowd.

I had expected this had happened earlier and am glad to hear I didn’t miss it.  I hope NBC does the classy thing and carries the ceremony, letting Broncos fans across the country honor the families of our fallen players.

In advance of our game versus Pittsburgh, I looked back at two previous Steeler games…

The first game was our last meeting, when we pounded them 31-20 in Nov. 2006. I’ll leave our offense completely out of this conversation (as we have a different QB, RB, WR, O-line, etc, etc).

The thing that stood out for me was the shear number of fumbles, interceptions and sacks. While Denver had NO turnovers in that game, Pittsburgh had 6 fumbles (3 that we recovered) and 3 interceptions. Big Ben was sacked 4 times versus only 1 sack of then-QB-Plummer. The shear number of turn-overs is amazing and as I recall watching this game, I remember thinking that we were putting all kinds of pressue on Roethlisberger.

Now, game two in review… Pittsburgh has only suffered one loss this year and it was to Arizona. Let’s take a look at that game shall we?

Most of the important game stats (i.e. passing, rushing, punting, time of possession, etc) were pretty balanced in this game. However, Ben Roethlisberger was sacked 4 times, he threw 2 interceptions and fumbled twice. And although Arizona didn’t actually pick up any of the Pittsburgh fumbles, they still disrupted Ben enough to squeeze out a home victory.

So, what do the 2-3 Denver Broncos need to do in order to win at home this week against 4-1 Pittsburgh? We need to put the pressure on Ben! We need to find a way to destroy the pocket and force Roethlisberger into errors which should provide turn-overs and thus a victory.

I’m not claiming to know HOW to get this done mind you – I’ll leave that to more skilled thinkers than me. I just know what goal Jim Bates should have this week as he prepares for the Steelers visit: Bring the pressure – Force the turn-overs!

GO BRONCOS!
-Jonathan Douglas
BroncoTalk.net