Pittsburgh’s defense dominated Denver in a 13-6 win, giving Pittsburgh their second win and first loss of 2018. Denver, on the other hand, remains winless while earning one touchdown victory this year.
Justin Fields avoided an attempted sack by Jonathon Cooper to run for a first down on Pittsburgh’s next drive, however a holding penalty hampered progress on that front.
| Team | Player | Position | Passing (Comp/Att, Yds, TD, INT, Rating) | Rushing (Car, Yds, Avg, TD) | Receiving (Rec, Tgt, Yds, Avg, TD) | Defense (Tkl, Solo, Sacks, INT) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steelers | Justin Fields | QB | 13/20, 117, 1, 0, 97.3 | – | – | – |
| Najee Harris | RB | – | 17, 69, 4.1, 0 | – | – | |
| Jaylen Warren | RB | – | 10, 45, 4.5, 0 | – | – | |
| George Pickens | WR | – | – | 4, 6, 50, 12.5, 0 | – | |
| Darnell Washington | TE | – | – | 1, 1, 5, 5.0, 1 | – | |
| DeShon Elliott | S | – | – | – | 9, 4, 0, 0 | |
| Cory Trice Jr. | CB | – | – | – | 3, 3, 0, 1 | |
| Damontae Kazee | S | – | – | – | 2, 2, 0, 1 | |
| Broncos | Bo Nix | QB | 20/35, 246, 0, 2, 55.2 | – | – | – |
| Javonte Williams | RB | – | 11, 17, 1.5, 0 | 5, 5, 48, 9.6, 0 | – | |
| Josh Reynolds | WR | – | 1, 0, 0.0, 0 | 4, 5, 93, 23.3, 0 | – | |
| Lil’Jordan Humphrey | WR | – | – | 4, 5, 50, 12.5, 0 | – | |
| Courtland Sutton | WR | – | – | 1, 4, 26, 26.0, 0 | – | |
| Justin Simmons | S | – | – | – | 8, 6, 0, 0 | |
| Josey Jewell | LB | – | – | – | 7, 5, 0, 0 | |
| Patrick Surtain II | CB | – | – | – | 5, 5, 0, 0 |
T.J. Watt
After winning and deferring to their opponent at the coin toss, Pittsburgh got off to an inauspicious start, covering only eight yards on their first two drives before having to punt both times. On Denver’s third drive they attempted running the ball but only gained zero yards despite two attempts. On their next possession however they encountered third and ten, forcing them once more into punting territory.
On their next drive, the Steelers offense finally found some momentum as Isaiahh Loudermilk blocked Brandon McManus’ field goal attempt for a safety. Justin Fields managed to avoid Jonathon Cooper’s near-sack attempt to rush for 16 yards into the red zone on their next drive and run for another first down before taking a risky throw over the middle on fourth and 10 that Patrick Queen nearly intercepted.
With the score 13-3, the Broncos attempted a drive inside of Pittsburgh’s 20-yard line but were forced to settle for Will Lutz’s 35-yard field goal as their defense continued its dominance and prevented any offensive production during the second half.
Fantasy managers’ only concern should be All-Pro pass rusher T.J. Watt, who hyperextended his knee during the second quarter. Though expected to miss some weeks due to his injury, Steelers defense should still make for strong IDP options in 2025 when his current contract comes to an end next year and extension talks may follow shortly afterward.
James Daniels
James Daniels was one of the Steelers’ standout players during their 13-6 victory against Denver Broncos, helping control the clock and deny Denver any rhythm; additionally he contributed significantly to their struggling running game.
Daniels began 2017 as Eric Kush’s backup at left guard and shared snaps. However, in Week 2 due to Kush’s injury he took over his position and has been the Steelers starting left guard ever since – currently ranking second among NFL guards according to Pro Football Reference.
In this game, the Broncos ran defense struggled mightily to stop Pittsburgh on early downs; giving up an astounding 5.8 average yards per play – the highest total in the league! Additionally, their rush defense successfully shut down Javonte Williams on third down and only allowed four yards.
Denver was able to gain entry into the red zone on their next possession but were stopped on fourth-and-7 at Pittsburgh 39. On their third play of the second half, Nix’s pass was intercepted by Corey Trice for a safety.
The Denver Broncos have gone two consecutive weeks without scoring a touchdown – something unheard-of in modern NFL and hasn’t happened since the 1990s. Additionally, this weekend they allowed three turnovers, marking both times this year they have given up multiple turnovers during a game.
Troy Fautanu
Fautanu, who was selected in the first round of 2024 draft, has shown great promise as a pass protector, though his run blocking skills remain under development. While athletic, Fautanu must work on improving his pad level, drive and hand placement to become more consistent while improving his push at the line of scrimmage – nonetheless his combination of power and agility make him a formidable offensive tackle prospect.
The Steelers struggled early but found success in the second quarter, thanks to Wil Lutz’s 30- and 35-yard field goals that closed out the half. On Denver’s next possession, Bo Nix threw an incomplete pass to Van Jefferson on fourth down resulting in their offense turning it over on downs.
Pittsburgh’s defense excelled at both rush and pass efficiency, but had difficulty stopping explosive plays from happening. On offense, they managed only one touchdown with 146 passing yards but their running game proved ineffective as well.
Broncos were held to only three first downs on their initial drives despite missing two first-quarter carries and an interception by Cory Trice Jr. of rookie quarterback Bo Nix in the third quarter, giving Steelers possession at their own 27-yard line.
Troy Fautanu of the Steelers was placed on injured reserve Saturday due to a knee injury he sustained during practice Friday and will miss the remainder of this season, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Broderick Jones will take his place as starting right tackle.
Jonathon Cooper
After their Week 1 win against the Atlanta Falcons, the Steelers traveled to Denver in search of their second victory this season against an upstart Denver Broncos squad looking for its own first victory of 2018. Instead, Pittsburgh dominated from start to finish and advanced to 2-0 on the year; their defense led by Jonathon Cooper and Nik Bonitto kept Denver under control throughout.
The Steelers won the coin toss and deferred, inviting Bo Nix and the Broncos out onto the field to begin the first drive of the game – one in which their offense went three and out on their opening drive as it did throughout.
Chris Boswell of the Steelers opened up their scoring in the second quarter with a 27-yard field goal from Pittsburgh’s defense, followed by one of their finest edge rushers – Cooper. On their next play, Cooper registered an amazing sack that stopped their drive and extended Pittsburgh’s advantage further.
Later in the quarter, Pittsburgh forced a turnover on downs when Najee Harris fumbled a Denver ball which was intercepted by Corey Trice. On their subsequent drive, Nix’s pass intended for Javonte Williams was intercepted by DeShon Elliott who intercepted it and led directly to Pittsburgh scoring its fourth 50+ yard field goal of the day.
Denver attempted a comeback on its next drive, but an unsuccessful three-and-out and Jaime Jones’ interception by Pittsburgh ended all hopes for comeback. Denver fell to 0-2, meaning they must improve drastically if they hope to remain competitive this season; on the other hand, Steelers appear back to being dominant.
Spencer Anderson
Pittsburgh’s defense is among the league’s best, and Anderson stands out as an elite interior lineman on it. Capable of playing all five positions inside, tackle is his main position; thanks to him, Pittsburgh has allowed fewer rushing yards in two games than any other team in the league.
The Steelers used their strong defense to earn their first 2-0 start since 2023 and prevent Denver from building momentum in their home opener. Denver quarterback Case Keenum struggled mightily on offense as he was sacked three times and intercepted four passes; all this played into their hands in their quest for victory over Pittsburgh.
Denver was held to 18% rushing between the tackles, tied for lowest rate in Week 1. Early downs saw them gain only 64 yards before an errant third down snap led to a punt back to Pittsburgh at its 20-yard line.
After an early field goal by Shaun Suisham, the Steelers embarked on their next drive. Rookie WR George Pickens caught a 33-yard pass to bring them nearing red zone territory before Cory Trice Jr’s interception thwarted their attempt.
Denver’s offense finally broke through midfield for the first time during their opening possession of the second half, but McLaughlin’s fumble sent them back to their own 20-yard line and forced Fields into throwing an inaccurate 3rd down pass over the middle on 3rd and 12 – eventually leading Riley Dixon’s punt back towards Pittsburgh and giving them control with 13 minutes and 6 seconds remaining in regulation – ultimately giving them a 13-6 win and ending their three game losing streak.
