The Pittsburgh Steelers didn’t need to be reminded how badly they looked while falling behind Denver by two touchdowns at halftime Sunday, even though linebackers coach Joey Porter made a decision to provide one anyway.
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Osweiler tied the score with an 18-yard touchdown pass to Thomas with 4:45 left in the first quarter, capping a 12-play, 85-yard drive.
“I just think the veteran presence – and that was one of the reasons why we went with the group that we’re playin’ with, guys like Will Allen, Mike Mitchell, Will Gay – they’ve been around”. Antonio Brown caught 16 of those passes for 189 yards and two touchdowns, including the go-ahead score three plays after Ryan Shazier picked off Osweiler in the middle of the field.
Brown, Markus Wheaton and Martavis Bryant found plenty of room to maneuver against Denver’s secondary after making some adjustments during the half.
No matter how this dizzying Steelers season finally ends, the most Herculean postseason task will fall to the people charged with editing an epic highlight film that melds a spectacular, record-smashing offense with defense that’s been part spectacular, part spectacle. The NFL’s all-time passing leader will practice this week, with coach Gary Kubiak shooting down speculation that Manning wasn’t interested in taking on a reserve role should the Broncos decide they want to stick with Osweiler.
A defense that rediscovered its swagger after allowing Osweiler to stake Denver to a 27-10 lead late in the second quarter.
Ben Roethlisberger completed 40 of 55 passes for 380 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions in Sunday’s 34-27 victory over the Broncos. For the most part, Osweiler also showed an improved awareness in the pocket when the Broncos’ offense was rolling in the first half. In the second half, though, he was 7 of 26 for 82 yards in the second half.
Former Steelers receiver Emmanuel Sanders had 10 receptions for 181 yards and a touchdown for the Broncos, but nine of the catches came in the first half for 139 yards.
The problem is that Osweiler bombed in the second half, as he threw for just 69 yards, and the Broncos were shut out in the second half for the third straight game.
“You play 60 minutes, not 30 minutes”, Osweiler said. “This is something that we will work on and we will fix”.
The Broncos had gone 24 straight possessions without an offensive touchdown before reaching the end zone four straight times.
If they can keep this up, it’ll be a fun night in Broncos country.
Tyvon Branch returned a fumble 73 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter and Marcus Peters clinched the victory with a 90-yard interception return for a score with 4:36 left.
And, once again, Harris stood in the end zone, visibly angered as Brown celebrated a few feet away.
At halftime, Brock Osweiler had three passing touchdowns and one rushing touchdown, the makings of a near-perfect 155.8 passer rating.
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And just to add an exclamation point, Brown is the first player in the modern era of the National Football League, since 1970, to have two 15-catch games in the same season. “If you play this game long enough, you’re going to get your tail kicked at least once”.
