The Pittsburgh Steelers’ upcoming game may be less of a grudge match if Russell Wilson doesn’t start, but it shouldn’t be any less physical. The Steelers showed in Week 1 that they’re prepared to grind games out, and the Denver Broncos looked like a team that will have to rely on its defense more than its offense. For those reasons, former NFL quarterback Chris Simms believes this is a game built for the Steelers.
On a recent episode of his Chris Simms Unbuttoned podcast, Simms explained why he’s taking the Steelers to beat the Broncos.
“I’m not gonna take a rookie quarterback against this Pittsburgh defense,” Simms said. “It didn’t look good, last week, on Denver’s offensive side of the ball. [Bo Nix] looked like a rookie quarterback that was like, ‘Whoa, the regular-season defenses and the first-team defense is a whole different ballgame.’
“I don’t think Denver is so talented on that side of the ball that they can overcome it. I do think the Broncos’ defense will be a pain in the butt, but this just seems like the most perfect Steeler game ever.”
Simms is correct that, on paper, this looks like a game that the Steelers should thrive in. It’s probably going to be a tight game in which the team whose offense makes less mistakes wins. That’s similar to how the Steelers won their first game. They didn’t score a touchdown, but they also didn’t turn the ball over, allowing their opponent to make costly mistakes.
The key will be not turning the ball over. The Broncos’ offense might be sputtering to start the season, but their defense looked strong. They picked off Seattle quarterback Geno Smith on the first drive in Week 1, and then went on to force two safeties. They might not have the star power that the Steelers do, but they worked well as a unit to start the season.
Mike Tomlin loves being in competitive battles. Since he became head coach, the Steelers have thrived in one-score games. This game in Week 2 could put them in a similar position, and their experience might help them win it. Nix did look like a rookie QB in Week 1, in the worst way. His job won’t be any easier this week.
It’s more than likely going to be a slugfest on Sunday, so let’s just hope the Steelers make fewer mistakes than the Broncos. Justin Fields did a good job protecting the football in Week 1, and that needs to continue if the Steelers want to play their brand of football. It’s tough to win any game if you lose the turnover battle, let alone close games. We’ll see if Fields and the Steelers’ defense prove Simms right.
