Following each game in the 2024 Pittsburgh Steelers season, I will highlight the event or string of events in the game that was the turning point. Not all turning points will be earth-shattering but are meant to give a unique look at how we arrived at the outcome of the game, one that may be hard to see during the live watch.
Over the Denver Broncos’ first five drives against the Pittsburgh Steelers, they managed just 72 yards on 23 plays. Three of those drives were three-and-outs, and they only crossed the 50-yard line once. It was thorough domination by the Steelers’ defense.
Penalties and other miscues kept the game close, just 10-0 at halftime. While it felt lopsided, the Broncos were still very much in the game.
On the sixth drive, they reached deep into their bag of tricks with a wildcat play with Bo Nix aligned as a wide receiver. They pitched it back to him and connected with Josh Reynolds for 49 yards to have first and goal from the seven-yard line.
It was by far their biggest play of the day. It was a significant play for a lot of reasons. If they scored, it would be just a one-possession game with all of the momentum on the Broncos’ side. This was in Denver, so it got the crowd back into the game. CB Donte Jackson also got banged up on the play and had to exit the game for a brief time.
Just look at the atmosphere after the big play. The momentum really felt like it was starting to slip away.
It was beginning to feel like one of those games where the Steelers let the opposition hang around too long without being able to put the final nail in the coffin.
Enter Cory Trice Jr.
As Box Nix said after the game, “I dropped back, threw it to the other team.”
Cameron Heyward had pressure up the middle and forced an errant throw that Trice was able to capitalize on.
Just like that, the life was sucked back out of the Broncos fans in the stadium. Their big opportunity was squandered, and the Steelers were able to protect their lead the rest of the way. Just look at the ESPN win probability chart.
This was very clearly the turning point of the game. The Steelers defense bent, but they did not break. Cory Trice snuffed out the spark before it could catch fire.
