How The National Media Is Picking Steelers Vs. Broncos

A weekly article we post that gives a brief overview of how the national media view the Pittsburgh Steelers’ odds. Just a skinny summary of notable names who are picking for or against Pittsburgh. We’ll see who gets it right most often. If they offer a score prediction, we’ll include that too. When applicable, I’ll toss in the predictions from Dave Bryan and myself just to see how we stack up.

Today, predictions for the Steelers’ Week 2 game against the Denver Broncos.

THOSE PICKING THE STEELERS

Nate Davis/USA Today: Steelers (20-13)

Mike Florio/Pro Football Talk: Steelers (19-14)

Maurice Jones-Drew/NFL Network: Steelers (20-13)

Pete Prisco/CBS Sports: Steelers (17-16)

Vinnie Iyer/Sporting News: Steelers (24-13)

Colleen Wolfe/NFL Network: Steelers (21-15)

Dave Bryan/Steelers Depot: Steelers (20-19)

Chris Simms/Pro Football Talk: Steelers (19-13)

Sam Farmer/LA Times: Steelers (21-13)

Alex Kozora/Steelers Depot: Steelers (20-18)

Pat McAfee/Pat McAfee Show: Steelers

THOSE PICKING THE BRONCOS

Adam Rank/NFL Network: Broncos (24-22)

Eric Edholm/NFL Network: Broncos (19-16)

A.J. Hawk/Pat McAfee Show: Broncos

Totals

Those Picking The Steelers: 11
Those Picking The Broncos: 3

Quick Notes

– Pittsburgh is 1-6 in its last seven regular-season games at Denver, dating back to 1991. Their lone win came in 2009, a 28-10 victory. The Steelers also lost both of their playoff games in Denver over that span, putting them at 1-8.

– Broncos QB Bo Nix is only the third rookie QB in NFL history to attempt 40-plus passes in a game while throwing for under 150 yards, attempting 42 passes for 138 yards in a Week 1 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. The other two? Bruce Gradkowski in 2006 and Peyton Manning in 1998. So Nix’s career is either going to go really well or really quietly.

– Denver and Pittsburgh combined to kick nine field goals in Week 1, Chris Boswell and Will Lutz combining to go a perfect 9-for-9.

– Denver recorded two safeties against Seattle, the first NFL defense to do so since the Miami Dolphins in 2017. It’s only the second time the Broncos have ever done it, the other in 1983. Pittsburgh has never achieved such a feat.

– The Broncos went 5-of-18 on third down against the Seahawks, their first such showing since 2019.

– Denver’s top two running backs, Javonte Williams and Jaleel McLaughlin, managed just 2.8 yards per carry last week. Just 50 yards on 18 carries and only one run gaining 10-plus yards.

– Pittsburgh had the ball in Falcons’ territory seven times last week. But only twice did the Steelers reach the red zone and they failed to score a touchdown. That has to change this week.