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This week's Monday Night Football Game is a match up between two of the AFC's best, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Denver Broncos. The Steelers (5-2) go on the road to face the Broncos (6-1) at Invesco Field. This is an important game for both teams, just like every week in the NFL.
The Steelers want to remain red-hot as they come off their bye-week. After consecutive three-point losses to the Chicago Bears and Cincinnati Bengals, the Steelers ran off four straight wins, including a solid win over the Minnesota Vikings.
The Steelers are tied with the Bengals for the lead in the AFC North and are one game ahead of the Baltimore Ravens. A win this week will go a long way for the Steelers in their division as the Bengals and Ravens face off.
On the other hand, the Broncos are reeling from their first loss of the season last week to the Baltimore Ravens. This was the first loss for Broncos coach Josh McDaniels, and it should be interesting to see how he and the new-look Broncos bounce back against the physical Steelers.
The Broncos, with a 6-1 record, are in the driver's seat in the AFC West, but they want to put as much distance between themselves and the San Diego Chargers as they can, as they are fresh-off their collapse last year in the final weeks of the season. The Chargers (4-3), face a tough test this week in the New York Giants and are hoping for a Broncos loss and their own win.
This has the makings of another great Monday Night Football game and it could easily go either way. Now, a look at who has the advantage in this one.
Pittsburgh's Offense
Pittsburgh's quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger, in third in the NFL in passing yards, second in completion percentage, first in yards per attempt, and second in yards per game. He is a dynamic passer and is one of the best at creating plays. Roethlisberger has been sacked 20 times already this season and is going to have to be elusive while facing the Broncos' defense who are second in sacks.
Pittsburgh has some of the NFL's best receivers in Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes, and Heath Miller is one of the best receiving tight ends. Roethlisberger has many weapons to choose from as he hopes to pick apart the Broncos' defense.
The Steelers running game as not been the dominant unit that it's known for being. They are in the bottom half of the NFL in rushing with only 107 yards-per-game as a team. Though under-performing, they are still a talented unit. Rashard Mendenhall is an explosive back as he showed in Week Four, when he exploded on the Chargers for 165 yards and two TDs.
Denver's Offense
The Broncos offense has done just enough to win this year. They are right in the middle, at No. 15 in the NFL in total offense; but when they have needed to move ball they have shown they can. The offense is an efficient unit and have the fifth-best turnover differential at plus-6.
Kyle Orton has won the respect of many Broncos fans. He has been an effective game manager and has only thrown one pick, something that is unusual for recent Broncos' QBs. Above all, Kyle Orton is a winner. He might not be the most skilled QB, even in the Broncos organization, but he has proved that he can win wherever he is.
The Broncos have one of the deepest receiving corps in the NFL. Brandon Marshall is a Pro Bowler and a play-maker with the ball in his hands. Eddie Royal and Jabar Gaffney are both solid receivers that run good routes and have great hands. Brandon Stokley is a smart receiver and is reliable on third downs.
The running game for the Broncos has been solid in the 2009 season. Knowshon Moreno has had a respectable rookie season to this point. The only complaint is too many fumbles, some of which have been crucial. Correll Buckhalter was a hidden free-agent gem for the Broncos and has averaged 6.0 yards per carry.
The offense line is one of the best units in the NFL. They are great at protecting the quarterback and opening up running holes. Their hands will be full with the active Steelers defense, but are coming off facing a similar defense in the Ravens.
The Steelers have the edge in this category because of their ability to consistently move the ball and play-making ability of Ben Roethlisberger.
Advantage: Steelers
Pittsburgh's Defense
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