Steelers vs. Broncos: 6 Steelers Under Most Pressure on Wild Card Weekend

The Pittsburgh Steelers face quite the test on Wild Card Weekend. Not only are they facing one of the NFL's better defenses when they travel into the Mile High City, they also face one of the most talked about players in the league in Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow.

The Steelers have several players who are under pressure to perform on Sunday afternoon. Here's a look at six guys who are facing the most pressure.

Ryan Mundy, FS

Why?

He's starting a playoff game for the team's leading tackler and one of their hardest and most consistent hitters. Any time you're asked to step in and start a playoff game, the pressure is on you to perform.

What He Needs to Do

Mundy has to be solid. He doesn't have to intercept three passes, make a highlight-reel tackle or do anything like that. He simply has to play mistake-free football. The good news for him is that the Broncos aren't big on stretching the field. The bad news is that Tim Tebow likes to throw to his tight ends.

Mundy has been mostly solid whenever he's had to step in, and he knows this defense well. I have every confidence that he'll be ready to go when the game starts, and I also am sure that Dick LeBeau is working to make sure that he doesn't get exposed in any way.

Ben Roethlisberger, QB

Why?

Isn't it obvious? As Roethlisberger goes, so go the Steelers. If he performs well, Denver will likely have a hard time keeping pace. If he plays poorly, Denver could stay in the game long enough to pull it out.

What He Needs to Do

He needs to play within himself. There's no way, especially after the news that he tweaked the ankle again against Cleveland, he'll be anywhere near 100 percent on Sunday. He has to realize what the limits are and what's at stake.

The team is hoping for a title run. For them to win a Super Bowl, Ben Roethlisberger needs to be taking the knee in Indianapolis. Can they beat Denver with Charlie Batch? I would say that he doesn't do anything that hurts them here. Can they beat Baltimore, New England and any of the NFC heavyweights that way? Well, it would be a nice miracle.

The name of the game on Sunday needs to be three step drops, getting rid of the ball quickly and accurately, and working the receivers and the running backs as much as possible on short passes. I get the feeling the Steelers will have to throw well to win. That means no big mistakes.

Isaac Redman, RB

Why?

He's now the guy. There's been a strong sentiment all year that Redman could be this team's starter. This is now his audition.

What He Needs to Do

He needs to hold onto the ball. The two fumbles in Cleveland came when the ball was wet and on vicious hits. Those conditions could still be in play in Denver. The Steelers won't play indoors again unless they reach the Super Bowl.

He also needs to be effective whenever he gets the ball. That's something that Redman has been very good at. He doesn't get brought down for a loss. The sample size is small, but I'm betting that the motivation on Sunday will be more than enough for him to power through some tackles.

Redman might be a featured piece of the offense in Denver because of the combination of weather and Roethlisberger's injury. If that's the case, he may have a huge hand in deciding this game. Mistake-free football must be his goal.

James Harrison and the Front Seven

Why?

Harrison and the rest of the team's front seven must be prepared for the NFL's most unusual offense. If they aren't, it could go very badly.

What They Need to Do

In as succinct terms as possible, the front seven must be ready for anything. They have to be college players for one week and be ready for the option, a lot of running by the quarterback and fullback as well as running back Willis McGahee. They have to be ready for whatever could possibly happen in the running game.

That's what Denver has going for them. They can run any running play. It's those pesky passes that get them into trouble.

The best thing that can happen is that the Steelers blitz often and get Tim Tebow rattled. He's been very mistake-prone in recent weeks, and a lot of that is due to teams coming up and getting right in his face. No team is better at that than Pittsburgh.

It's time to drop the Steel Curtain on Tebow Time.

Troy Polamalu, SS

Why?

He's going to be playing without his wing man, and he also has to be extra-sharp in run support and play recognition.

What He Needs to Do

I think the most wise thing to do with Polamalu is to make him a QB spy on most plays. His job is Tim Tebow. Wherever Tebow goes, Polamalu should appear. Tebow is a wild card as a quarterback, capable of doing just about anything.

Polamalu has proven that he can be anywhere and play any position. I'm pretty sure he could be the kicker if they ever had the need.

The pressure on Polamalu is that he doesn't make any mental mistakes. He's great at recognizing patterns and plays, and he will need that wisdom to be sure that taking off against the run is the right choice and the Tebow won't pull up and throw a pass.

While it is asking a lot, Polamalu has to get into Tebow's head and be one step ahead of him the entire game.

Maurkice Pouncey and the Offensive Line

Why?

They have a dual job on Sunday. They must protect their injured quarterback and they must block for their new starting running back.

What They Need to Do

This is pretty simple really. The line has to be airtight.

No really. It's that simple. If Bruce Arians constructs the right game plan (three step drops, short passes, quick releases, lots of running mixed in), then all the line has to do is execute long enough for Ben to hit one of his first two reads.

In the running game, all they need to do is give a crack of daylight to Isaac Redman. He has shown the ability to bulldoze through people or bounce it outside, so I'm not worried once he gets loose.

Now there's only one problem. This is a very, very beat up unit. Everyone has had some kind of injury and missed at least one game this year. The key on Sunday will be how well they can suck it up and play. They've done well all year really (at least since Max Starks came back home), and a lot of the hits Roethlisberger has taken have been his fault.

The running game is where the blocking has a lot of room for improvement, but in some ways Redman gives them more room for error because he doesn't cut back or stutter, he just goes.