Steelers Fans Should Know Better

All this week Steelers' fans and the Pittsburgh media have been criticizing Mike Tomlin and the rest of the coaching staff for utilizing a pass-first game plan in the 31-28 loss to the Denver Broncos. These Steelers' devotees claim that the team suddenly developed an identity crisis out in Colorado, and would have fared better if it had made a more concerted effort to run the ball against the Broncos' statistically-deficient run defense. I'm not so sure.

First, Pittsburgh did not change its identity this past Sunday. The Steelers' offense did what is does best nowadays, which is to move the ball through the air. While the unenlightened national media continues to portray the Steelers as a run-first team, Steelers' fans should know better. All season long the Steelers have been a pass-first team (and the same was true during the Super Bowl year). More often than not, the pass-oriented approach works; Pittsburgh builds a lead through the air and then switches to a run-oriented attack in the second half (thereby padding its rushing yardage totals). This approach didn't work particularly well versus Denver, but I didn't hear anyone complaining after Pittsburgh's opening drive, which was virtually run-free and ended in a touchdown. The fact is, Denver played with more passion and that's why it won the game. Let's not blame the Steelers' game plan.

If fans want something to worry about perhaps they should question why the team has failed to match its opponents' intensity in two straight road games. It's no surprise the team failed to match Arizona's intensity; for all intents and purposes that game was the Cardinals' Super Bowl. But the loss to Denver was a mild surprise, hence the first "loss" of the season for "What are the Chances...?" (5-1, 18-4 all-time).

Broncos: What are the Chances...?

This week the Steelers play the 2-3 Denver Broncos, a team that has struggled to stop the run, a potentially huge problem when matching up against Pittsburgh. The Broncos are also hampered by injuries to key players at a time when the Steelers are getting healthier on both sides of the ball. It sounds like the formula for a Pittsburgh victory, but The Steelyard's enthusiam for this prediction is tempered somewhat by the Steelers' history in Denver (4-8-1 all-time) and the success the Broncos have typically experienced following their bye week (10-2 at home). The Broncos also feature starting CB's who, if healthy, can limit the effectiveness of virtually any wide receiver tandem. It should be interesting to see if the Steelers use a more conservative-than-normal game plan, hoping to limit momentum-changing mistakes in the passing game and take advantage of Denver's porous run defense. Mike Tomlin has said Big Ben will be attacking Denver's CB's; Roethlisberger says he won't be doing much passing this week.

Bottom line: Denver possesses a significant home field advantage, but Pittsburgh is a more talented and healthier team and should emerge victorious unless it commits an inordinate number of penalties and turnovers. The Steelyard estimates' the Steelers' chance of success at 70 percent.

"What are the Chances...?" is 5-0 this season and 18-3 all-time.