With only two weeks left in the NFL regular season, there are a lot of big games on the schedule this week, featuring teams that are trying to get into the playoffs or improve their playoff seeding.
One of the games to lookout for this week is the matchup between the Denver Broncos and Pittsburgh Steelers. The game will be played at Heinz Field, and is scheduled to begin at 4:25 PM. ET.
The Broncos are 10-3 and tied for the second best record in the AFC, but they are dealing with a bunch of injuries that could derail their Super Bowl plans.
Peyton Manning has been on the bench for the past month due to injuries, Brock Osweiler has played well in Manning’s absence, but the Broncos will be hoping their veteran signal caller is healthy by the time the playoffs arrive.
The Broncos are continuing to go with Osweiler at QB. He will need to help out his defense with some points in this one.
On defense, the Broncos have also had injuries to some of their star players like DeMarcus Ware and Vonn Miller, which could affect how much playing time they get on Sunday.
The Steelers have also had their share of injuries this season. Ben Roethlisberger has missed four games due to injury this season, and starting running back LeVeon Bell will miss the remainder of the season after playing in only six games.
The absence of Roethlisberger and Bell contributed to the slow start the Steelers had, but the team seems to be hitting its stride and has won four of its last five games.
Since the Bengals got off to a fast start to the season, it will be difficult for Pittsburgh to catch up to them, but they still have a great chance of clinching on of the two Wild Card spots, which makes this a very important game for Pittsburgh.
With Peyton Manning out of the lineup, the Broncos have turned to their running game to help them win games, and have been very successful so far. Brock Osweiler is 4-1 in Manning’s absence, thanks to the play of Ronnie Hillman and C.J. Anderson.
The Broncos running backs will have their hands full against the Pittsburgh run defense which is limiting opposing teams to 88 rushing yards per game, which is the 6th best in the league.
Ben Roethlisberger will also have a tough time moving the ball against the Broncos defense which has been one of the best in the league so far.
Denver holds opponents to an average 17.3 points per game, which is the best mark in the league. Their pass defense is the best in the NFL, and their run defense is the 3rd best in the league, which means the Steelers have their work cut out for them.
Steelers vs Broncos Betting Lines
BetOnline.ag has the Steelers favored to win this game by 7 points. The over/under on total points scored is 44.5 points. You can read our full BetOnline review here.
My Pick
The Broncos are a very dangerous team even without Manning. Last week, they lost a home game to the Oakland Raiders, and they will be trying to bounce back with a win against a playoff contender.
Pittsburgh on the other hand is coming off a big win against the Bengals, which makes them ripe for a letdown game.
I’m taking the Broncos on the +7 because I believe it will be a very close game. Since the Steelers are facing one of the stingiest defenses in the NFL, taking the under is also a good bet.
Play: Broncos +7
Denver Broncos • NFL Betting • Pittsburgh Steelers • Week 15