Pittsburgh Steelers vs Denver Broncos

Yes, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Denver Broncos clashed less than a month ago, but you should expect this game to be much different. The Broncos scored 27 points in the first half before being outscored 21-0 in the second half when these two teams met on December 20. Brock Osweiler was at the helm in that unseasonably warm day at Heinz Field, but Peyton Manning will take back the mantle of starter for the Broncos this time around.

Manning saw game action in Week 17 for the first time since November 15. Before patrolling the sidelines for over a month, Manning was going through the worst year of his career with nine touchdowns and 17 interceptions through 10 games. Hell, despite not playing six games, Manning still finished with the second most interceptions in the league.

The Steelers could be dealing with quarterback issues themselves heading into the divisional round game. Ben Roethlisberger missed most of the fourth quarter of the Steelers Wild Card round win over the Cincinnati Bengals and backup Landry Jones pretty much sucked in his limited time on the field.

Despite marquee names on offense, this game could easily turn into a defensive struggle (especially if ineffectiveness or health limits quarterbacks). The Broncos were the best defense in the NFL this season as they allowed the fewest yards per game and the second fewest points. The Steelers secondary has struggled most of the season as they entered the playoffs as one of the worst in the league, but they did hold the Bengals to just 279 yards. These two teams also finished the season first and third in sacks, respectively.

For all the empirical data that can be applied, you need to wonder what the Steelers have left in their tanks following their Wild Card game. The fourth quarter of that game was ridiculous and it saw both Big Ben and Antonio Brown get hurt. Roethlisberger appears to be a go, while Brown will be inactive.

Sportsbook Odds & Computer Pick

Betting fans looking to back the visiting Pittsburgh Steelers in this one found them as 2.5-point underdogs earlier in the week, while the total was settling in the neighborhood of 40.5 at shops such as Sportsbook.

Prediction-scoring formulas run on this game pick a potential 26-19 result in favor of the Broncos. View the computer score prediction and who will win the pick on the moneyline for all upcoming NFL matchups here.

Pittsburgh Steelers vs Denver Broncos Matchup

Team Betting Records & Power Rankings

Denver will face the 11-6 Pittsburgh Steelers, who own a 8-5-4 ATS mark on the season. In totals betting, the Broncos are 6-8-2 so far this season while the Steelers are 6-11. Stay Informed: follow us on Twitter for odds specials, betting line moves and Denver vs Pittsburgh injuries news.

This game matches up the No. 8 (Denver Broncos) and the No. 4 (Pittsburgh Steelers) teams in the league, according to our current NFL Power Rankings at Odds Shark.

Statistical Matchup

Offensively, the game matches up the Denver Broncos No. 18-ranked offense (22.19 PPG) against a Pittsburgh Steelers defense that ranks No. 10 at 19.71 PPG. The Broncos passing attack has averaged 248.12 yards per game, less than the Steelers give up through the air (266.94 YPG on average).

Defensively, the Pittsburgh Steelers feature the league's No. 5-rated road run defense, allowing 89.22 yards per game. The Denver Broncos, meanwhile, ranks No. 10 in rushing offense at home.

Recent Outings Betting Recap

Antonio Brown was good for 119 receiving yards in the Steelers's most recent action, helping his team to a 18-16 victory over the Bengals.

Last time we saw the Chargers, they had no answer for Ronnie Hillman as the Broncos rolled to a 27-20 victory at Sports Authority Field at Mile High.

Next Betting Matchups

Pittsburgh home to , Wednesday, December 31st
Denver home to , Wednesday, December 31st