This wasn’t a perfect outing for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offense, but the unit’s effort in a 27-19 victory over the Denver Broncos certainly represented its best performance of the season.
The Steelers now enter next week’s Sunday Night Football game against the Seattle Seahawks with an opportunity to even up their record to 3-3 on the season after a late comeback push by the Broncos fell short on the goal line.
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Pittsburgh Steelers
Quarterback
Ben Roethlisberger’s day wasn’t quite as impressive as his stat line might suggest thanks to two potential interceptions that Broncos linebacker Alexander Johnson wasn’t able to bring in.
Roethlisberger on Passes of 20+ Yards Downfield
| Week | Adj. Comp. % |
| Weeks 1-4 | 28% |
| Week 5 | 80% |
Big Ben found success when he decided to push the ball downfield. He went only 2-for-5 on throws 20 or more yards downfield, but two of those incompletions were charted as drops. Roethlisberger also drew a pass interference penalty on a deep end-zone target.
Running back
Najee Harris tallied 185 rushing yards across his first four NFL starts, but he racked up 122 on 23 carries against Denver. The offensive line did a better job of providing room to run, but Harris also created yards that weren’t there. He averaged 3.7 yards after contact per attempt with four missed tackles forced on the ground, pending final review.
Harris left the game late with a cramp.
Wide receivers/tight ends
Diontae Johnson and Chase Claypool both provided Pittsburgh with multiple big plays in the passing game, including late when the Steelers needed a drive to ice the contest.
Those two combined for 202 of the Steelers’ 253 receiving yards in the game. Claypool continues to serve as Pittsburgh’s big-play threat, averaging 26 yards per reception against Denver. His 18 gains of 25-plus yards since the start of last season rank sixth among wide receivers.
Offensive line
Roethlisberger’s quick release makes things easier on the big guys up front in pass protection, but this was still a strong showing for Pittsburgh’s tackles, Chukwuma Okorafor and Dan Moore Jr., with that caveat in mind. They combined to allow just one pressure, per PFF’s first-run analysis.
The offensive line also deserves credit for what was arguably Pittsburgh’s best rushing performance of the season.
Defensive line
T.J. Watt bounced back nicely from his lowest PFF grade since 2018 last week against the Packers. He was credited with two run stops and three quarterback pressures, per PFF’s first-run analysis.
Cameron Heyward, Pittsburgh’s other star up front, added two batted passes.
Linebackers
Devin Bush came through with a big sack for the second straight week. But most importantly, neither Bush nor Joe Schobert gave up much in coverage. The two combined for 31 passing yards allowed, pending review.
Secondary
It was an up-and-down day for James Pierre, Pittsburgh’s newest starting cornerback. He allowed four receptions for 74 yards into his coverage (pending review), but he also came up with a few plays of his own, including the game-clinching interception in the end zone.
Denver Broncos
Quarterback
Teddy Bridgewater put up more passing yards in the fourth quarter (176) than he did in the first three periods combined (112), helping Denver make a run at a comeback.
Bridgewater’s 2.7-second time to throw was faster than his season average to this point (2.9 seconds), but it was the longest of any quarterback to face Pittsburgh this season. He didn’t have much success when holding on to the ball for three-plus seconds (4.3 yards per play on nine dropbacks).
Running back
Javonte Williams and Melvin Gordon III saw a similar number of opportunities in this game, but Williams was much more efficient on his touches.
| Player | Snaps | Touches | Total yards |
| Melvin Gordon III | 36 | 11 | 43 |
| Javonte Williams | 25 | 11 | 86 |
Williams continues to be a nightmare to bring to the ground. He forced two missed tackles on his eight carries today, and he has now forced 19 missed tackles on 54 total carries this year.
Wide receivers/tight ends
Injuries at the wide receiver forced Kendall Hinton (of emergency quarterback fame) into the No. 3 wide receiver role today. Unsurprisingly, Courtland Sutton and Tim Patrick dominated the target share against Pittsburgh.
Only 12 of Sutton’s 120 receiving yards came after the catch. Bridgewater consistently looked his way downfield.
Offensive line
The right side of Denver’s offensive line, Graham Glasgow and Bobby Massie, was the weak point for the Broncos. Those two tied for the unit lead in pass-blocking losses (three each), per PFF’s first-run analysis.
Defensive line
The Steelers were largely able to neutralize Denver’s defensive front. Von Miller was the only defensive player with multiple pressures, according to PFF’s first-run analysis, and he finished with only two.
Shelby Harris made several tackles for loss or no gain against the run — one of the highlights from the group.
Linebackers
Alexander Johnson had a strong overall performance in this game, but he also left several big plays on the field in the form of two dropped interceptions. Johnson didn’t miss any of his eight tackle attempts and recovered a fumble.
Secondary
It was a rough performance for Kyle Fuller. According to PFF’s first-run analysis, he allowed all five passes thrown his way to be completed for 113 yards and a touchdown. Fuller was also hit with a pass interference call in the end zone that set up a touchdown plunge from Steelers running back Najee Harris.
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