The Pittsburgh Steelers (1-0) travel to Colorado in Week 2 of the 2024-25 NFL season for a battle with the Denver Broncos (0-1). Kickoff is set for 4:25 PM EST on September 15th at Empower Field at Mile High.
This looks like one of the least appealing matchups from an entertainment standpoint on the entire schedule here in Week 2, as both of these offenses combined for a total of just 38 points last weekend. While Pittsburgh managed to grind out a tough 18-10 road victory in Atlanta, Denver came up short against Seattle after falling 26-20 in Bo Nix’s NFL debut.
Oddsmakers certainly aren’t expecting a lot of scoring on Sunday afternoon in this game, as the current total is by far the lowest on the board. Both quarterbacks will be interesting to watch, with Justin Fields getting a second straight starting nod for the Steelers and Bo Nix playing his second game ever for Denver.
Matchup Details, Betting Market Information and Where to Watch
Oddsmakers opened this game up with the Broncos listed as 3-point home underdogs. The spread has moved only slightly after early betting, as Denver is currently available at +2.5 on most sportsbooks. The total for this matchup is 36.5 points. Viewers hoping to watch the game should note that it will be televised exclusively on the CBS Sports Network. In Canada, the game will also be available on DAZN.
Pittsburgh Steelers Dominant Defensively Against Falcons
There were a lot of question marks for Pittsburgh on offense after it was announced that Justin Fields would be given the start at quarterback in Week 1. Fields really managed the game well, avoiding any costly turnovers and completing a very efficient 17 out of 23 total throwing attempts. However, he and the rest of the Steelers offense failed to find the end zone the entire game, instead relying on K Chris Boswell to kick six field goals – including three from 50+ yards out.
RB Najee Harris led the way for Pittsburgh on the ground, rumbling for 70 yards on a game-high 20 rushing attempts. Wideout George Pickens unsurprisingly recorded the most receiving yards in the passing game, hauling in six catches for 85 yards.
On the other side of the ball, the Steelers put on a defensive clinic for basically four straight quarters. They limited veteran QB Kirk Cousins to just 155 yards and a single touchdown through the air, while also successfully shutting down dynamic RB Bijan Robinson on the ground by holding him to only 3.8 yards per carry.
Denver Broncos Fall to Seahawks in Nix’s NFL Debut
The Broncos looked like they might shock Seattle on the road to start the regular season, as they led 13-9 at halftime despite coming into Week 1 as significant underdogs. Denver couldn’t find a way to close out the game though, allowing the Seahawks to battle back down the stretch.
Rookie quarterback Bo Nix struggled at times in his NFL debut, completing only 26 out of 42 total passing attempts for just 138 passing yards. Nix also made some bad errors in judgment, throwing two costly interceptions. However, he did flash his immense upside with some nifty rushing plays, including scoring a touchdown on the ground on one of his five total carries.
None of the Broncos wideouts really stood out, as Josh Reynolds and Courtland Sutton combined for well under 100 yards receiving while also failing to find the end zone. It was a similar story for Denver on the ground, as it was Nix who actually led the team in rushing with 35 total yards.
The Broncos were fairly average defensively for the most part in Week 1, although they did limit star wideout DK Metcalf to just three catches for 29 receiving yards the entire game. However, the run defense had no answer for RB Kenneth Walker III on the ground, surrendering 103 yards and a touchdown on his game-high 20 rushing attempts.
Our Steelers vs Broncos NFL Betting Prediction and Pick
This definitely is a matchup that’s hard to get all that excited about, as neither offense is expected to do all that much here in Week 2. Having said that, there still looks to be decent value with Pittsburgh against the spread on the road in this particular spot, especially since they are facing a rookie quarterback making his second ever NFL start.
The Steelers defense should have no problem shutting down Nix and the rest of the Broncos passing attack only a week removed from their dominant performance against Atlanta. Pittsburgh did a great job defending against both Drake London and Bijan Robinson, which certainly doesn’t bode well for Denver when considering the lack of explosiveness they have on their roster this season.
Against the Spread Betting Market Tip: Steelers -2.5
I would much rather lay the two and a half points and take a shot with Pittsburgh on the road here in Week 2 than roll the dice with Bo Nix in this tough matchup for the Broncos offense. While I was certainly concerned with Justin Fields and his well-documented turnover issues heading into Week 1, he managed to keep things simple and successfully avoided any costly mistakes for four straight quarters last Sunday.
The same can’t be said for Denver’s offense, as Nix got picked off twice by the Seahawks. With scoring expected to be at a premium on Sunday afternoon, any bad turnovers could immediately have a significant impact on the outcome of the game. I have way more trust in the Steelers to grind out a hard fought cover on the road for a second consecutive week than I do in a rookie who has already shown he has the potential to turn the ball over multiple times in tight games. Take Pittsburgh to cover the number!
