A head coach with a defensive background, Pittsburgh’s Mike Tomlin, will lead the NFL’s top-ranked defense into Denver Sunday.
The Steelers have always had a reputation for tough defense, and in studying the Broncos’ game tape, Tomlin said he’s impressed with what he sees on that side of the ball in Denver.
“I see a group that plays hard and fast. I see a group that’s opportunistic. I see a group that’s capable of breaking down pockets and making quarterbacks miserable,” Tomlin said in a conference call.
“I think Von Miller is as good as advertised. I’ve heard a lot about that young man, and from watching tape the last 48 hours or so, it’s well deserved. Of course, (Elvis) Dumervil’s reputation is cemented; we all know what he’s capable of. He’s got some hot tape out there. I just think they’re a really solid group, and I like the contributions of Marcus Thomas and D.J. Williams, and I think Joe Mays has played really good football.”
Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger knows that Broncos defense will be coming after him Sunday.
Roethlisberger has been working through an ankle injury and rate the health of his ankle a 5 out of 10 in a conference call.
Regardless, the Steelers quarterback is well aware of the pressure the Broncos can provide off the edge with two Pro Bowlers in Dumervil (9.5 sacks) and Miller (11.5 sacks).
“(Dumervil) is a beast,” Roethlisberger said. “He’s got so many moves from just running you over to spinning to putting one arm in and just running the guy over. He’s just always wreaking havoc and he’s got speed as well. To me, he’s one of the best in the game.”
“(Miller) is unbelievable,” Roethlisberger said. “For a young guy to come in and do the things that he’s done… it’s pretty amazing.”
While Roethlisberger braces for the Broncos pass rush, the Pittsburgh defense is preparing for a unique Denver offense.
Tomlin said backup quarterback Dennis Dixon — who ran an option offense at the University of Oregon — is playing the role of Tim
Tebow in practice to give the Steelers defense a good look against a read-option attack.
As far as Tebow’s struggles during the Broncos’ three-game losing streak, Tomlin said it’s all part of being a young quarterback in a copycat league.
“He’s probably going through what a lot of newly starting quarterbacks go through in that you get enough looks on people on film, then you get ideas about comfort zone and things about how you can potentially play him,” Tomlin said. “I think people are gathering more information about him like you would do anybody that’s played some now.”
Roethlisberger credited Tebow for his ability to find ways to win in his first extended opportunity as the Broncos starter.
“I think he’s a winner. I think he finds ways to get it done,” Roethlisberger said. “Like me, he’s unconventional. People say he can’t throw the ball; he can’t do this. He finds a way to win, and sometimes, that’s all that matters in this game.”
Tags: Elvis Dumervil, Pittsburgh Steelers, Tim Tebow, Von Miller, Wild Card Week
E.E.T..SQUARED!
Go Ben, they said some of the same things about you (can’t read defenses, holds the ball too long, can’t throw accurately) well you proved them all wrong and so will Tim. I don’t think you (Ben) get a fair shake when the “ELITE” QB discussions start even after you took your team to win 2 superbowls. I bet even when tim wins 2 SB he won’t be called that either because he is not the perfect statue in the pocket.
GO BRONCO’S !!!!!!
No comparison between Smellsberger and Tebow off the field though…..
If the broncos can beat the steelers, I will be SOOOOOO happy.
From http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_19669402
According to an NFL source, the Jaguars formally asked the Broncos via letter for permission to interview McCoy for their head coaching job.
Would be awesome if somebody hired McCoy away from us. Although does that perhaps hint that they are planning on making a heavy run at TT and want the guy that was calling plays for him this year to be the HC?
After all, most speculation concerning TT being traded has him going to Jacksonville.
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d825b70c7/article/tebow-listens-to-elway-will-pull-the-trigger-against-steelers?module=HP11_around-the-league
New NFL.com Article “Tebow heeds Elway, vows he’ll ‘pull the trigger’ for Broncos”
Pull that trigger TT. You have been playing like a caged beast time to play the game, not the position … the game … He is one of the best football players IMO … QB … Work in progress.
AND WE WILL PROGRESS!!!
GO BRONCOS!!! STEELERS RUINED OUR LAST SUPERBOWL RUN!!! RIP EM APART!!!!!!!!
TRB
From Espn:
Below are some random Broncos-Steelers thoughts. The two teams play at Denver in an AFC wild-card game on Sunday:
The Broncos and Steelers will set the AFC record for most postseason meetings with seven. The two teams have split the previous six meetings.
Denver’s last playoff game was a home loss to the Steelers in the AFC championship game during the 2005 season.
Former Denver Hall of Fame quarterback — and current Denver football czar — John Elway played his first postseason game against Pittsburgh in a home loss in 1984 during his second NFL season. This is Tim Tebow’s second NFL season, by the way.
The Broncos have had major turnover problems in their three-game losing streak. But will the Steelers be able to take advantage of it? The Steelers finished tied for 28th in the NFL with a minus-13 turnover margin.
The Broncos are also struggling. Their turnover margin is minus-12. According to ESPN Stats & Information, it will be the first playoff game in the Super Bowl era between teams with a turnover margin of minus-10 or worse.
I worry that Tebow will want to be more aggressive, but at the same time deep down he’ll feel extremely cautious due to the 10 turnovers or so in the last three games.
That will result in playing desperate. Feeling it has to go somewhere fast, but not really believing there is anywhere to go.
In order to play well, I think he has to calm down and just believe what he sees. Take what they give him.
I agree there’s no comparison between Ben and Tebow off the field. But that said, and I hate to say this, I don’t think there’s any comparison on the field either. And unfortunately I mean that in a bad way for Tim.
Yes Roethlisberger has a goofy throwing motion and holds on to the ball too long at times, but everyone in the league knows he’s got a rocket of an arm and is pretty accurate too. Sadly the last few games are making me think Tebow is not sustainable as a passer and will never be a Big Ben on the field.
Hope I’m wrong but it’s looking more and more like the critics are turning out to be right in that aspect.
But anyway, don’t want to end on a negative note. I haven’t been on the blog for a few weeks so I just wanted to say how excited I am that the Broncos are finally playing a playoff game! I know it’s only been about 6 years but it seems like an eternity. No matter how we got in I’m proud to say my team is competitive again. Can’t wait for Sunday!
I sincerely believe if the Broncos as a whole go out there on Sunday and play with the unbridled enthusiasm that they showed vs SD,MIA, ect they will leave it ALL on the field and win lose or draw they will not be disapointed. A Win would be AMAZING and I BELIEVE in Mile High Magic.
Mile High Magic the thought… I obviously disagree withe thoughts of the blogger with that moniker
Also… Anyone who thought for a second that we had a chance to even go 8-8,make the play offs or unbelievably win our Division at the beginning of the season needs to share their medication with the rest of the class. We ought to be doggone happy we made it this far and hella excited about the bright future of this Team and Organization after the debacle left us in the wake of Josh McDaniels.
Agreed Orygunbronco. Let’s all just sit back and enjoy the ride. Give the team our most positive fanatacism and see what happens. If they get a W, it will be a whole lot more than most predicted before the season began. If not, they have some experience to build upon in the offseason. Just this taste will stoke the fire for next year. Elway went several times before winning it. He knows you have to take the fight to the opponent, not wait around and “manage” the game. Good to see Elway giving some encouragement to Tebow.
Orygun?
What is that? Is that supposed to be the phonetic spelling of “Oregon.” If so, it is a fail.
First time I saw it I thought it was supposed to be an ironic joke: Saying you are a graduate of Oregon State University, and yet you were still too stupid to be able to spell “Oregon.”
As an Oregonian, I have seen these “Orygun” bumper stickers, and I think they are the stupidest thing ever (unless they are supposed to be ironic, in which case it is pretty witty).
There are a lot of dumb, uneducated, backwoods-hicks in Oregon. Basically every Oregonian that lives outside of Portland or Eugene is a dumbass hick.
That is how you get “ingenious” spellings like Orygun.
Please! Let me be lucky and tell me that the guy with the “orygunbronco” handle isn’t actually from Oregon. Tell me that no Bronco fan is so stupid as to use the “Orygun” spelling. Tell me it is all just a big coincidence that I simply misunderstood.
It would make me feel so much better than having to believe real Oregonians still think that a good way to spell “Oregon” is O-R-Y-G-U-N.
Alex4serg… the Orygun comes from Joey Harrington ,when he went to Detroit he got tired of people saying AWraGAWN like they were from the East coast so he had his lions practice t-shirt say ORYGUN instead of Harrington on the back, it caught on and is ironic as well that you say it is fail… Do you enjoy football , or just the Broncos?
Ironic Alex4serg, that you are so rude to someone about being a true Oregonian while referring to them mostly as ignorant hicks. Correcting my spelling is one thing ,friend, and though being from COLORADO like REAL Bronco fans, if you want to insult some of us Southern Oregonians why not stop on down to the woods sometime and we can have a friendly little debate about it with you… And a former Logger going to college.
hmm, guess I get awfully sensitive about the spelling of Oregon when I have had way too much beer.
Sorry about that.
Yeah that was very rude of me. Was inappropriate. Sorry again.
No biggey, I too have typed and sent before pausing to let my alcohol take its’ course… I know the issues with pronunciation of names/words in different regions well, and oddly enough though not from Oregon originally there is alot to be said about the tenacity of Oregonians to defend her. I see the same in Bronco fans and am honored to think of myself as both.
No offense to the Buffs,being a native Coloradan,but I am a sincerely avid Duck fan. Unfortunately I recently read where former Oregon QB Dennis Dixon is playing the role of TT in practice with the Steelers to try and help them prepare for the spread/read/option as he is intimately familiar with it having run it with great success for the O.
For sure. By the way, let’s hear it for the ducks. First rose bowl win in 95 years!!
Conversely as a guy who works in a greatly Duck world(although sometimes irritated by the occasional beaverlover) I have been impatiently awaiting the arrival in Denver of a decent player from the O as most NFLers around here are an amalgum of Seahawk,Niner, Raiderand Charger I get an enormous ammount of crap for being a true Orange and Blue believer. J. Johnson can be infamous if he can learn to cut from McGahee and Rosario has shown skill when given the oportunity…
Same here. I have high hopes for JJ.
should have kept scheffler, hillis, marshall, and cutler
23 Then Jesus got into the boat and started across the lake with his disciples. 24 Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. 25 The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”
26 Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm.
27 The disciples were amazed. “Who is this man?” they asked. “Even the winds and waves obey him!”
How many Feared Staying on the Tim Tebow Bandwagon that appeared to going down in Flames and Jumped off ? God tested MILLIONS of peoples Faith in 1 moment and its fasinating to watch how many peoples faith went south for the winter in 1 moment.God made Believers out of a whole country where they tuned in to watch a miracle in the 4th quarter,BELIEVING 1 would come and once people say they BELIEVE ,God tested there faith and POOOOOOOOOOOOF.the doubters Pride has GONE THROUGH THE clouds ,ENJOY the humble pie on sunday because GOD IS SOOOOOOOOO WOUNDERFUL,AMAZING,AWESOME,IN HIS WAYS .He WILL NEVER FORSAKE TIM .even WHEN he walks through the valley of the shadow of deaith he will be there so FEAR NO EVIL FOR JESUS CHRIST IS WITH YOU AMEN even until the END OF THE AGE.
trucolors36- Wow. Just, wow! You know this is a football website right?
Who cares what Tebow believes? Just win! If he plays well and wins games he be our QB! and if he doesn’t then we’ll have to find someone who can. I hope Tebow can do it! I don’t care that he talks about God and other stuff that I think is nonsense.
JUST WIN TEBOW!!!!
Please refrain from talking about your Magic Sky Daddy though.
broncofanatic66 you say i dont care if Tebow talks about God and then Go on and tell me to refrain from talking about God.you see a problem with your statement ? contradicts itself. Gods Word is assured if you would simply believe.