Ben Roethlisberger on Broncos defense: ‘They do everything’

Johnson played 34 of 64 defensive plays in the game and has since removed the offending tweets. Roethlisberger is a high-risk, high-reward quarterback. But their defense won’t allow Roethlisberger to light up the scoreboard, keeping the game close until the end. Broncos haven’t allowed an opposing receiver more than 117 yards in a game this season.

They’re hopeful they get at some of their injured safeties – T.J. Ward, David Bruton, Omar Bolden – back for Sunday.

Burfict had already created bad blood with the Steelers after appearing to celebrate his hit during a November game bewtween the teams that resulted in a season-ending knee injury for Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell.

Ward’s bravado might sound like trash talk, but it’s based in reality.

After hosting AFC West leader Denver (which stumbled last week) this Sunday, Pittsburgh finishes up at Baltimore and Cleveland (who are a combined 7-19).

On the flip side, Roethlisberger and the Steelers offense have excelled in their own right, leading the league in yards per play and scoring the fifth-most points per game.

With Ben Roethlisberger healthy under center, the Pittsburgh Steelers have one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL.

Ben Roethlisberger is one of the NFL’s elite quarterbacks.

Can the Steelers do that again this week against Denver, or is that too much to ask against the Broncos’ top-rated defense?

“That’s the world we live in”. “It’s super competitive. It’s just a challenge”. Broncos have scored in 370 consecutive games, second-longest streak in National Football League history…. “When the ball is in the air they make plays on it”. It’s good on good, the No. 1 defense vs. a great offense.

“These are the games you want”.

They’ve accounted for 8.5 of the team’s 27 sacks this season. The Steelers have held nine of their 13 opponents to 20 points or fewer in regulation, including three of their last four games.

Does the Steelers quarterback see any weakness in the Broncos defense at this point in the game planning process? “We’ve got to move forward now”. “They get out, they press, they are physical, and they can play zone”. The Broncos could easily lose their next two games, making their Week 17 matchup with the Chargers a “must-win” situation for the division title.

More often than not, Brown wins in those situations. He’s providing a silent, steadying force in a huddle that includes a trio of 20-something wide receivers and a handful of linemen who were still in high school when Miller entered the league in 2005.

“Not that I found out yet”, Roethlisberger said. Antonio Brown is the only one remaining, the contract extension he signed in 2012 now looking like one of the NFL’s best bargains.

What makes the Steelers hard to defend is their multitude of playmakers.

“We’re just a group that’s going to go to work and try to do things right, collectively”, Tomlin said.