Broncos fade in second half, fall to Steelers 34-27

It wasn’t. Jordan Norwood had scooped up the ball and zig-zagged 71 yards for a score that should have restored a two-touchdown lead.

SEAHAWKS 30, BROWNS 13 (at Seattle) – Russell Wilson continued his record pace, throwing three touchdown passes, two to Doug Baldwin, and Seattle clinched a playoff spot for the fourth straight season. Osweiler hit Thomas for an 18-yard score then found Sanders for an easy 61-yard catch and run.

Brock Osweiler said they could not get their rhythm in the second half. “Obviously, he did before it was all said and done”. Brown is the only player since 1970 to have two 15-catch games in the same season….

Of course, let’s not forget about Ben Roethlisberger.

All season, the Steelers have inched closer to the Blitzburgh-era defense defined by three-and-outs and championships, only for an opposing quarterback to torch that belief with a four-touchdown day. You think we’re sending the house, we weren’t supposed to. I counted several missed tackles again this week for Blake and if he can’t do this simple task, can you have him out there? The Steelers made several changes in their coverage to hold the Broncos scoreless in the second half. That is the same record that they finished in 1997. In fact, if he had over 1,700 last season, he would’ve been the first WR to finish with a 1,700-yard season. Keith Butler finally started using Robert Golden in the second half and he dropped a sure interception. Bueller? Anyone? Denver has dominated the Steelers, Brock Osweiler leading the way. Meanwhile, Drew Brees and the Saints (5-8) are one loss away from a second straight losing season – something that has never happened since coach Sean Payton arrived in 2006. Hall of Famer Jerry Rice is the only other to do that.

“I don’t know if it was schematics”, said Cam Heyward.

-RUN DEFENSE: C. The Cowboys rushed for 133 yards, more than the Jets surrendered in the last three games combined. But at the same time, we understand the big goal.

In other words, as crucial as the win over the Broncos seemed for the Steelers, it didn’t alleviate any of the long-term pressure on the team’s shoulders. The Denver defender hadn’t allowed a touchdown since 2013. You can see that in the plays they’re making at critical moments.

The penalty negated a play that would have given the Broncos a two-touchdown lead.

“Great, great win for us”, said head coach Mike Tomlin. “There’s nothing wrong with that play”.

“We’ve still got football left. That was just complete negligence on our part”. In front of a record home crowd, the Steelers were a team of two halves, giving their fans an early holiday gift with a 34-27 win that looked improbable early on.

“I think everybody was pissed off”, he said.

That is, except for the NFL’s best offense.

It wasn’t “The Christmas Carol”, but was more like a tale of two halves.

With veteran linebacker Lawrence Timmons leaving the field when the Steelers went to a dime defense – six defensive backs – on obvious passing downs, second-year linebacker Ryan Shazier was tasked with calling some of the defensive plays. The Cowboys were just 1-of-6 with an interception on eight pass attempts inside the Jets’ 20-yard line. Obviously, we ran the ball pretty well in the first half. They got ahead on us, but we stuck together. “That is something we will work on and we will fix”.

“It felt good to start fast”, Sanders said.

Things looked bleak for the Pittsburgh Steelers as they went into halftime against the Denver Broncos. But we didn’t and it obviously showed on a big stage.

It was the best of halves, it was the worst of halves.

The Broncos had gone 24 consecutive possessions without an offensive touchdown before reaching the end zone four straight times. I can not believe what I witnessed in Pittsburgh that evening.

“It felt good to be back in front of Steeler Nation and they were waving the towels”. I just did not make any plays today.

Perhaps it provided inspiration for Osweiler, who spent a half forcing the largest crowd in Heinz Field history to keep their favorite linens tucked safely in their pockets as Denver raced up and down the field.

The Jets play the Patriots this week.

Pittsburgh was down 27-10 late in the second quarter Sunday against the NFL’s best defense.

The Broncos deactivated safeties Darian Stewart, T.J.

Like they did to the Browns in Week 10, the Steelers should bully the Ravens in their second meeting, because after all, Pittsburgh is not only healthy at the right time of year, it’s also seemingly peaking.