I was going to do a live blog during the Sunday night game, but unfortunately the sight of the Steelers made me queasy and I had to let my stomach settle first.
Just kidding.
I was doing laundry and didn't get to sit down with my laptop until 12:00 left in the third quarter.
So far, Peyton Manning has looked good, particularly in the no-huddle. Unfortunately, Ben Roethlisberger is looking good as well.
It's 10-7 Pittsburgh as we join the game in progress.
Time notations are time left in the current quarter.
3rd Quarter
10:40 - Roethlisberger dumps off to Isaac Redman, who juggles it before finally corraling it.
10:15 - He dives! And he looks short, at least according to the ugly yellow line that is draped across the field inaccurately most of the time, so now it's 4th and inches.
10:11 - Well that was a fortunate spot by the side judge. On replay he never makes it to the yellow line, but the refs blow another call.
9:32 - Another false start on the Steelers. By my count, that's now 27 on the Steelers.
8:26 - Apparently I'm the only person who hears the whistle blowing for another false start, but the play carries on and then the Referee goofs on the call, saying the penalty was declined even though it was a deadball foul. Yeah, they aren't doing so hot.
8:03 - I really think players who hold out should be suspended for the first game. Just saying, Mike Wallace.
7:30 - I'm fairly certain Denver missed the memo about the Steelers line being a mess. They aren't getting near Roethlisberger right now. Easy first down.
6:55 - Hey, Mike Adams. We miss you here. Trust me. Nice play there. Meanwhile, Peyton Manning is certain he's never seeing the field again in this game. This drive is taking forever.
6:40 - Oh look, lost helmet. They have chin straps, right?
6:09 - Almost had him. Browns fans are familiar with Ben just barely getting rid of the ball as the pressure gets there. Field goal try time.
6:05 - Steelers 13, Broncos 7 as the near-nine minute drive finally ends.
That drive was the epitome of a Steelers drive though. They ran the ball a lot, Roethlisberger completed passes when he needed to, and third and long didn't slow them down one bit, at least until the end when the Broncos rush finally got there. Now we'll see if Manning can resume his mastery.
5:59 - First pass of the second half for Manning is right on the money, and back to no-huddle we go.
5:32 - That was quick...and very easy. Second play is a short pass left on a hot read to Demaryius Thomas, and 70 yards later it's 14-13 Broncos. Wow. Someone might want to inform the Steelers that Manning is the quarterback and blitzing ends badly.
In short, it took the Steelers almost nine minutes to put up a field and Manning less than a minute, after sitting for 57 minutes total, to put up a touchdown. Oh, and it's his 400th career touchdown.
5:29 - I'm pretty sure the kickers are competing to see who can get a ball in the stands first. They are booming these kickoffs right now.
That may have been the creepiest Old Spice commercial ever. Sometimes I wonder where these ideas come from. The Nissan commercial afterwards wasn't much better. Personally, if my gas station attendant knew me like that I'd be using a different company.
5:25 - That was a dangerous throw by Ben. Triple coverage there buddy.
5:18 - That was almost as dangerous. Tracy Porter had his hands on that one. Ben might want to reconsider where he's throwing.
5:12 - Dropped pass on a helmet-to-helmet hit. I'm not a big proponent of the penalties that get called, but that was a pretty blatant hit there. Meanwhile, the refs had trouble spotting the ball after the possession started on the 20. Uh, 15+20 is what now?
5:03 - Little dump-off loses 2 yards. Chris Rainey should've just dropped that one.
4:28 - Roethlisberger finally goes down. I think the Steelers lineman were on a coffee break. The entire middle brokedown.
3:48 - God I hate Steelers fans. Meanwhile, the Broncos apparently decided not to include Heath Miller in their gameplan. Fourth time he's been wide open now and 3 and 18 is converted.
3:10 - Denver must really like playing on defense right now. Short gain just got longer thanks to a facemask penalty. Tiime of possession is terribly in favor of Pittsburgh right now. Yikes. At least Manning won't be tired. If he sees the field again.
2:41 - Jonathan Dwyer is a tough guy to bring down. He just bounced off 4 guys, 3 coaches, and several cheerleaders to pick up a first down.
2:05 - Um, Ben? Your receiver was about 10 yards closer to you.
1:35 - I love when coaches cover their faces with paper while speaking. Because every team makes sure to hire lip readers.
1:15 - Imagine that, a third and seven converted because Miller is wide open. Again. Linebackers? Where are you?
0:24 - Dwyer is just tough. He shrugged off Adams like he wasn't there. However, where's the containment on the outside? Meanwhile, replay just showed Dwyer's knee was down as he crossed the 2 yard line. Refs? Did you see that? Probably not. Luckily, scoring plays are reviewed and the right call is made.
That marks the end of the quarter. In the third quarter, the Broncos had the ball for all of 36 seconds, the Steelers the other 14:24, yet the Broncos lead 14-13 after three quarters. Just goes to show you.
4th Quarter
14:56 - Nice play by Von Miller to stuff the middle and drop Redman for a loss. Can Pittsburgh punch it in?
14:11 - Yes they can. Mike Wallace catches the pass. Hate Ben, but that was a perfect throw.
God, I just said that. Punch me.
Oh look, going for two. Fail. 19-14 your score.
On a side note, how do Fox and NBC both have America's game of the week?
13:41 - Well at least this possession will be longer than two plays. Two runs and a first down since the safeties are playing deep.
13:04 - Well Thomas just stiff-armed Troy like he was a rag doll. Wow.
12:15 - Manning makes the position look so easy. He faked a handoff then threw a dart to Eric Decker.
11:45 - Another laser, this time to Stokely. He's running no-huddle like he's still in Indy.
11:20 - That was a bit high. There was also a ton of grabbing going on between the receiver and defensive back.
11:10 - Great effort by Jacob Tamme to get that first down. The throw was low, but he got up and fought to get past the marker when most would've just rolled out of bounds.
10:35 - He's just picking them apart right now. Decker almost fumbled though.
9:34 - What a mess. The Broncos ran a play while Mike Tomlin threw the challenge flag on the field, so the refs are going to review whether there was a fumble or not. Sadly, there wasn't so the Steelers should lose the challenge and timeout. God I hate the Steelers sometimes. This replay isn't even close. He doesn't lose the ball til well after his knee hits, his elbow hits, and someone throws confetti in the air.
9:23 - Tamme with the catch, although I'm sure this is going to get reviewed. He crossed the goal line, started to fall, and the ball went flying out of his hands, but it appears he had control. Now Denver going for two. They convert so it's 22-19 now in favor of the Broncos.
9:23 - He thought about bringing that one out from nine yards deep, didn't he? Meanwhile they're pointing out how Manning changed the play while the refs were trying to figure out what was going on.
9:16 - Rainy just turned a near seven yard loss into a six yard gain. Nice cutbacks.
8:35 - Nice job by Porter to break-up a long pass attempt to Wallace. Roethlisberger got hit again too. Big third down coming since Denver keeps giving up big plays on third down.
8:29 - Hey! They covered Heath Miller! Wallace was wide open down the field, but Ben was under so much pressure he never saw it. Punting time.
7:49 - Too much dancing by McGahee. He had a hole to the left, but missed it.
6:54 - Lance Ball with a nice run on first down. Manning is looking like he didn't miss a game, much less a season.
5:45 - What a pretty throw that was to Tamme. He lofted that ball perfectly. After several runs, he hits you with that. Just not fair.
5:20 - Not a big gain, but effective run. Manning is working quickly.
4:38 - Manning is changing the play, then waiting for the Steelers to set up, then changing it again. Eight yards later, it's third and two and the game is on again.
3:57 - That's the most annoying thing a quarterback can do. The safeties kept running up when Manning would go under center, so he'd back off and look at them. They'd start backing up and he'd go back under center. The safeties came up again, so he backed off again, this time calling a timeout.
3:51 - Incomplete pass, but a flag is thrown. Pass Interference on the Steelers. That one hurts. The defensive back never turned around to find the ball.
3:44 - McGahee is stood up, but the clock is ticking on the Steelers. Oh, and the Steelers are down to two timeouts.
3:07 - That one was too high, but he made it so no one could catch that ball.
3:03 - Back shoulder throw to Decker, but he can't haul it in. That was a catchable ball. Broncos have to settle for a field goal. 25-19 is the score. A touchdown can win it with 3 minutes to go.
2:52 - How did Roethlisberger get that one off? Bad snap, pressure coming, and he puts it right on the money for a big gain? I just despise the guy sometimes.
2:10 - Throwaway since no one was open. I'm pretty sure he double-pumped at least twice on that play. One day, that ball is going to pop out of his hand. I hope.
2:04 - Porter steps in front of the pass and he's going the other way for a pick-six. That'll put the game away. He just jumped the route and 43 yards later, it's a touchdown. Now Peyton comes running in to try for two. Well, after the two minute warning. Okay, so the refs messed that up too. Sheesh. In the meantime, the conversion fails. Yeah, the refs are going to force the NFL to get the regular refs back soon. Like tomorrow. Please.
1:58 - Well, that kickoff almost made it in the stands. Now back to our regularly scheduled football game.
1:54 - Von Miller just blew by the offensive lineman to get the sack. Sorry Mike Adams. I love the Buckeyes, but you blew that one.
1:22 - Sanders just got knocked around like a ping-pong ball. Third and five now.
0:57 - Miller gets him again. It looks like Ben just gave up on the play from the get go. He just ducked down and disappeared in a mass of jerseys. Nice tribute to Tim Tebow by Miller by the way. Why are the Steelers taking a timeout?
0:47 - Oh, to give the Broncos a second-wind to sack Ben for the third time on this possession. Kneel down time.
Final thoughts
Well, the Steelers couldn't run the ball, couldn't stop Peyton Manning, gave up some big chunks of yardage on the ground, and have a horrible offensive line.
They'll still win 10 games though.
The Broncos look good tonight, but we'll see how the defense holds up. They were getting gashed early in the game. Manning looks like he didn't miss a day though. That's going to get them several wins alone.
Final: Broncos 31, Steelers 19.
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