DENVER — Time to respond.
As the Broncos prepare for their home opener, they'll aim to bounce back from a Week 1 loss to the Seahawks and even their record against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
And after dealing with one of the NFL's loudest environments in Seattle, the Broncos will surely be glad to have home-field advantage in Week 2.
"I love playing at home," wide receiver Courtland Sutton said Wednesday. "It's one of the best atmospheres to be a part of. The excitement, the juice and the energy, you can feel it from the fans from the moment that they start letting the fans into the stadium. You just feel the juice. I'm excited for it."
The Broncos will aim to leverage that energy into success against a team that is known for a physical brand of football under head coach Mike Tomlin.
"It's going to be a dark, tough game on Sunday," Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph said Thursday. "It's not going to be fancy. It's going to be the tough team who's going to win."
Here, then, is a look at three areas that will determine if the Broncos can emerge victorious on Sunday and even their record at 1-1.
CAN DENVER WIN THE TURNOVER MARGIN?
There's always an emphasis on winning the turnover battle, but it may be even more critical against the Steelers.
"Look, there's like two or three things that we talk about, and that's one of them," Head Coach Sean Payton said Friday.
According to the NFL's research department, the Steelers are 7-1 since 2023 in games in which they force multiple turnovers. Contrastingly, they are 0-3 when they are unable to force a turnover.
The Steelers' fortunes are similarly tied to turnovers on the offensive side of the ball. Pittsburgh is 18-4 since 2022 when the team's quarterback does not throw an interception, but the record falls to 2-11 when the Steelers' QB throws even one pick in a game.
Denver made a living during its five-game winning streak in 2023 by forcing takeaways and winning the turnover margin. Against the Steelers in Week 2, that could be a critical factor.
The Broncos, of course, will also look to capitalize on any takeaways they're able to notch after earning just six points off turnovers vs. Seattle.
CAN QB BO NIX AND THE BRONCOS' OFFENSE TAKE A STEP FORWARD?
When Offensive Coordinator Joe Lombardi watched the Week 1 film with quarterback Bo Nix, the veteran coach could tell there would be growth from the mistakes of his first start.
"The thing I like the most is when we came in on Monday and watched the film, before anything was said, he knew," Lombardi said Thursday. "He had answers for everything."
After a debut performance in which Nix completed 26-of-42 passes for 138 yards and two interceptions while adding a rushing touchdown, the rookie will aim to show that improvement in Week 2.
"It was a great game of learning, a great growing game," Nix said Wednesday. "I think the film was positive. You get back and you see that there were opportunities, and [you] just [have to] capitalize on a few more areas."
The Broncos, though, also repeatedly emphasized the need to be better around Nix. Whether in the run game, protection or making catches down the field, the Broncos will look to improve their play at all levels of the offense.
"I would say that nobody on offense, including the coaches, had a great day on Sunday," Lombardi said. "I think everyone getting a little bit better is going to help him the most."
The Broncos will face a stiff test against former Defensive Player of the Year T.J. Watt — whom Lombardi said has an Aaron Donald-like impact on games — and Pro Bowlers Cameron Heyward, Patrick Queen and Minkah Fitzpatrick. Since Watt joined the team in 2017, the Steelers are 9-2 against rookie quarterbacks, though both losses came in 2023.
"Well, it's definitely a challenge," Nix said. "They have great players. They've been a great defense for a long time. I [have] a lot of respect for them. [It's] going to be fun playing them for the first time and seeing what it's like."
If Denver can improve its early down efficiency and convert some third downs, Nix and the offense should find more success in Week 2.
CAN THE BRONCOS SLOW THE STEELERS' RUN GAME?
The Broncos' defense was borderline dominant for most of the season opener against the Seahawks, as Denver recorded two safeties and picked off Geno Smith in the first half.
A series of runs in the third quarter, though, helped propel Seattle to 17 unanswered points and the eventual win.
Joseph and Co. pointed to the need to be better against the run to maintain their success, and that will be particularly true against the Steelers.
"Pittsburgh's formula to win [is] going to be run the football," Joseph said Thursday.
Running back Najee Harris has posted four consecutive 1,000-yard seasons to begin his career, and he has the most touches of any player since 2021. Harris broke the 100-yard mark in his lone career meeting with the Broncos, and he carried the ball 20 times for 70 yards in Week 1.
Pittsburgh quarterback Justin Fields, though, brings a unique dynamic to the Steelers' attack. Fields has posted the second-most rush yards per game (55.5) of any quarterback in NFL history, ranking behind only Michael Vick. His 19 games with at least 50 rush yards are second most among quarterbacks since 2021 — trailing Lamar Jackson — and five of the Steelers' eight third-down conversions in Week 1 came via a Fields rush.
"Obviously, we're playing someone this week who's very mobile," Payton said Friday. "So I think when we talk about defending the run, that includes the quarterback this week like a running back."
