5 bold predictions for the Steelers against the Broncos

The Broncos run game will be a factor

Denver has quietly been one of the better running offenses in the league. They are averaging the 11th-most rushing yards per game, and Melvin Gordon has shown flashes of his former self. He had a 100-yard day in Week 1 against the Giants, and is averaging almost five yards per carry this season.

The Steelers haven’t been bad against the run, but they have been inconsistent. They’ve allowed the 11th-fewest rushing yards in the league, but have struggled to finish plays at the point of first contact. In consecutive weeks, both Joe Mixon and Aaron Jones netted positive yardage on plays that should have been big losses.

Mixon specifically found success in the later portion of the Week 3 matchup. The Steelers couldn’t stop him from getting to the second level of the defense, and the Bengals were able to chew a lot of clock because of it.

This is where the Steelers really miss Tyson Alualu. He is arguably their best interior run defender, and he is gone for the year with a fractured ankle. With multiple receivers out, Denver will rely on their run game. Gordon has the ability to turn short gains into big yards. If the Steelers struggle to bring him down, Denver will control the tempo of the game.