Mile High Roundtable: Broncos vs. Steelers Predictions & Picks | Week 2

Mile High Huddle predicts Denver Broncos vs. Pittsburgh Steelers.

Aug 18, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix warms up in the first quarter against the Green Bay Packers at Empower Field at Mile High. / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Denver Broncos season didn't start off on the right foot. But the Broncos can balance those scales with a hard-fought victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in front of the Mile High Faithful.

The Mile High Huddle Meet and Greet will be in attendance to help boost the Broncos, who are a perfect 3-0 when MHH is in attendance. If you're at the stadium on Sunday, look for the big blue MHH tent in Lot D and come say hello and grab a poster.

Meanwhile, it's time to go around the table to hear from our staff on how Broncos-Steelers will shake out.

Kenneth Booker (@kenneth_MHH) 0-1: If the Broncos have any hope of getting back on track, the offense will need to get rhythm before the fourth quarter. Look for Sean Payton to get Bo Nix going early as the Broncos squeak out their first victory of the season.

Pick: Broncos 16, Steelers 14

James Campbell (@JamesC_MHH) 0-1: We will find out whether the Broncos have learned important lessons or have wasted a loss. The Steelers' talent on defense will make for an incredibly tough test for Nix and the offense, while the Broncos special teams and defense should be able to have their wins against Justin Fields and the Steelers offense. Ultimately, the Broncos figure to be improved in the home opener but come up short.

Pick: Steelers 12, Broncos 8

Keith Cummings (@KeithC_NFL) 0-1: No Russell Wilson might be more of a hindering factor for the Broncos this Sunday. Fields played well against the Broncos last time he faced them. All told, it's T.J. Watt the Broncos have worry about the most, and he reeks havoc in a dire Steelers win.

Pick: Steelers 21, Broncos 13

Carl Dumler (@CarlDumlerMHH) 0-1: This game could end up being the lowest scoring game of the season. Turnovers will be key and Nix struggled with that last week, but Fields has struggled with turnovers his entire NFL career. I expect the Broncos to commit more to the run game at home and hoping some play-action shots hit down the field. Nix gets his first touchdown pass of the year to Greg Dulcich to seal the win.

Pick: Broncos 17, Steelers 13

Mike Evans (@MHHEvans) 0-1: The Steelers defense is primed to dominate the Broncos, with their relentless pass rush set to overwhelm Nix. Expect Denver's offense to struggle, as Nix will face constant pressure and struggle to find a rhythm against one of the league's top defensive units. By the fourth quarter, the Broncos' defense, exhausted from being on the field too long, will begin to falter.

Pick: Steelers 27, Broncos 17

Thomas Hall (@ThomasHallNFL) 1-0: The Broncos will be facing a better defense and a better coach than they did last week. Add that to a defense that struggles to stop the run and it’s a combination that will once again put the onus on a rookie quarterback to score points. That's enough to drop another close game, regardless of Fields’ inability to be a good passer.

Pick: Steelers 18, Broncos 17

Chad Jensen (@ChadNJensen) 0-1: Week 1 was alarming, and I might otherwise pick against the Broncos in this Steelers matchup, but the MHH Meet and Greet juju forbids it. This is arguably a tougher defense than Seattle, but Payton has Nix ready, and the rookie learns his lessons from Week 1. The Broncos defense takes the ball away from Fields three times, giving Nix just enough bites at the apple to come away victorious.

Pick: Broncos 19, Steelers 17

Zack Kelberman (@KelbermanNFL) 0-1: Just as it did in Week 1, this game will boil down to Nix and the Broncos offense vs. the opponent's defense — and arguably the best defender in the league. As long as Watt isn't allowed to singlehandedly take over the game, Denver should hang around until the fourth quarter when points are at a premium. Good faith and a boost from the Broncos Country home crowd will springboard the club to an upset.

Pick: Broncos 17, Steelers 16

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Mile High Huddle's 2024 Meet and Greet for Broncos-Steelers. / Denver Broncos On SI

Nick Kendell (@NickKendellMHH) 0-1: It wasn't a fantastic debut for Nix and an even worse showing for the overall Broncos offense last week. Sadly, Denver does not get a break as arguably the best defense in football comes to town in the Steelers. Denver will need to take advantage of scoring chances and short fields in what is sure to be a low-scoring affair. Can Denver manufacture a touchdown on defense or special teams?

Pick: Steelers 17, Broncos 10

Bob Morris (@BobMorrisSports) 1-0: The Broncos will face a better defense than in Week 1 but the Steelers offense isn't as good. The question is whether the Broncos have a different game plan for the offense and focus more on running the football. This is a winnable game, one in which the Broncos defense should create opportunities early on and, this time, the offense capitalizes enough.

Pick: Broncos 20, Steelers 13

Luke Patterson (@LukePattersonLP) 0-1: The Steelers defense is set to tee off on Nix if Payton abandons the run game. Fields should be able to rush at will sooner or later against Vance Joseph's vulnerable rushing defense. Not even the MHH Meet and Greet winning streak can help Denver in this one.

Pick: Steelers 24, Broncos 20

Lance Sanderson (@LanceS_MHH) 0-1: Denver had a hard time keeping Nix clean in Seattle, for various reasons. This week, they have arguably the best pass rusher in the NFL in Watt and a revived Cameron Heyward coming to town against a beat up offensive line. Nix had better get rid of the football a lot faster than he did last week if the Broncos want any chance offensively.

Pick: Steelers 19, Broncos 10

Erick Trickel (@ErickTrickel) 0-1: The Broncos get their home opener but don't get the quarterback they moved on from, which changes the dynamic. Both defenses do well and create issues for the offenses, but the Broncos defense scores a few crucial takeaways to set the team up in scoring position, as well as a couple of big returns. In the end, it comes down to field goal kicks as each team scores a lone touchdown, and the Broncos walk out with a ugly and close win thanks to five field goals.

Pick: Broncos 22, Steelers 19

Dylan Von Arx (@DylanVonArxMHH) 0-1: The Broncos offense faces another challenge in the Steelers defense led by Watt. If the offense can't put points on the board and the defense can't contain the ground game and George Pickens, Denver is in for a rough 60 minutes. The Broncos' lack of explosive playmakers on offense will be their downfall for two weeks in a row in a low-scoring slugfest.

Pick: Steelers 13, Broncos 10

Ron White (@RonWhiteNFL) 0-1: After a loss in the season opener, the Broncos face another uphill battle when the Steelers visit the Mile High City. The game plan must have a main focus: Not letting the Watt-led defensive line wreck the game. Despite such, there are not enough playmakers offensively to generate scoring and the Broncos will fall once again.

Pick: Steelers 17, Broncos 13

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