Denver Broncos: Here is why team can’t afford to stumble against Steelers

Sep 20, 2020; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Chase Claypool (11) runs on an eighty-four yard touchdown reception as Denver Broncos cornerback Michael Ojemudia (23) chases during the second quarter at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 20, 2020; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Chase Claypool (11) runs on an eighty-four yard touchdown reception as Denver Broncos cornerback Michael Ojemudia (23) chases during the second quarter at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
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Denver Broncos, Drew Lock
Sep 20, 2020; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Drew Lock (3) escapes the grasp of Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker Bud Dupree (48) during the first quarter at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

The Denver Broncos are no longer undefeated following an ugly loss to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 4.

Now that the team has that out of the way, it needs to get that taste out of its collective mouth immediately. It was a lopsided, ugly loss to a team that had to fight and claw for each win it had this season.

Now, that’s not to say that the Ravens are a bad team, but they came into Denver and dispatched of the Broncos very easily. The Broncos must find a way to shrug that off and move onto the next one.

The next one happens to be against the Pittsburgh Steelers, one of the proudest franchises in the league. The Broncos must find a way to win this game as the importance of a win here can’t be overlooked.

Week 4 looked sadly familiar

Denver Broncos special teams
Denver Broncos special teams woes continue. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Since the Broncos won the Super Bowl back in 2015, they have been a team that mostly plays well on defense and just can’t score enough points. On Sunday, the defense was average but the offense was atrocious.

It was painful to watch.

Seven points is just not going to get it done in the NFL, against anyone, and the Broncos were fortunate to even have that many the way they played. Now some of the lack of offensive production can be attributed to the loss of Teddy Bridgewater, but frankly, he wasn’t very good when he was in there.

But did anyone really think Drew Lock was going to come in and rally for a win on Sunday?

It would have been good to see. I, for one, would have thoroughly enjoyed it as a longtime Lock supporter. But from the first snap he took, the writing was on the wall.

The Broncos came out flat against the Ravens and never really looked competitive in this game after getting up 7-0 on a Noah Fant touchdown reception. It was all downhill after that.

The Broncos better hope that this performance was an aberration and not the new normal.

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