Denver
Broncos
2-8
16
FINAL
34
Pittsburgh
Steelers
8-2
AI Recap
AI RECAPIn a decisive Week 12 matchup, the Pittsburgh Steelers topped the Denver Broncos 34-16, solidifying their playoff aspirations while pushing Denver further down the standings. The victory was crucial for Pittsburgh as they look to maintain momentum heading into the final stretch of the season.
Pittsburgh's offense was led by quarterback Hendon Hooker, who threw for 247 yards, while Rico Dowdle’s impressive ground game racked up 110 rushing yards, keeping the Broncos' defense on its heels. Roman Wilson also made a significant impact in the passing game, contributing 91 receiving yards and providing Hooker with a reliable target throughout the contest. Despite Bo Nix finding the end zone once for Denver, the Broncos struggled to keep pace with the Steelers' offensive onslaught.
Pittsburgh's defense played a pivotal role in the outcome, with Cam Heyward leading the charge with 1.5 sacks, disrupting Denver's offensive rhythm. The turning point came late in the second quarter when Heyward's pressure forced a critical turnover, allowing the Steelers to extend their lead. Shaq Thompson's ten tackles for the Broncos showcased their defensive effort, but it wasn't enough to contain a relentless Pittsburgh attack.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | CMP% | YDS | TD | INT | QBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hendon Hooker | QB | 38 | 22 | 58% | 247 | 0 | 0 | 77.4 |
| Bo Nix | QB | 38 | 20 | 53% | 231 | 1 | 0 | 80.0 |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | YAC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rico Dowdle | HB | 13 | 110 | 8.5 | 50 | 1 | 33 | 0 |
| Jaylen Warren | HB | 10 | 61 | 6.1 | 21 | 0 | 26 | 1 |
| Joe Mixon | HB | 7 | 52 | 7.4 | 24 | 1 | 28 | 0 |
| Eli Heidenreich | HB | 7 | 20 | 2.9 | — | 2 | 6 | 0 |
| Hendon Hooker | QB | 3 | 20 | 6.7 | 7 | 1 | 13 | 0 |
| Bo Nix | QB | 2 | 5 | 2.5 | — | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| J.K. Dobbins | HB | 2 | 5 | 2.5 | — | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| DK Metcalf | WR | 1 | 3 | 3.0 | — | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Trey Palmer | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Courtland Sutton | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | YAC | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roman Wilson | WR | 8 | 91 | 11.4 | 25 | 0 | 19 | 0 |
| Justin Jefferson | WR | 6 | 82 | 13.7 | 6 | 1 | 28 | 0 |
| DK Metcalf | WR | 5 | 69 | 13.8 | 10 | 0 | 24 | 1 |
| Troy Franklin | WR | 6 | 68 | 11.3 | 12 | 0 | 24 | 0 |
| Courtland Sutton | WR | 4 | 56 | 14.0 | 10 | 0 | 19 | 0 |
| Darnell Washington | TE | 5 | 41 | 8.2 | 14 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| Jaylen Warren | HB | 1 | 23 | 23.0 | 19 | 0 | 23 | 0 |
| Elijah Sarratt | TE | 2 | 23 | 11.5 | 10 | 0 | 16 | 1 |
| Trey Palmer | WR | 2 | 22 | 11.0 | 7 | 0 | 17 | 0 |
| Adam Trautman | TE | 1 | 4 | 4.0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Eli Heidenreich | HB | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | — | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Joe Mixon | HB | 1 | -2 | -2.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shaq Thompson | WILL | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Justin Strnad | WILL | 7 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Von Miller | LEDG | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jalen Ramsey | CB | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Payton Wilson | WILL | 4 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Riley Moss | CB | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| David Ojabo | LEDG | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Cam Heyward | DT | 1 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jamel Dean | CB | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Brandon Jones | FS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Talanoa Hufanga | SS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Terell Smith | CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Karene Reid | MIKE | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tyler Onyedim | DT | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nik Bonitto | REDG | 2 | 0.5 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| T.J. Watt | LEDG | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylen Everette | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Robert Spears-Jennings | SS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sean Murphy-Bunting | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brandin Echols | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jaquan Brisker | SS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kris Abrams-Draine | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ja'Quan McMillian | SS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Caleb Banks | DT | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jahdae Barron | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Pat Surtain II | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Devon Key | FS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Anfernee Orji | SAM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Patrick Queen | MIKE | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chris Boswell | K | 2 | 2 | 4 | 47 |
| Wil Lutz | K | 1 | 1 | 1 | 52 |
| Jeremy Crawshaw | P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

