2024 Week 2 · Sun, Sep 15, 2024 · Empower Field at Mile High

Pittsburgh SteelersWinner

Denver Broncos

PIT -3 ✓U 36.5 ✓Steelers closed -3 and covered, winning by 7.

Pittsburgh Steelers 13–6. Biggest swing: Q2 14:10, DEN +9% win probability on one snap.

The game in one curve — scrub to replay it

Win probability

Q2 · 14:10PIT 7 — DEN 0DEN ball · 4th & 6PIT 82%

(14:10) 9-R.Dixon punts 51 yards to PIT 1, impetus ends at PIT 1, Center-48-M.Fraboni, downed by DEN-20-M.Burton.

Market-anchored home win probability, play by play. Drag across the curve or use arrow keys to replay the game; gold diamonds mark the biggest momentum swings — tap one to jump there.

Highest-leverage plays

Q2 · 14:10DEN +9% win prob(14:10) 9-R.Dixon punts 51 yards to PIT 1, impetus ends at PIT 1, Center-48-M.Fraboni, downed by DEN-20-M.Burton.
Q3 · 6:17PIT +9% win prob(6:17) (Shotgun) 10-B.Nix pass short middle intended for 14-C.Sutton INTERCEPTED by 27-C.Trice at PIT -8. Touchback.
Q3 · 7:43DEN +8% win prob(7:43) 79-M.Peart reported in as eligible. Direct snap to 33-J.Williams. 10-B.Nix pass deep middle to 11-J.Reynolds to PIT 7 for 49 yards (39-M.Fitzpatrick). PIT-26-D.Jackson was injured during the play.
Q1 · 2:01DEN +7% win prob(2:01) (Shotgun) 2-J.Fields pass short left to 80-D.Washington for 5 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

How the points landed

Scoring summary

Q1 · 2:01PIT Touchdown
(2:01) (Shotgun) 2-J.Fields pass short left to 80-D.Washington for 5 yards, TOUCHDOWN. (kick good)
Score after this play: PIT 7 — DEN 0
Q2 · 0:02PIT Field goal
(:02) 9-C.Boswell 22 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-C.Kuntz, Holder-8-C.Waitman.
Score after this play: PIT 10 — DEN 0
Q3 · 4:20PIT Field goal
(4:20) 9-C.Boswell 53 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-C.Kuntz, Holder-8-C.Waitman.
Score after this play: PIT 13 — DEN 0
Q4 · 10:45DEN Field goal
(10:45) 3-W.Lutz 35 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-48-M.Fraboni, Holder-9-R.Dixon.
Score after this play: PIT 13 — DEN 3
Q4 · 1:56DEN Field goal
(1:56) 3-W.Lutz 29 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-48-M.Fraboni, Holder-9-R.Dixon. ** Injury Update: DEN-72-G.Bolles has returned to the game.
Score after this play: PIT 13 — DEN 6

Down-to-down truth

Situational splits

Metric	Steelers	Broncos
Offensive plays	58	56
Total yards	251	295 (edge)
Yards per play	4.3	5.3 (edge)
Expected points added / play	-0.12 (edge)	-0.24
Success rate	29%	34% (edge)
Dropback rate	45%	70%
Dropback efficiency (EPA/play)	0.08 (edge)	-0.24
Rush efficiency (EPA/play)	-0.28	-0.25 (edge)
Third downs	4/13 (edge)	2/12
Red-zone trips → TDs	0 → 0	0 → 0
Explosive plays (10+ rush / 20+ pass)	4	6 (edge)
First downs gained on snaps	12	13 (edge)
Sacks taken	2	2
Turnovers	0 (edge)	2

Broncos outgained Steelers 295–251 but lost the turnover battle 2–0. That was the game.

Who moved the needle

Top performers

Passing · DEN

Bo NixQB

20/35, 246 yds, 0 TD, 2 INT

-8.6 expected points added · -4.3% completion over expected

Passing · PIT

Justin FieldsQB

13/20, 117 yds, 1 TD, 0 INT

2.2 expected points added · +7.4% completion over expected

Rushing · PIT

Najee HarrisRB

17 att, 69 yds, 0 TD

-2.5 expected points added on the ground

Rushing · PIT

Jaylen WarrenRB

9 att, 42 yds, 0 TD

-2.3 expected points added on the ground

Receiving · DEN

Josh ReynoldsWR

4/5 for 93 yds, 0 TD

15% of team targets · 7.3 expected points added

Receiving · DEN

Lil'Jordan HumphreyWR

4/5 for 50 yds, 0 TD

15% of team targets · 0.7 expected points added

Possession by possession

Drive chart

#	Team	Start	Plays	Scrim yds	Clock	Result
1	DEN	DEN 30	5	7	2:01	Punt
2	PIT	PIT 24	4	8	1:28	Punt
3	DEN	DEN 15	4	1	2:01	Punt
4	PIT	PIT 22	13	73	7:34	Touchdown +7
5	DEN	DEN 30	8	18	2:58	Punt
6	PIT	PIT 1	12	73	6:54	Punt
7	DEN	DEN 20	8	36	4:36	Turnover on downs
8	PIT	PIT 39	7	35	2:28	Field goal +3
9	PIT	PIT 30	7	12	2:16	Punt
10	DEN	DEN 20	4	10	2:36	Punt
11	PIT	PIT 24	4	2	1:14	Punt
12	DEN	DEN 15	6	79	2:44	Interception
13	PIT	PIT 20	4	8	1:54	Field goal +3
14	DEN	DEN 30	5	4	1:17	Punt
15	PIT	PIT 19	5	8	1:44	Punt
16	DEN	DEN 30	12	59	5:33	Field goal +3
17	PIT	PIT 14	5	14	1:59	Punt
18	DEN	DEN 31	4	-3	0:55	Punt
19	PIT	PIT 19	6	12	3:03	Punt
20	DEN	DEN 20	9	69	2:51	Field goal +3
21	PIT	PIT 30	5	6	1:45	Punt
22	DEN	DEN 19	2	15	0:09	Interception

5 of 22 drives ended in points. Longest march: Broncos gained 79 scrimmage yards over 6 plays for a interception.

Full stat lines

Box score

Pittsburgh Steelers

Passing

Player	C/Att	Yds	TD	INT	Sacked	EPA
Justin Fields	13/20	117	1	0	2	2.2

Rushing

Player	Att	Yds	Avg	EPA
Najee Harris	17	69	4.1	-2.5
Jaylen Warren	9	42	4.7	-2.3
Justin Fields	8	27	3.4	-3.6
Cordarrelle Patterson	2	3	1.5	-0.8

Receiving

Player	Rec	Tgt	Yds	TD	Tgt share	EPA
Pat Freiermuth	4	4	39	0	22%	1.6
George Pickens	2	4	29	0	22%	2.3
Jaylen Warren	2	2	19	0	11%	1.8
Van Jefferson	2	3	14	0	17%	-1.2
Calvin Austin	1	2	6	0	11%	-0.4
Najee Harris	1	2	5	0	11%	-1.1
Darnell Washington	1	1	5	1	6%	2.7

Defense (top contributors)

Player	Solo	Ast	Sacks	INT	PD
DeShon Elliott	4	5	0.0	0	0
Minkah Fitzpatrick	5	2	0.0	0	0
Patrick Queen	3	1	0.0	0	1
Damontae Kazee	3	1	0.0	1	1
Donte Jackson	1	2	0.0	0	0
Alex Highsmith	3	0	1.0	0	0
Cameron Heyward	1	2	0.0	0	0
Isaiahh Loudermilk	2	0	0.0	0	1
Joey Porter	1	1	0.0	0	1
T.J. Watt	1	1	1.0	0	1

Denver Broncos

Passing

Player	C/Att	Yds	TD	INT	Sacked	EPA
Bo Nix	20/35	246	0	2	2	-8.6

Rushing

Player	Att	Yds	Avg	EPA
Bo Nix	4	25	6.3	0.8
Javonte Williams	11	17	1.5	-6.3
Tyler Badie	1	16	16.0	1.4
Jaleel McLaughlin	3	6	2.0	-0.9

Receiving

Player	Rec	Tgt	Yds	Tgt share	EPA
Josh Reynolds	4	5	93	15%	7.3
Lil'Jordan Humphrey	4	5	50	15%	0.7
Javonte Williams	5	5	48	15%	2.5
Courtland Sutton	1	4	26	12%	-5.1
Greg Dulcich	3	8	16	24%	-4.3
Marvin Mims	1	2	10	6%	-1.4
Tyler Badie	1	1	2	3%	-0.5
Michael Burton	1	1	1	3%	-0.5
Nate Adkins	0	1	0	3%	-0.5
Troy Franklin	0	1	0	3%	-2.0

Defense (top contributors)

Player	Solo	Ast	Sacks
Alex Singleton	5	5	0.0
Brandon Jones	3	4	0.0
Cody Barton	2	4	0.0
Jonathon Cooper	2	3	0.0
Malcolm Roach	2	2	0.0
Nik Bonitto	2	1	0.0
Riley Moss	3	0	0.0
Jonah Elliss	2	1	1.0
D.J. Jones	2	1	0.0
John Franklin-Myers	3	0	0.0

Closing number vs result

Betting context

Closing spread: PIT -3
Closing total: 36.5
PIT moneyline: -155
DEN moneyline: +130

Steelers closed -3 and covered, winning by 7.

Total closed 36.5; the game landed 19 — under by 17.5.

Conditions and crew

Game environment

Venue: Empower Field at Mile High
Roof / surface: outdoors · grass
Kickoff weather: 83°F, wind 4 mph
Referee: Clete Blakeman
Rest: PIT 7 days · DEN 7 days
Coaches: Mike Tomlin vs Sean Payton