By Ryan O'Halloran
November 25, 2018
Shelby Harris (96) celebrates his interception that sealed the Broncos' 24-17 win over the Steelers.(Joe Amon, The Denver Post)
Even after four consecutive losses appeared to derail their season, the Broncos kept saying the right things. More importantly, they kept believing the right things.
They would start to win close games. Takeaways would come at critical times. Their running game would serve as an offensive foundation. And they would absolutely not give up hope even while everybody around them was debating who should replace coach Vance Joseph and which player should be targeted in the first round of next year’s draft.
All of their optimism, confidence and resolve were rewarded Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Broncos’ fourth takeaway, an end zone interception by defensive tackle Shelby Harris with 1:03 remaining, sewed up a 24-17 upset win, giving them their first winning streak since Weeks 1-2.
“Most teams would lose their minds (during the rough patch) and not play hard and not work every day but this is a reward for sticking together and having great chemistry,” Joseph said.
The win moved the Broncos to 5-6. As hard it was to fathom just a few weeks ago, Denver will play meaningful December football.
“We’re rolling now,” nose tackle Domata Peko said. “(Beating) two of the best teams in the AFC (Pittsburgh and the Chargers) just shows what type of team we have.”
What type of team the Broncos have continues to crystallize.
It is an offense that can lean on undrafted rookie Phillip Lindsay to carry the running game (110 yards), is integrating players like tight end Matt LaCosse (first career touchdown), prioritizing receiver Emmanuel Sanders (seven catches) and getting more-than-serviceable offensive line play.
But if this team is to get hot, it will follow the formula that worked, barely, against Pittsburgh.
Give up a ton of yards … but get turnovers. They have 12 takeaways in the last five games, and had four on Sunday.
Give up a ton of yards … but make the occasional third-down stop. Pittsburgh failed to convert its last six third-down chances.
Give up a ton of yards … but not on the ground. The Broncos held a fourth consecutive opponent under 100 yards rushing.
Did we mention get takeaways?
The four turnovers helped the Broncos overcome 524 yards allowed (most in franchise history during a win) and a 97-yard touchdown catch (longest opponent’s completion in team history).
None were bigger than Harris’ improbable interception.
The Steelers drove to the Broncos’ 3-yard line at the two-minute warning. On first down, cornerback Chris Harris had solid coverage on receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster on an incomplete pass to the corner. On second down, James Conner was held to a 1-yard gain.
On third down, the shotgun snap was low and wide to quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who collected it and then briefly collided with running back James Conner. Harris was pushed back by center Maurkice Pouncey, which turned out to be beneficial. Antonio Brown ran a quick slant but Roethlisberger’s pass went right to Harris, who made the catch as he fell to the turf.
“I would have never thought in a million years that a defensive lineman would get blocked off the ball that far — right into an interception,” Roethlisberger said. “Good play by him.”
Before Harris’ good play, the Broncos got takeaways from safety Will Parks (forced a fumble that resulted in a touchback), Chris Harris (interception that led to a Broncos touchdown) and safety Bradley Roby(forced a fumble that safety Darian Stewart recovered).
“We need to be better in terms of all the yards (they gained),” safety Justin Simmons said. “That being said, if we’re getting turnovers, we’re going to be in good shape.”
The Broncos appeared to be in bad shape after Smith-Schuster’s 97-yard score — he beat Roby, caught the pass in-stride at his 30 and stiff-armed Stewart at the Broncos’ 20 for a 17-10 lead.. The Broncos went three-and-out and Pittsburgh moved past midfield.
But cornerback Chris Harris changed the coverage call before the snap, switching from man to a zone look. He retreated and was on the spot when Roethlisberger overthrew Brown to get the interception. Two plays later, Case Keenum threw a five-yard touchdown to Sanders to tie the game at 17.
Lindsay’s two-yard touchdown with 9:17 remaining proved to the difference and was set up when Roby forced Conner to fumble after a 23-yard gain to the Broncos’ 23.
Having survived the landmine portion of their schedule — things now get interesting.
The Broncos still have a long climb to make the playoffs. They exited Sunday 11th in the AFC, but only one game behind Baltimore/Indianapolis (6-5). They can’t afford to lose at the free-falling Bengals Sunday. They can’t afford any slip-ups against San Francisco, Cleveland and Oakland.
But there is at least a legitimate opportunity for a December to remember although the Broncos’ locker room has embraced Joseph’s “Let’s go 1-0 this week,” mantra.
“It’s just two wins in a row,” Sanders said. “We’ve got Cincinnati next week. That’s where my mindset is right now. I just want to get three wins in a row.”
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