Denver Broncos Vs. Pittsburgh Steelers: 2nd half Notes

...unlike last week, Denver brings down the return man on the second half kickoff. Pittsburgh starts at the 17..

... The steelers had only 54 first half yards.

...Completion to Hines Ward for 7 on first down

... Mendenhall runs for 6 to get the first down.

... Mendenhall runs for 3 on first down.

... Denver sacks Roethlisberger, force a fumble, and Ayers runs it back for the touchdown. Just as Pittsburgh was getting some offensive momentum with their no huddle offense, Denver's defense makes a big play!

... Denver leads 10-7 and now both teams have a defensive touchdown. Kenny Peterson with the sack.

... Interesting note just brought up on TV that Kenny Peterson was a teammate of Josh McDaniels in high school. Good Broncos trivia question.

...Prater with the kickoff. Returned to the 20.

...Steelers moving the ball again. 1st down pass and then a 22 yard run for Mendenhall. 1st and 10 at the 39.

...Roethlisberger hits Santonio Holmes for a pass down to the 4. Champ Bailey was beat on that play.

...1st and goal at the 3. Touchdown to Hines Ward. That was the most effective drive against Denver's defense all year. 4 plays for 80 yards. Yikes. Great comeback from the interception. Time for Kyle Orton and the Denver offense to respond.

...Spencer Larsen takes the short kick-off back to the 40. Great start and great field position.

...first offensive possession of the half for Denver. Orton hits Royal for a 16 yard gain on play action. This is the most play action we've seen this year from Denver.

...Moreno slips and loses 2 on 1st down.

...Orton nearly sacked on 2nd down. A shovel pass is ruled a fumble. Pittsburgh returns it to the 20 and fumbles it and Denver recovers. Clearly an incomplete pass. This will have to come back. Denver will have 3rd and 11.

...45 yard line. Orton flushed out of the pocket and throws incomplete.

... Berger on to punt. C'mon mitch, don't make us long for micah Knorr. Downed at the 3!

...Pittsburgh drives all the way to the red zone before Roethlisberger throws a pick. Denver now leads the turnover battle 2-1.

... Orton hits two consecutive passes and Denver is out to the 28.

... 2nd and 7. Buckhalter runs for 2.

... Denver cannot get the running game going tonight. 27 rushing yards on the night.

...Orton in the shotgun. Stokely reception but it will be a yard short.

...Denver will have to punt. This will be the last play of the 3rd.

... Steelers will start the fourth quarter ahead 14-10 and will have the ball.

... This was the worst defensive quarter of the season for the Broncos. Pittsburgh really had its way with us.

... Pittsburgh at the 30. Reverse goes for 3 yards. The Broncos were all over that play.

...2nd and 6. Mendenhall is stuffed by Woodyard.

... Roethlishberger is not being pressured in the second half the way he was in the first half. Pittsburgh has really made some good adjustments.

...3rd and 5. Roethlisberger overthrows a deep receiver and Pittsburgh goes three and out.

...Royal back for the return. Nearly nturns the corner but knocked out of bounds at the 30. Still, Denver will have good field position. Will they abandon the run and give Orton the chance to win the game for them?

...Nearly an interception on first down by Orton. Marshall saved the turnover there.

...2nd and 10. Pittsburgh is all over Orton and he throws incomplete.

...3rd and 10. Orton hits Marshall for a screen pass out of the shotgun but there were no blockers lined up.

... Berger in to punt again. Denver's offense has scored 3 points all night. These are the types of games where we may really miss Jay Cutler. I am sure that will generate some pissed comments.

... Berger's punt goes 24 yards (with the bounce). THis is certainly the weakest part of our team.

...2nd and 8. Hines Ward releases his block and takes the screenpass for 3 yards.

... 3rd and 6. A stop here will mean two consecutive three and outs but Santonio Holmes makes the reception for the first down. Beats Champ Bailey again.

...Steelers just past mid-field. 1st and 10. Mendenhall goes for 4 yards up the middle. He is now over 100 yards for the game.

...2nd and 6. Incomplete.

...Another big 3rd and 6. Roethlisberger in the gun. Incomplete to Miller! Roethlisberger simply missed that throw.

...Fair catch by Eddie Royal at the 9.

...Denver goes back to the run on 1st and 10 but Polamalu comes in and makes the stop on the blitz. Great defensive play.

...Play action pass and Orton throws another interception. Troy Polamalu. Terrible pass by Orton.

... Steelers will have it at the 25. Mendenhall goes for 6 on first down. Denver cannot afford a touchdown here.

...Mendenhall stuffed on 2nd down. Denver's d-line was overpowering on that play.

... Big 3rd and 10. Blitz! Roethlisberger rolls out and finds a receiver in the end zone. Touchdown. 20-10 Pittsburgh with 7:03 to go in the fourth quarter.

... PAT is good. 21-10. Orton's interception turns into 7 points for the Steelers and Denver is now in a big hole.

.. This is the type of performance that people were afraid of, I think. Orton has made some mistakes and Pittsburgh is really making the big plays - the ones that Denver made in the first six weeks. Denver's offense has really regressed since the bye week and the defense is not bailing them out.

...Kickoff out to the 25. Pittsburgh is all over Orton in first down and he throws it away.

...Denver has not run the wild horses at all in the second half, nor done anything to catch Pittsburgh off guard. Dick Lebeau has outschemed Josh McDaniels.

... the boo birds are coming out. Orton knocked down and the ball comes out. Casey Wiegmann recovers. Denver will have to punt from their own endzone. McDaniels decides to challenge the fumble in order to get a little better field position. But, its a desparate act.

...Denver is going to fall to 6-2, pending a major miracle.

...McDaniels will win this challenge and Denver will have an extra 10 yards or so on the punt. We'll also regain 46 seconds.

... Berger needs to show some leg here and do better than 24 yards. He booms it 40 yards and it's returned all the way back to the 23 but it will come back on a holding penalty.

... the punting game is in total disarray.

... Denver has to have a three and out here or a turnover. Roethlisberger will be leading the offense from the 26. Mendenhall stopped by Champ Bailey for a loss of 4

... False start and it will be 2nd and 18. 5:30 to go.

...Mendenhall breaks a 36 yard run to the outside and goes out of bounds. 137 yards for Mendenhall tonight.

... Did I jump the gun in changing the name of the blog? How about "Josh McDaniels: The Jury is out on You!"

...Pittsburgh is running the ball at will. This is two weeks in a row where the Broncos have been dominated badly in the second half.

... 3rd and 5 with 2:27 to go.