Pittsburgh Steelers: 5 Bold predictions for Week 2 vs. Broncos

The 1-0 Pittsburgh Steelers face the 0-1 Denver Broncos in Week 2.

The Pittsburgh Steelers and Ben Roethlisberger got a confidence-boosting win against the New York Giants in Week 1. After an offseason of soul-searching, the Steelers started 2020 on the right foot. Depending on Roethlisberger’s health and the defense, Pittsburgh could win ten or eleven games this season and make a deep playoff run. However, Mike Tomlin’s team faces a lot of unknowns.

After overwhelming New York, the Steelers face another struggling team. Drew Lock’s Denver Broncos only scored 14 points in their season-opening loss to the Tennessee Titans. Pittsburgh’s Week 2 matchup presents the team with another opportunity for testing its venom against a weakened opponent.

Keep an eye out for some of these outstanding performances.

5. JuJu Smith-Schuster gains 120 yards

All of the Smith-Schuster doubters have egg on their faces after Week 1. The phenomenal 23-year-old caught all six of his targets for 69 yards and two touchdowns. He also recovered a fumble, which kept Pittsburgh’s drive alive. Roethlisberger developed a rapport with Smith-Schuster during the USC product’s first two seasons, and we saw that connection revived on Monday.

Smith-Schuster thrived alongside Antonio Brown in 2017 and 2018. The one-time Pro Bowler amassed 169 receptions for 2,343 yards and 14 touchdowns during that time. Unfortunately, injuries and poor quarterback play sabotaged Smith-Schuster’s third season. However, his stock is moving in the right direction this year.

This past offseason, some analysts hypothesized that Diontae Johnson could surpass Smith-Schuster as Pittsburgh’s top receiver. A few even believed Chase Claypool could replace the veteran pass-catcher. After one week, those predictions seem far from fulfillment.