STEELERS-BRONCOS SERIES HISTORY
Series History: Series began in 1970
Overall Regular Season: Broncos lead, 14-7-1
At Pittsburgh: Broncos lead, 6-4
At Denver: Broncos lead, 8-3-1
Neutral Sites: n/a
Streak: Broncos won previous meeting
Last Regular-Season Meeting: Sept. 9, 2012, at Denver
Denver 31, Pittsburgh 19
Postseason Series: Broncos lead, 4-3
Last Post-Season Meeting: Jan. 8, 2012, at Denver - Wild Card
Denver 29, Pittsburgh 23 OT
(preseason and postseason record not included in overall series record)
This week's game marks the 23rd time the Pittsburgh Steelers and Denver Broncos will meet in the regular season...the Broncos hold a seven-game advantage in the all-time series (14-7-1)... Sunday's game will mark the fourth game between the two teams in the month of December, with the Steelers holding a 2-1 record vs. Denver in the previous three December meetings.
THE LAST TIME VS. DENVER
Denver 31, Pittsburgh 19
Sept. 9, 2012
Sports Authority Field at Mile High (50,122)
**
Here is a look at the statistical leaders for the both the Steelers and Broncos heading into the Week 15 contest at Heinz Field.
QB Ben Roethlisberger has completed 231 of 344 passes (67.2%) for 2,989 yards, 15 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions and enters the game with a quarterback rating of 96.7.
Broncos QB Peyton Manning enters the game having completed 193 of 322 passes (59.9%) for 2,180 yards, 9 touchdowns, and 17 interceptions and has a quarterback rating of 67.6.
Broncos QB Brock Osweiler enters the game having completed 108 of 170 passes (63.5%) for 1,140 yards, 5 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions and has a quarterback rating of 85.4.
RB DeAngelo Williams leads the Steelers rushing attack with 773 yards on 164 carries (4.7 avg.) and has 8 rushing touchdowns this season.
Broncos RB Ronnie Hillman has carried the ball 169 times for 663 yards (3.9 avg.) and has found the end zone on the ground 6 times in 2015.
Broncos RB C.J. Anderson has complied 538 yards on 124 carries (4.3 avg.). Anderson also has 3 rushing touchdowns for the Broncos this season.
WR Antonio Brown enters Week 15 with a team-high 100 receptions for a team-high 1,397 yards. Brown has also hauled in 7 receiving touchdowns this season.
In just 8 game so far this season, WR Martavis Bryant has caught 38 passes for 672 yards and 6 receiving touchdowns.
WR Demaryius Thomas leads all Broncos pass catchers in receptions (88) and receiving yards (1,067). Thomas also has 3 receiving touchdowns on the season.
Broncos WR Emmanuel Sanders leads the team with 4 touchdown receptions on the season. Sanders has a total of 57 receptions for 788 yards in 2015.
LB Lawrence Timmons lead the Steelers defense with 96 total tackles (65 solo and 31 assists) on the season. Timmons also has 2.5 sack and one interception in 2015.
The Broncos defense is led ILB Brandon Marshall who has recorded 87 total tackles (67 solo and 20 assists) on the season. Marshall has also recorded 1.5 sack and has forced 2 fumbles this season.
DE Cam Hayward's 6 quarterback sacks on the season currently leads the 2015 Steelers defense. Heyward has also accounted for 45 tackles and 11 quarterback hurries this season.
OLB Von Miller leads all Broncos defenders with 10 quarterback sacks this season. Miller also has 26 quarterback hurries in 2015.
S Mike Mitchell leads the Steelers secondary with three interceptions this season. Mitchell has also accounted for 64 tackles and 7 passes defended.
Broncos CB Aqib Talib leads the team in interceptions with 3. Talib has also recorded 30 tackles and 12 passes defended this season.
DENVER -** CB Tracy Porter intercepted QB Ben Roethlisberger and returned it 43 yards for a touchdown with less than two min- utes remaining to seal the 31-19 Broncos victory over the Steelers in the 2012 season opener.
Both teams got off to a slow start as neither team scored in the first quarter. Pittsburgh struck early in the second quarter when K Shaun Suisham nailed a 21-yard field goal to give the Steelers a 3-0 lead. Midway through the second quarter the Broncos went up 7-3 when RB Knowshon Moreno scored on a seven-yard run.
The Steelers capitalized right before halftime when Roethlisberger connected with TE Heath Miller on a four-yard touchdown, and the Steelers took a 10-7 lead into the break.
Suisham connected on a 35-yard field goal midway through the third quarter to give Pittsburgh a 13-7 lead. But on Denver's ensuing drive, QB Peyton Manning and WR Demaryius Thomas connected on a 71-yard touchdown to put the Broncos up 14-13.
The Steelers took the lead back early in the fourth quarter and went up 19-14 when Roethlisberger found WR Mike Wallace for a three-yard touchdown. Roethlisberger finished 22-of-40 for 245 yards and two touchdowns.
The Broncos went on to score 17 unanswered points. Manning connected with TE Jacob Tamme on a one-yard score to put Den- ver up 22-19. Denver then extended their lead to 25-19 on K Matt Prater's 26-yard field goal. The Steelers had one final chance to win the game but Porter stepped in front of Roethlisberger's pass and returned it for a touchdown.
The Steelers controlled the ball for 35:05 compared to the Broncos 24:55, and the Steelers' offense converted 11-of-19 (58%) of their third-down attempts.GAME SUMMARY
| STEELERS(0-1) | 0 | 10 | 3 | 6 | 19 |
| Broncos(1-0) | 0 | 7 | 7 | 17 | 31 |
| TEAM | Q | TIME | PLAY | DRIVE | SCORE |
| PIT | 2 | 10:10 | Suisham 21-yd. FG | 10-35; 4:50 | 3-0 |
| DEN | 2 | 5:16 | Moreno 7-yd. run | 12-80; 4:54 | 3-7 |
| PIT | 2 | 0:28 | Miller 4-yd. pass from Roethlisberger | 14-79; 4:48 | 10-7 |
| PIT | 3 | 6:05 | Suisham 35-yd. FG | 16-64; 8:55 | 13-7 |
| DEN | 3 | 5:29 | Thomas 71-yd. pass from Manning | 2-80; 0:36 | 13-14 |
| PIT | 4 | 14:11 | Wallace 3-yd pass from Roethlisberger (pass failed) | 14-80; 6:18 | 19-14 |
| DEN | 4 | 9:23 | Tamme 1-yd. pass from Manning (Manning-McGahee pass) | 10-80; 4:48 | 19-22 |
| DEN | 4 | 3:00 | Prater 26-yd. FG | 12-55; 5:18 | 19-25 |
| DEN | 4 | 1:58 | Porter 43-yd. interception return (run failed) | --- | 19-31 |
PIT-DEN SERIES HIGHS
Passing Yards
Steelers: Ben Roethlisberger, 433 - 11/5/2006
Broncos: John Elway, 276 - 11/21/1993
Rushing Yards
Steelers: Rashard Mendenhall, 155 - 11/9/2009
Broncos: Otis Armstrong, 131 - 9/22/1974
Receiving Yards
Steelers: Yancey Thigpen, 175 - 12/7/1997
Broncos: Javon Walker, 134 - 11/5/2006
