2005 · CON

Final

Steelers

Pittsburgh

QB Ben Roethlisberger

34·17

Broncos

Denver

QB Jake Plummer

Invesco Field at Mile High · outdoors · grass · 34°F · wind 11mph

Closing spread

DEN -3.5

Total

41

Model margin

+2.5est.

DEN perspective

Push chance

None

half-point line — cannot push

Win probability

  • Broncos
  • Steelers

How each play moved the game.

Broncos winsSteelers wins

Matchup

Where the edges are

Season-long league percentiles for both sides, mirrored. The saturated side of a lopsided row holds the edge.

Steelersedge mapBroncos
  • +0.057EPA / play+0.088
  • 43.9%Success rate44.7%
  • +0.202EPA / dropback+0.109
  • -0.067EPA / rush+0.067
  • 9.7%Explosive rate9.5%
  • 35.7%Third-down rate36.1%
  • 63.9%Red-zone TD rate65.2%
  • 1.99Points / drive1.97
  • 2.0%Turnover rate1.4%
  • -0.084EPA / play allowed-0.051

Bar length is league percentile, already oriented so longer is better. The saturated side of a lopsided row holds the edge; rows within ~12 points are washed as even.

The rivalry

DEN lead 7–6 since 1999

PIT have won 3 straight. Meetings average 45 points. DEN are 7-5-1 ATS in the series.

Previous meetings
SeasonMatchupScoreWinner
2024 · W2PIT @ DEN136PIT
2021 · W5DEN @ PIT1927PIT
2020 · W2DEN @ PIT2126PIT
2018 · W12PIT @ DEN1724DEN
2015 · playoffsPIT @ DEN1623DEN
2015 · W15DEN @ PIT2734PIT
2012 · W1PIT @ DEN1931DEN
2011 · playoffsPIT @ DEN2329DEN

Box score

Individual performances

Steelers

Passing

PlayerC/AttYdsTDINT
Ben Roethlisberger21/2927520

Rushing

PlayerCarYdsAvgTD
Jerome Bettis15392.61
Willie Parker14352.50
Ben Roethlisberger3124.01
Hines Ward144.00

Broncos

Passing

PlayerC/AttYdsTDINT
Jake Plummer18/3022312

Rushing

PlayerCarYdsAvgTD
Mike Anderson9364.01
Tatum Bell5316.20
Jake Plummer7304.30

Where this game is likely to land

  • Model
  • Smooth (normal)
  • Betting line

Probability of each final margin. Football scoring clusters — the spikes at 3 and 7 are real, and a smooth model misses them.

line +3.54.0%2.7%7.0%7.5%3.1%4.7%3.0%2.6%

Positive margins favour Broncos; negative favour Steelers.

Half-point at risk

2.54%

outcomes that flip if the line moves 0.5

Model home win

55.9%

Expected total

44.9est.

Model

Where the number comes from

Each component is additive, in points of expected margin.

  • Team ratings (opponent-adjusted EPA)-0.10
  • Home-field advantage+2.56
  • Quarterback adjustment0.00
  • Rest differential+0.08
  • Expected margin+2.54