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Broncos vs. Steelers: Live updates and highlights from the NFL Week 2 game

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Broncos vs. Steelers: Live updates and highlights from the NFL Week 2 game


Russell Wilson is coming back to the Mile High City. But more than likely, he’ll be on the sidelines with a calf injury. Stick here for live updates and analysis as Denver hosts the Steelers at Empower Field at Mile High.

Live updates

Pre-game updates

Scouting report (11 a.m.): Check out how the Broncos match up with the Steelers in Ryan McFadden’s scouting report.

Game predictions

Parker Gabriel, beat writer: Steelers 20, Broncos 17

Russ or no Russ, life doesn’t get easier for Denver rookie QB Bo Nix against Pittsburgh’s defense. T.J. Watt rightfully gets top billing, but Alex Highsmith (14.5 sacks in 2022, seven last year) is no slouch on the other side. Mike Macdonald and the Seahawks played it pretty straight last week. Mike Tomlin? Here’s betting he’s got some wrinkles up his sleeve for Nix and company.

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Ryan McFadden, beat writer: Steelers 17, Broncos 13

This game might get ugly. Denver’s offensive line is already banged up so there’s a chance quarterback Bo Nix will be running for his life against T.J. Watt on Sunday. At the same time, Pittsburgh’s offense is questionable. Denver’s home opener will be a low-scoring contest, dictated by special teams and the run game. Pittsburgh will have the edge against the Broncos.

Troy Renck, columnist: Broncos 17, Steelers 16

No Russell Mania, so this feels like an undercard bout. But there is urgency for the Broncos to win because if they don’t, they are staring at an 0-4 start with back-to-back roadies looming. Bo Nix will be challenged by the Steelers pass rush but will be helped by an improved run game. However, the Broncos will escape because of three takeaways, including a Jonathon Cooper strip sack of Justin Fields for the second straight season.

Sean Keeler, columnist: Steelers 22, Broncos 13

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Russ, schmuss. Just when Bo Nix needs most to turn to his run game and keep a nasty Steelers pass rush honest, Audric Estime goes on injured reserve and starting left tackle Garett Bolles and center Luke Wattenberg are walking wounded. The Steelers put four tight ends on the field at one point in Atlanta to run the single wing with QB Justin Fields. Mike Tomlin’s going to be fine with pounding the ball and daring Nix to do the un-Bo-lievable. No. 10’s not there yet.

Broncos-Steelers NFL Week 2: Must-reads

Broncos analysis: Is Denver at risk of relying too heavily on rookie QB Bo Nix to solve long list of Russell Wilson-era offensive ills?

In November 2023, the Broncos had won five straight and just polished off a bully-ball win against Cleveland to get above .500 for the first time all season.

At 6-5, they had legitimate playoff aspirations. Quarterback Russell Wilson had 17 touchdowns and no picks in the red zone.

The 17-0 TD-INT ratio didn’t capture the sacks and penalties that beset the Broncos offense. It didn’t mask, in Payton’s eyes, that Denver was among the league’s worst offenses on goal-to-go situations. It certainly did not convince Payton that Wilson was the guy to get Denver where it wanted to go long-term, Parker Gabriel reports. Read the full story.

Broncos Journal: Denver’s pass rush shows signs of improvement. But can defense be dominant for full game?

The Broncos’ front seven wanted to be a physical and attacking front this fall. They didn’t waste any time in doing so against the Seahawks in the season opener.

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While Denver wasn’t pleased with the outcome of its 26-20 loss in Seattle, there were positives to take away from the experience, starting with the Broncos’ ability to apply pressure on Smith in the first half.

After the Broncos finished 29th in pressure rate (18.2%) in 2023, the pass rush showed signs of life. The next step is making the quarterback’s life miserable for an entire game, Ryan McFadden reports. Read the full story.

Renck: Starting Bo Nix was right decision. But soon enough, Broncos’ Sean Payton will have to defend it.

Bo Nix earned the right to start. And it won’t be long before coach Sean Payton is forced to defend his decision.

Hear me out. Six quarterbacks were drafted in the first round last spring. Nix was the last.

Three started on opening weekend. You know how many will face four straight head coaches who were former defensive coordinators? The list starts and ends with Nix, Troy Renck writes. Read the full column.

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Fire destroys home under construction in northwest Denver

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Fire destroys home under construction in northwest Denver


DENVER (KDVR) — An early morning fire on Friday left a home completely ablaze in the Highlands neighborhood, just a week after another house under construction went up in flames in the same area.

The Denver Fire Department shared photos of the incident, as crews were called to 3643 Mariposa, where images show a fully consumed home under construction.

“I think they [firefighters] kicked in the neighbor’s door just to make sure nobody was at home,” neighbors Lucy and Kyle said. “Some of the other houses, their windows got blown out from the heat!”

Just 11 days earlier, on June 8, a home under construction caught fire in the same neighborhood near West 33rd and Navajo. Nobody was hurt in either fire.

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And just about two years earlier, in July, another fire in the same area ignited around West 36th and Osage. All of the properties are/were under development by the same group.

“I wasn’t present for any of the fires,” Ryan Yoffe, a member of the developer group, said.

Yoffe does say he thinks he knows how the last two fires had been set, saying it’s the City of Denver that needs to do better with surveillance.

“It’s likely related to the amount of homelessness in the area, looking for properties under construction to live in or burn down,” Yoffe said. “The City and the Police Department need to do a better job patrolling to limit the number of homeless people camping in the neighborhood.”

Denver Fire Department officials say the most recent incidents are under investigation, but that nobody was hurt in either.

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Rockies ride Kyle Freeland’s gem, Braxton Fulford’s double to 4-3 win over Pirates

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Rockies ride Kyle Freeland’s gem, Braxton Fulford’s double to 4-3 win over Pirates


The night belonged to Kyle Freeland, who joined the 1,000 K Club. The moment belonged to Braxton Fulford. The ninth inning — and a big sigh of relief — belonged to closer Antonio Senzatela.

Fulford hit a two-run, two-out, pinch-hit double in the eighth inning off Mason Montgomery to lead the Rockies to a 4-3 win over the Pirates at Coors Field in front of a Friday night crowd of 33,596.

Fulford drove in Tyler Freeman and Cole Carrigg, who scratched out back-to-back two-out singles off Montgomery.

“I had been warming up in the cage for that at-bat for a couple of innings, so I felt pretty prepared,” Fulford said. “I got an advantage count (3-1) and I knew he was going to come with the heater and I was all over it.”

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Fulford caught Montgomery for three seasons at Texas Tech, so he knew the left-hander’s tendencies.

“It’s kind of unfortunate for pitchers that you catch, because you kind of get to see their stuff,” Fulford said. “You kind of understand more of who they are. So I do feel like I had the advantage there.”

In the ninth, the Pirates loaded the bases against Senzatela with no outs on a single by Marcell Ozuna and an error on a groundball by shortstop Ezequiel Tovar. But Senzatela struck out pinch-hitter Tyler Callihan and induced Jared Triolo to ground to Tovar, who started the game-ending double play.

“It was kind of a crazy ending to the game — bases loaded and no outs,” Freeland said. ” ‘Senza’ got a big punchout in that situation, picks up Tovar. Then Tovar gets another opportunity to turn a double play, and he gets it done.”

Before all of the late-game drama, Freeland pitched his best game of the season: 7 1/3 innings, two runs allowed on four hits, no walks, and eight strikeouts. It marked the fourth time in his career that he pitched 7 1/3 or more innings.

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“Tonight, I thought he was absolutely exceptional,” manager Warren Schaeffer said. “I thought his body language was impressive. He attacked the strike zone — relentlessly. His heater had good ‘vert’ tonight. The breaker was good. It seemed like he was in control all night.”

“Gritty” is the word often used to describe Freeland. Dominant was a more apt description on Friday night. History-making works, too. Freeland’s eight Ks gave him 1,001 for his career, joining right-hander German Marquez (1,069) as the only two pitchers in franchise history to eclipse 1,000. Freeland struck out Marcell Ozuna in the seventh for No. 1,000, and then promptly fanned Brandon Lowe for 1,001.

The hard-core Rockies fans behind the dugout gave Freeland a standing ovation.

“I’m very grateful for the fans always supporting me, and for making it this long in my career to reach some of these milestones, especially with one ballclub,”  said Freeland, who struck out eight and walked none for the second time in his career. “I definitely hear those fans when I pop out of the dugout after every inning.”

The 33-year-old Denver native blanked the Pirates for the first seven innings, giving up just two hits. Pittsburgh finally got to Freeland in the eighth, putting up back-to-back doubles by Esmerlyn Valdez and Triolo to cut Colorado’s lead to 2-1. Up to that point, it looked as if Freeland had the juice to throw a complete game, especially since he threw just 81 pitches.

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Man arrested on suspicion of murder in Denver shooting near South Park Hill, Hale

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Man arrested on suspicion of murder in Denver shooting near South Park Hill, Hale


Denver police arrested a 35-year-old man on suspicion of first-degree murder in a fatal shooting near East Colfax Avenue and North Dahlia Street.

Joseph York was arrested Thursday after detectives identified him as a suspect through interviews and surveillance video, the Denver Police Department said in a news release Friday.

Detectives believe York was arguing with the victim, 25-year-old Elijah Barr, before the shooting in the early hours of June 7, the Denver Police Department said in a news release Friday. The intersection is between the city’s South Park Hill and Hale neighborhoods.



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