Broncos vs. Steelers: AFC Wild Card Weekend Free Pick

NFL 2011 playoff action continues as the second game of the AFC Wild Card Playoff Weekend hits Mile High Country. The American Football Conference first round playoffs close when the Denver Broncos and Pittsburgh Steelers square off in this contest today.

This AFC playoff football betting action has its kickoff scheduled for 4:30 PM ET on Sunday, January 8, 2012, from Sports Authority Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado. The winner moves on with a trip to New England to face the Patriots next weekend.

AFC Playoffs: Steelers vs. Broncos Game Day Preview

Denver (8-8 Home: 3-5) was 25th in scoring during NFL 2011 with an average of 19.3 points per game. On defense, The Broncos were 24th overall as they allowed 24.4 PPG. Denver went 7-8-1 ATS and somewhat surprisingly 9 of their 16 contests went OVER the game total.

Pittsburgh (12-4 Road: 5-3) ranked 22nd overall with an average of 20.3 points per game. On defense, the Steelers came in 1st overall as they allowed meager 14.2 PPG during the NFL 2011 regular. Pittsburgh were 7-9 ATS and ten of their 16 contests stayed UNDER the game total.

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AFC Wild Card Sunday Betting Odds: Pittsburgh vs. Denver Free Pick

TopBet.com provides our AFC Wild Card Sunday Denver vs. Pittsburgh Free Pick betting odds. When it comes to sports gambling, head to the Top of betting heap with the Sportsbook at the TopBet online wagering website! We see the Steelers D rattling QB Tim Tebow early and often here.

There is a lot of playoff history between these two clubs as this will be the seventh time they have meet in the postseason. The Broncos last playoff appearance was back during the 2005 NFL season when the Steelers defeated them 34-17 in Denver during the 2006 AFC Championship game.

Pittsburgh rolled in Mile High back in Week 9 of the 2009 NFL regular season and won 28-10 as they picked of then Denver QB Kyle Orton three times. Expect more of the same in this contest.

At about the halfway point of the 2011 NFL season, we didn’t have an opinion one way or the other on Broncos QB Tim Tebow. We do now though. Tebow is horrible and he’s embarrassing himself by masquerading as an NFL caliber quarterback. If you don’t believe us, check out his game logs.

As a passer, Tebow has completed just 126 of his 271 attempts with 12 TD and 6 INT. In a league that has 32 teams, Timmy ranks 34th amongst quarterbacks with a 46.5 completion rate. We understand his mobility, and the fact that he can move the chains by running the ball, but we don’t see that working very well against the Steelers #8 ranked run defense.

On the other side of the coin, Pittsburgh QB Ben Roethlisberger has been hampered by an ankle injury that flared up again during practice this weekend. The injury has left Big Ben relatively ineffective but he does own a 10-3 postseason record and we expect him to gut it out in this one.

Pittsburgh will also be without their leading rusher as RB Rashard Mendenhall went down with a season ending torn ACL in the Steelers Week 17 win over the Browns. Rookie RB John Clay and second year back Isaac Redmond will carry the mail against the Broncos 22nd ranked run defense.

When it comes to covering the spread, the Steelers are as fraudulent they come. Pittsburgh is 4-9 ATS when favorites by more than eight points dating back to the 2009 NFL season. That includes going 2-4 this year as they failed to cover against the Browns, Chiefs, Jaguars, and Colts – who had a combined 18-46 regular season record. Yikes!

That said, Pittsburgh has been here and done that. Tebow and Co. haven’t been anywhere or done anyhting. Tebow Time is thankfully over and out! The Steelers have burned us a couple times this season, but we are going to back them one final time here. It won’t be pretty, and it won’t be very high scoring, but 23-9 Steelers seems about right in this one.

>>> Back PIT vs. DEN at -9 (EVEN) At TopBet <<<