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The Denver Broncos ended the first quarter on fire, but started the second quarter with missed plays. Peyton Manning had Demaryius Thomas open for what should have been a touchdown, but overthrew him by a few feet. From there the drive stalled and the Broncos would punt it back to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Then Josh Bush didn't do his job, springing Darius Heyward-Bey for a 58 yard gain. Uhg.
He left the field and the Broncos defense promptly held the Steelers to a field goal after a huge Antonio Smith sack on Ben Roethlisberger. Broncos now down 10-6.
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) January 17, 2016
The Broncos responded with a typical three and out with a few miscues sprinkled in and were forced to punt.
Fortunately, the Broncos defense stepped up to force their own three and out after a sack by newly contract-extended Derek Wolfe.
After starting at their own 41 yard line, Manning hit Emmanuel Sanders for a 15 yard gain, but followed up with a missed throw to Bennie Fowler that would have put the Broncos into field goal range. Fowler drops another pass to put the Broncos into a third and 10 situation.
Again the Broncos couldn't seem to get the play off and were forced to use a timeout with the play clock down to three seconds. The boo birds have arrived. After a seven yard pass to C.J. Anderson the Broncos go for it. The pass was perfect to Sanders, but a jarring hit broke the pass up and the Broncos turn the ball over on downs.
The Broncos stopped the Steelers on the next possession on a three and out again. With three minutes and change, Manning will get another opportunity to score some points before halftime.
However, starting from their own five yard line the Broncos went ultra conservative. That didn't matter as Anderson would take the hand off up the gut for 35 yards.
Great job by the o-line opening up that lane for @cjandersonb22. Now score, offense, and all will be forgiven. pic.twitter.com/xX0nOaJcdA
— Jon Heath (@JonHeathNFL) January 17, 2016
Two minute warning.
The Broncos would get their first third down conversion of the game on a dart from Manning to Thomas to get the Broncos into Steelers territory with less than a minute to go.
The miscues continue as Manning gets hit while throwing then a botched snap and the Broncos go in for a field goal attempt to end the half.
From 51 yards out with the wind blowing the goal posts like crazy, Brandon McManus get the ball just inside the swaying uprights to close the gap to 10-9 to end the half.