This is a game where it’s hard to determine which story is the biggest. The Denver Broncos are starting an entirely new era with Peyton Manning at the helm. They should be much better on offense in 2012, replacing Tim Tebow with an actual quarterback. This should go nicely with a defense that beat people up in 2011. That brings about the question – can they get off to a hot start against a good Pittsburgh team? There are a couple of different factors to consider. In this one, the Broncos are one point favorites, so the the betting public sees this as a close game.

The first factor to consider is whether the Steelers can overcome the most difficult venue in the NFL. There is a reason why Denver always plays well at home & is a good choice for your NFL picks. It has to do with the altitude. Teams that are not used to the light air can have trouble with conditioning. This happened to the Steelers in the playoffs one season ago, as they fell late in the game. Denver feeds off of its fans, as well, making Invesco Field a really tough place play. The smart money is on Denver playing really well in a great environment.

The second factor has to do with the Pittsburgh offense. Can the Steelers take it to the Denver defense? Can the explosive Pittsburgh offense actually throw the ball down the field on the Broncos? The answer is that Pittsburgh should be good enough to move the ball. They should hit on a couple of big plays down the field during the game. Pittsburgh will also lean on its running game – an element that it didn’t really have in the playoffs last season.

How will this game shake out? Many people will bet the Steelers in this game. They will choose Big Ben and the guys to take down a Bronco team that barely won eight games last season. That might be a foolish bet, though. The Broncos are tough at home. They have a lot of momentum and excitement right now. The Peyton Manning experiment will be a success, at least in week one. Think about that before backing the Steel city.

Posted by Wunderdog’s trusty sidekick ” Wundercat ”