4 Steelers who need to thrive in Week 2 in order to dominate the Broncos

It might not have been pretty, but the Steelers found a way to win their season opener against the Falcons last week. Now they head back on the road to take on the Denver Broncos in Week 2. It won't be an easy game for either side, but many believe Pittsburgh has a better chance of winning this game. It will likely come down to a similar atmosphere as last week.

Defense is going to be big for both sides, especially if one can create more turnovers than the other. The Steelers started hot last week and created turnovers which allowed their offense to have quality chances of scoring throughout the day. They can't be expected to have that level of performance every week, but they could have a strong day against rookie Bo Nix.

Justin Fields will be at quarterback for the Steelers again barring some sort of last-minute miracle by Russell Wilson. If Fields can play smart football and not shoot his team in the foot, then the Steelers will have a great chance to win this football game. If he starts to revert back to his turnover level with the Bears, then this could get out of hand for Pittsburgh.

Jaylen Warren, RB

It was a good start for the running game last week, but Jaylen Warren got few carries in that win. He is still working his way back from his hamstring injury, but this might be the perfect time for him to help the Steelers offense.

If he and Najee Harris can bring a balanced attack on the ground, it will allow Pittsburgh to open more opportunities for Fields to use his legs and score some points.

Beanie Bishop, CB

Not much to say about Beanie Bishop's first game as a rookie, but he held his own when called upon. He wasn't challenged much, but he did make a nice tackle. The Steeler's current weakness on their defense is their slot cornerback spot.

Broncos Head Coach Sean Payton knows this and will try to expose that weakness more than the Falcons did. Bishop will have to be up for the challenge.

Van Jefferson, WR

Not a great start for Van Jefferson in a Steelers uniform last week. He didn't get targeted much in the passing game, his blocking looked suspect at best, and he was called for two penalties because he wasn't set. He is making some poor mistakes for a veteran with the experience that he brings with him.

George Pickens will have a big challenge against Patrick Surtain II, so expect Jefferson to get some extra targets on offense.

Patrick Queen, LB

High expectations surround Patrick Queen after he signed a big contract to join the Steelers in free agency. It is unfair to say he played poorly last week, but he wasn't as impactful as many had hoped coming into the game.

Payton Wilson seemed to outshine him when you look back to last week. Queen will be fine, but him applying pressure to Nix on blitzes and shutting down the Bronco's run game will be paramount to a win.