Game story
In Week 9 of the 2009 NFL season on 2009-11-09, the Pittsburgh Steelers took care of business against the Denver Broncos, pulling away with a 28–10 final that controlled the game from start to finish.
The highest-scoring period was Q3 with 14 combined points — the stretch that most shaped the final margin.
K. Orton (Denver Broncos) paced the passing game, with -14.50 total EPA, and -3.0% completion percentage over expected.
On the individual side, S. Holmes (Pittsburgh Steelers) delivered the top overall EPA impact at +9.39 — the clearest player-of-the-game signal on the analytics sheet.
The momentum swing (-36.4% win probability) landed in the third quarter when Pittsburgh Steelers changed the game: (11:30) 7-B.Roethlisberger sacked at DEN 46 for -13 yards (90-K.Peterson). FUMBLES (90-K.Peterson) [90-K.Peterson], RECOVERED by DEN-56-R.Ayers at DEN 46. 56-R.Ayers for 54 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
Line score
Final score and points by quarter.
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | — | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 0 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 0 | 28 |
| Denver Broncos | 3 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
Stars of the game
Top performers by total expected points added (EPA) across passing, rushing, and receiving.
- 1 S. Holmes · Pittsburgh Steelers · Receiving · +9.39 total EPA · 6 snaps · +1.57 EPA/play
- 2 M. Wallace · Pittsburgh Steelers · Receiving · +4.47 total EPA · 8 snaps · +0.56 EPA/play
- 3 R. Mendenhall · Pittsburgh Steelers · Rushing · +4.41 total EPA · 22 snaps · +0.20 EPA/play
- 4 H. Ward · Pittsburgh Steelers · Receiving · +1.23 total EPA · 9 snaps · +0.14 EPA/play
- 5 E. Royal · Denver Broncos · Receiving · +1.18 total EPA · 10 snaps · +0.12 EPA/play
- 6 D. Graham · Denver Broncos · Receiving · +0.70 total EPA · 3 snaps · +0.23 EPA/play
- 7 B. Marshall · Denver Broncos · Receiving · +0.53 total EPA · 15 snaps · +0.04 EPA/play
- 8 R. Mendenhall · Pittsburgh Steelers · Receiving · +0.10 total EPA · 1 snaps · +0.10 EPA/play
Player of the game
FantasyHQ analytics player-of-the-game pick based on total EPA and signature plays.
S. Holmes — PIT · Receiving
S. Holmes posted the highest total EPA (+9.39) in the game, making the biggest overall impact on Pittsburgh Steelers's efficiency. Across 6 counted snaps, they averaged +1.57 EPA per play.
The signature play (-10.46 EPA) came from Pittsburgh Steelers: (11:30) 7-B.Roethlisberger sacked at DEN 46 for -13 yards (90-K.Peterson). FUMBLES (90-K.Peterson) [90-K.Peterson], RECOVERED by DEN-56-R.Ayers at DEN 46. 56-R.Ayers for 54 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals
Every touchdown and field goal with the player named in official play-by-play.
Touchdowns
- Pittsburgh Steelers — T. Carter
- Denver Broncos — R. Ayers
- Pittsburgh Steelers — H. Ward (B. Roethlisberger pass)
- Pittsburgh Steelers — M. Wallace (B. Roethlisberger pass)
- Pittsburgh Steelers — H. Ward (B. Roethlisberger pass)
Field goals
- Denver Broncos — M. Prater
How it unfolded, quarter by quarter
A quarter-by-quarter recap built from live scoring plays and play descriptions.
The opening quarter: Denver Broncos won the period 3–0. Denver Broncos connected on a field goal from the PIT 22 (Q1 55:28) — (10:28) 5-M.Prater 40 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-66-L.Paxton, Holder-17-M.Berger..
The second quarter: Pittsburgh Steelers won the period 7–0. Pittsburgh Steelers found the end zone from the PIT 58 (Q2 43:01); Pittsburgh Steelers added 1 points from the DEN 2 (Q2 42:50) — 3-J.Reed extra point is GOOD, Center-60-G.Warren, Holder-9-D.Sepulveda..
The third quarter: The quarter finished even at 7–7. Denver Broncos found the end zone from the DEN 33 (Q3 26:30); Denver Broncos added 1 points from the PIT 2 (Q3 26:16) — 5-M.Prater extra point is GOOD, Center-66-L.Paxton, Holder-17-M.Berger.; Pittsburgh Steelers found the end zone from the DEN 3 (Q3 24:15) — (9:15) (Shotgun) 7-B.Roethlisberger pass short middle to 86-H.Ward for 3 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Pittsburgh Steelers added 1 points from the DEN 2 (Q3 24:09) — 3-J.Reed extra point is GOOD, Center-60-G.Warren, Holder-9-D.Sepulveda..
The fourth quarter: Pittsburgh Steelers won the period 14–0. Pittsburgh Steelers found the end zone from the DEN 25 (Q4 7:12) — (7:12) (Shotgun) 7-B.Roethlisberger pass deep middle to 17-M.Wallace for 25 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Pittsburgh Steelers added 1 points from the DEN 2 (Q4 7:03) — 3-J.Reed extra point is GOOD, Center-60-G.Warren, Holder-9-D.Sepulveda.; Pittsburgh Steelers found the end zone from the DEN 3 (Q4 1:27) — (1:27) 7-B.Roethlisberger pass short right to 86-H.Ward for 3 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Pittsburgh Steelers added 1 points from the DEN 2 (Q4 1:22) — 3-J.Reed extra point is GOOD, Center-60-G.Warren, Holder-9-D.Sepulveda..
Turning points
Plays that moved win probability the most — the swings that decided the game.
- Pittsburgh Steelers (Q3 26:30) — (11:30) 7-B.Roethlisberger sacked at DEN 46 for -13 yards (90-K.Peterson). FUMBLES (90-K.Peterson) [90-K.Peterson], RECOVERED by DEN-56-R.Ayers at DEN 46. 56-R.Ayers for 54 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- Denver Broncos (Q2 43:01) — (13:01) (Shotgun) 8-K.Orton pass short middle intended for 27-K.Moreno INTERCEPTED by 23-T.Carter at DEN 48. 23-T.Carter for 48 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- Pittsburgh Steelers (Q3 17:38) — (2:38) (Shotgun) 7-B.Roethlisberger pass deep right intended for 86-H.Ward INTERCEPTED by 21-A.Goodman at DEN -1. 21-A.Goodman to DEN 20 for 21 yards (34-R.Mendenhall). PENALTY on DEN-91-R.Fields, Ill
- Pittsburgh Steelers (Q4 7:12) — (7:12) (Shotgun) 7-B.Roethlisberger pass deep middle to 17-M.Wallace for 25 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- Denver Broncos (Q4 8:39) — (8:39) 8-K.Orton pass short middle intended for 15-B.Marshall INTERCEPTED by 43-T.Polamalu at DEN 23. 43-T.Polamalu to DEN 25 for -2 yards (15-B.Marshall).
Impact plays
Highest expected-points added snaps that flipped field position and scoring chances.
- Pittsburgh Steelers (Q3 26:30) — (11:30) 7-B.Roethlisberger sacked at DEN 46 for -13 yards (90-K.Peterson). FUMBLES (90-K.Peterson) [90-K.Peterson], RECOVERED by DEN-56-R.Ayers at DEN 46. 56-R.Ayers for 54 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- Denver Broncos (Q2 43:01) — (13:01) (Shotgun) 8-K.Orton pass short middle intended for 27-K.Moreno INTERCEPTED by 23-T.Carter at DEN 48. 23-T.Carter for 48 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- Pittsburgh Steelers (Q3 17:38) — (2:38) (Shotgun) 7-B.Roethlisberger pass deep right intended for 86-H.Ward INTERCEPTED by 21-A.Goodman at DEN -1. 21-A.Goodman to DEN 20 for 21 yards (34-R.Mendenhall). PENALTY on DEN-91-R.Fields, Ill
- Pittsburgh Steelers (Q4 7:12) — (7:12) (Shotgun) 7-B.Roethlisberger pass deep middle to 17-M.Wallace for 25 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
Quarterback report card
K.Orton led all passers in efficiency for Denver Broncos, setting the tone in the passing game according to FantasyHQ analytics.
- K.Orton (Denver Broncos) · 41 dropbacks · 56.1% completion · -3.0% CPOE · -0.35 EPA/play · -14.50 total EPA
- B.Roethlisberger (Pittsburgh Steelers) · 32 dropbacks · 65.6% completion · +13.4% CPOE · -0.03 EPA/play · -0.89 total EPA
Team stats comparison
Side-by-side offensive and defensive efficiency from FantasyHQ analytics.
| Stat | Pittsburgh Steelers | Denver Broncos |
|---|---|---|
| Offensive EPA/play | +0.025 | -0.273 |
| Offensive success rate | 44.7% | 36.6% |
| Pass EPA/play | -0.028 | -0.354 |
| Rush EPA/play | +0.151 | -0.366 |
| Defensive EPA/play | +0.273 | -0.025 |
| Defensive success rate | 63.4% | 55.3% |
By the numbers
Despite the final score, Pittsburgh Steelers generated the better offensive EPA per play (+0.03 vs -0.27), suggesting they moved the ball more efficiently.
- Denver Broncos: 12 drives, -19.35 total EPA, 1 scoring drives
- Pittsburgh Steelers: 13 drives, +1.87 total EPA, 4 scoring drives
Key takeaways
What to remember for fantasy research, film review, and follow-up box score digging.
- Pittsburgh Steelers leaves with the win and the better postgame narrative for Week-to-week momentum.
- S. Holmes (Pittsburgh Steelers) is the first name to pull up for highlight reels and prop-retrospective research.
- B. Roethlisberger (PIT) beat expectation through the air — positive CPOE game for stack builds.
Every scoring play
Chronological scoring with field position and full play-by-play context.
- Denver Broncos FG (+3) — Q1 55:28 · PIT 22 · Score 0-3
(10:28) 5-M.Prater 40 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-66-L.Paxton, Holder-17-M.Berger. - Pittsburgh Steelers TD (+6) — Q2 43:01 · PIT 58 · Score 6-3
(13:01) (Shotgun) 8-K.Orton pass short middle intended for 27-K.Moreno INTERCEPTED by 23-T.Carter at DEN 48. 23-T.Carter for 48 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Pittsburgh Steelers XP (+1) — Q2 42:50 · DEN 2 · Score 7-3
3-J.Reed extra point is GOOD, Center-60-G.Warren, Holder-9-D.Sepulveda. - Denver Broncos TD (+6) — Q3 26:30 · DEN 33 · Score 7-9
(11:30) 7-B.Roethlisberger sacked at DEN 46 for -13 yards (90-K.Peterson). FUMBLES (90-K.Peterson) [90-K.Peterson], RECOVERED by DEN-56-R.Ayers at DEN 46. 56-R. - Denver Broncos XP (+1) — Q3 26:16 · PIT 2 · Score 7-10
5-M.Prater extra point is GOOD, Center-66-L.Paxton, Holder-17-M.Berger. - Pittsburgh Steelers TD (+6) — Q3 24:15 · DEN 3 · Score 13-10
(9:15) (Shotgun) 7-B.Roethlisberger pass short middle to 86-H.Ward for 3 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Pittsburgh Steelers XP (+1) — Q3 24:09 · DEN 2 · Score 14-10
3-J.Reed extra point is GOOD, Center-60-G.Warren, Holder-9-D.Sepulveda. - Pittsburgh Steelers TD (+6) — Q4 7:12 · DEN 25 · Score 20-10
(7:12) (Shotgun) 7-B.Roethlisberger pass deep middle to 17-M.Wallace for 25 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Pittsburgh Steelers XP (+1) — Q4 7:03 · DEN 2 · Score 21-10
3-J.Reed extra point is GOOD, Center-60-G.Warren, Holder-9-D.Sepulveda. - Pittsburgh Steelers TD (+6) — Q4 1:27 · DEN 3 · Score 27-10
(1:27) 7-B.Roethlisberger pass short right to 86-H.Ward for 3 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Pittsburgh Steelers XP (+1) — Q4 1:22 · DEN 2 · Score 28-10
3-J.Reed extra point is GOOD, Center-60-G.Warren, Holder-9-D.Sepulveda.
Frequently asked questions
Who won Pittsburgh Steelers vs Denver Broncos?
The Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Denver Broncos 28-10 in Week 9, 2009 on 2009-11-09.
What was the final score of Pittsburgh Steelers vs Denver Broncos?
The final score was Pittsburgh Steelers 28, Denver Broncos 10 (PIT 28-10 DEN) in Week 9, 2009 on 2009-11-09.
What was the score by quarter in Pittsburgh Steelers vs Denver Broncos?
Q1: Pittsburgh Steelers 0, Denver Broncos 3; Q2: Pittsburgh Steelers 7, Denver Broncos 0; Q3: Pittsburgh Steelers 7, Denver Broncos 7; Q4: Pittsburgh Steelers 14, Denver Broncos 0; Final: Pittsburgh Steelers 28, Denver Broncos 10.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals in Pittsburgh Steelers vs Denver Broncos?
Pittsburgh Steelers touchdown — T. Carter (Q2 43:01) Denver Broncos touchdown — R. Ayers (Q3 26:30) Pittsburgh Steelers touchdown — H. Ward (B. Roethlisberger pass) (Q3 24:15) Pittsburgh Steelers touchdown — M. Wallace (B. Roethlisberger pass) (Q4 7:12) Pittsburgh Steelers touchdown — H. Ward (B. Roethlisberger pass) (Q4 1:27) Denver Broncos field goal — M. Prater (Q1 55:28, 3 pts) Extra points followed each touchdown unless noted in the play-by-play.
How did the quarterbacks play in Pittsburgh Steelers vs Denver Broncos?
K. Orton (Denver Broncos), 56.1% completion, -3.0% CPOE, -0.35 EPA per dropback, -14.50 total passing EPA. B. Roethlisberger (Pittsburgh Steelers), 65.6% completion, +13.4% CPOE, -0.03 EPA per dropback, -0.89 total passing EPA.
Who was the most impactful player in Pittsburgh Steelers vs Denver Broncos?
S. Holmes (Pittsburgh Steelers) led the game in total EPA with +9.39 on receiving plays. across 6 snaps. The top single-play swing was (-10.46 EPA): (11:30) 7-B.Roethlisberger sacked at DEN 46 for -13 yards (90-K.Peterson). FUMBLES (90-K.Peterson) [90-K.Peterson], RECOVERED by DEN-56-R.Ayers at DEN 46. 56-R.Ayers for 54 yards, . The biggest win-probability swing was -36.4%.
Season records after this game
Pittsburgh Steelers
Entered 5-2 Now 6-2 W
Denver Broncos
Entered 6-1 Now 6-2 L
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