DENVER — In the visitors’ locker room at Empower Field at Mile High Stadium on Sunday, the Steelers celebrated their 13-6 victory over the Broncos as it was time to hand out the game balls.

Well, not just any game ball. As Justin Fields called them, “petty” game balls.

Punter Corliss Waitman picked up one after joining the Steelers this week. Former Bronco and current Steelers practice squad receiver Brandon Johnson took home the second. And the third? That, of course, went to quarterback Russell Wilson.

“I think we all know Russ got a little dirty last year,” Fields said. “I know he wished he could have played in this game today. It’s great to get him this win.”

When the NFL scriptwriters conceived of this game in Week 2, it was billed as Wilson’s return and (potentially) his chance to exact revenge on a team that had benched him and ultimately forced him out of town. But with a calf injury sidelining Wilson for a second straight week and preventing him from playing against a team paying nearly $38 million of his salary, the game turned into another chance for Fields to prove he can be the Steelers’ starting center long-term.

The results were mixed.

yes sir 🫡#EasyToCelebrate | @Budlight photo.twitter.com/ltrxV8neH7

—Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) September 15, 2024

In the first half, Fields controlled the game well, completing 10 of 12 passes for 101 yards and a touchdown. His electric mobility was again evident, as he added 26 yards on the ground. But the bigger development was Fields’ ability to attack through the air. He threw with anticipation on a number of occasions and had excellent ball placement on several others.

The Steelers’ second series was in many ways a blueprint for how the offense plans to operate this season. The 12-play, 78-yard drive took 7:34 to complete, with Harris and Warren racking up yards on the ground. Fields added a pair of key scrambles. The tight ends were involved, with Pat Freiermuth making a nice sideline catch to put the Steelers in a goal-to-go situation. And, most importantly, it ended in the end zone when tight end Darnell Washington hauled in his first NFL touchdown.

Washington saluted the crowd after the touchdown, a promise he made to his brother Ezekiel, who is in the Marines.

“It was definitely an amazing feeling,” Washington said. “First time in my career. Words can’t really describe it.”

Darnell Washington said the salute was meant to honor his brother, Ezekiel, who is in the Marines. https://t.co/8BLpJiF4Ps photo.twitter.com/vzWPCjx08Z

— Mike DeFabo (@MikeDeFabo) September 16, 2024

Unfortunately for the Steelers, those good vibes wouldn’t last long. Much of the momentum the Steelers had begun to generate on offense was derailed by self-inflicted wounds.

This was especially true of the subsequent drive. If the second drive offered a formula for success, the third drive was a microcosm of the problems.

At right tackle, rookie Troy Fautanu earned his first NFL start. The plan was for him to rotate with last year’s first-round pick, Broderick Jones. Jones’ lone series, however, was a disaster. He was assessed three penalties during the series, first for offsides, then twice for holding. The second holding call negated Fields’ best pass of the game, when he threw on the run and into a tight window to George Pickens. The Steelers were ultimately forced to punt.

“Defenders flop. Referees throw flags. That’s the end of it,” Jones said. “There’s not much you can do about it. Just have the next-play mentality and keep going. … You don’t want it to get repetitive. You just always have to try to flush it out and get back on your A-game.”

Broderick Jones on his penalties: “Defenders flop. Referees throw flags. That’s the end.” photo.twitter.com/SBFlDo3K86

— Mike DeFabo (@MikeDeFabo) September 16, 2024

There would be no next play for Jones, as he was taken out of the game midway through the series. The young tackle said he didn’t need coach Mike Tomlin to scold him because “I scold myself.”

As the game wore on, penalties became a persistent problem that held the Steelers back as they tried to find a rhythm. On the next series, Fields drove Pittsburgh into the red zone again. At first, it looked like he would find Pickens for a touchdown. However, Van Jefferson was penalized for offensive pass interference on a play that the officials interpreted as an intentional pick. The Steelers would settle for a field goal.

“When I ran my route, he ran into me,” Jefferson said. “But they yelled what they yelled. … I came in and thought, ‘My bad (Pickens). I didn’t try.’ That’s my guy. I want him to score touchdowns, just like he wants me to score touchdowns.”

The Steelers were flagged 10 times for 78 yards. In the second half, that was one of the reasons Pittsburgh struggled to sustain drives and finish in the end zone. But that wasn’t the only problem. The Steelers had possession of the ball seven times in the second half. Three of those runs ended in three-and-out. They recorded just three first downs and 62 yards of offense in the second half.

“I think the biggest challenge was penalties,” Field said. “Just having those explosive plays and having them neutralized by penalties. We talked about it last week, cleaning those up. We just have to keep working on that and cleaning those up so we don’t hurt ourselves anymore.”

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While the Steelers failed to decide the game on offense, the defense continued to rally. Pittsburgh’s defensive front limited the Broncos to 64 rushing yards on 19 carries, many of which were Bo Nix scrambles. That forced Denver to become somewhat one-dimensional, allowing the Steelers’ pass rush to impact the game.

The Broncos’ offense never looked particularly threatening. Even one of Denver’s most productive drives of the day ended with a Steelers highlight when sophomore cornerback Cory Trice intercepted Nix in the end zone. A second interception in the final seconds, this time by safety Damontae Kazee, decided the game for good.

“We have a veteran group,” Tomlin said. “We have a lot of talent there, to be honest with you. I expect it. It’s appreciated. But I absolutely expect it. They have to be a catalyst for us. They know it.”

Zooming out, this was another Steelers victory that followed the same script this team has used to win games for years. The defense played up to the high salary cap, making life miserable for a starting quarterback, and the offense did just enough to escape with a victory.

Fields himself has shown growth as he’s been given more opportunities. He continues to build a noticeable chemistry with Pickens. He also seems to trust himself more to attack downfield and make more anticipatory throws. He played better than his stats — 13 for 20 and 117 yards — would indicate and for the second straight game, he didn’t lose the ball.

While it’s clear to everyone involved that Wilson’s injury has created an opportunity for Fields, potentially long-term, the former Bears QB said this week that’s not what he’s focused on.

“I have a job and that’s to lead us to a win every week,” Fields said Thursday. “We can have this debate about ‘who’s the starter, who’s not the starter.’ My main job is to go out there and win the game. As long as I do that, I’m good.”

Still, at some point, Tomlin will have to decide whether Fields has done enough to warrant him leading this team. For now, Wilson’s injury status will remain the biggest factor in that conversation. Consider that when Wilson first injured his calf in the preseason, he didn’t play in a game for three and a half weeks, and even then he admitted his calf wasn’t 100 percent.

Even though Fields hasn’t yet taken over the starting job from Wilson (and it’s hard to argue that he has, as he’s led one touchdown drive through two games), he should get more chances to prove himself right.

“I think I’m learning more about him every day that goes by,” Tomlin said. “I just think there’s no substitute for a relationship. You go through something together, you learn about yourself and each other. It’s been a good process. I’m looking forward to it continuing.”

Only time will tell how long this will last with Fields as the starter.

(Photo of Justin Fields: Kevin Langley/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)