Broncos figured Roethlisberger injury talk was a bluff

If you weren’t surprised by how effective Ben Roethlisberger was on Sunday, you weren’t alone. The Denver Broncos expected it, too.

Roethlisberger starred for Pittsburgh, completing 24 of 37 passes and throwing for 339 yards. Denver wasn’t surprised that Roethlisberger came out throwing, with Von Miller even calling the injury talk a bluff.

“No, he didn’t [look hurt], but like I said, like I said, I read through the bluff…I read through the bluff,” Miller said, via ESPN’s Jeff Legwold.

“We knew what to expect,” said Broncos defensive end Malik Jackson. “We knew he’d be in there throwing it. We never thought he wouldn’t be able to throw it.”

Roethlisberger didn’t even throw during the week, but the Steelers felt pretty good about him going in. Despite the defeat, they were clearly right to feel that way. One wonders if the Steelers and Roethlisberger were intentionally playing up his issues. They wouldn’t be the only team to do such a thing.