After their team's first loss since Jay Cutler and the Bears came to town for a preseason game, Denver Broncos fans are a little worried.

They shouldn't be.

Many of the Broncos' critics are treating this loss to Baltimore as though everything they assumed about Denver prior to the start of the season was right on. They act like the Broncos' first loss of the year proves that Denver was a fraud and a sign of more bad things to come.

Simply put, those assessments are an overreaction. The Broncos didn't luck into the No. 1 defense in all of the NFL. They didn't lead the league in sacks by accident. Their 6-0 start before finally losing to Baltimore last Sunday was no fluke. They will be out to prove that when they host the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday Night to cap off the NFL's slate of games for Week 9.

The Steelers are a tough team, but the Broncos are no strangers to good competition in the 2009 campaign. Denver has played Cincinnati, Dallas, New England, San Diego, and Baltimore, all of whom have a combined record of 23-12.

Pittsburgh just might be the best Denver will have faced to this point, and they are coming off of their bye week to boot.

Led by quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, the Steelers boast the NFL's fifth best aerial attack at 267 yards per game, and they have a variety of playmakers at their disposal.

Santonio Holmes, Hines Ward, and Mike Wallace are all smaller receivers who have good speed and great hands. Heath Miller is a guy who can get open over the middle and is a great red-zone target. Matt Spaeth and Mewelde Moore are both good third-down options in the passing game as well.

The only thing holding back the Steeler passing game is its offensive line, which has allowed Roethlisberger to be sacked 20 times so far this season. This does not bode well for Pittsburgh, which will be on the road against a defense that has sacked the opposing quarterback 23 times already.

Defensively, the Broncos have the advantage in every category other than run defense, where the Steelers boast the best unit in the league. They allow an NFL-low 76.6 yards on the ground per game, and Denver's running offense has been slowly declining with each game.

Pittsburgh's biggest defensive weakness is against the pass, where they rank 16th in the NFL. Denver last week had its worst offensive game since Week 1 against the Cincinnati Bengals, and the place they really struggled was in the passing game. Pittsburgh will try to keep Kyle Orton out of his comfort zone with a lot of different blitz packages.

They certainly have the tools to rush the passer in outside linebackers LaMarr Woodley and James Harrison, who are two of the league's best. The Broncos might have a tough time stopping both of them with right tackle Ryan Harris out indefinitely with two dislocated toes. In his place will be second-year player Tyler Polumbus, who will most certainly have his hands full.

If the Broncos are going to win this game, they need to get their passing game going. No more "dink and dunk" in the offensive play-calling, this team needs to attack what will likely be a very aggressive Steeler defense with short, quick passes as the Broncos have favorable advantages in one-on-one coverage.

This Monday night matchup promises to be a great one, and the Broncos certainly will enjoy playing in front of their home crowd for the first time since their overtime victory against New England in Week 5.

---SAYRE BEDINGER.