Broncos add to Steelers’ misery

PITTSBURGH — The Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers never thought they would already be playing for next year halfway through a season that began with so many expectations.

Javon Walker scored touchdowns on two receptions and a 72-yard run on a reverse, and the Denver Broncos took advantage of repeated Pittsburgh mistakes to win 31-20 on Sunday.

Nearly 11 months after halting Denver’s season in the AFC championship game, the Steelers may have seen this season effectively ended by the Broncos (6-2) on Sunday.

“I would have bet my house before the season started we wouldn’t be 2-6,” defensive lineman Casey Hampton said. “I’d be homeless right now.”

The Steelers have lost six of seven to match their worst midseason record in Coach Bill Cowher’s 15 seasons and by any returning NFL champion in 20 seasons. No team has bounced back from a 2-6 record and a loss in its eighth game to make the playoffs, and only the Arizona Cardinals (1-7) have a worse record in the NFL.

“At 2-6, you have to audition for next year,” receiver Hines Ward said. “We’ll see now who wants it and who throws in the towel.”

The Broncos never got anything going offensively until it was too late in the 34-17 loss to Pittsburgh in the AFC championship game in January, but this game was just the opposite. They led 14-0 less than four minutes in on Jake Plummer’s 16-yard touchdown throw to Rod Smith following Walker’s 38-yard reception and Walker’s 10-yard scoring catch that came after Santonio Holmes fumbled a kickoff.

“We were down 14-0 before you could blink,” Cowher said.

Pittsburgh’s Ben Roethlisberger threw for a career-high 433 yards by going 38 for 54 a week after having four passes intercepted in a 20-13 loss at Oakland. But he had three more interceptions, two at the Denver three-yard line by Champ Bailey -- the first coming with the Steelers possibly driving for the tying score midway through the second quarter.