Face it, Steeler fans.

This is a dangerous game.

Ben Roethlisberger is still limping with a bum ankle, Rashard Mendenhall is out, Ryan Clark can’t play — and the Steelers are an 8-point favorite to beat the Denver Broncos on the road come Sunday.

Huh?

It’s not that the oddsmakers and experts think the Steelers are that good.

They think Tim Tebow is that bad.

The over-under for this game is 34. Do the math and if the Steelers are to win by at least eight points, the Broncos can’t score more than 13.

Actually, that sounds about right.

Denver has managed to score as many as 20 points just four times in Tebow’s 12 starts this year. Two of those games were losses — 38-24 to Oakland and 41-23 to New England — and Tebow threw for all of 60 yards, completing but 27 percent of his passes in last week’s 7-3 loss to Kansas City.

Did the Broncos back into the playoffs by losing their last three games?

Yes.

Are the Broncos the worst offensive team to qualify for the NFL playoffs since the league went pass-happy?

Yes.

Can the Broncos knock the Steelers out of the playoffs this weekend?

Yes.But not without help.Denver’s defense needs to force turnovers. But an immobile Roethlisberger facing a pass rush from the likes of Von Miller and Elvis Dumervil could create such mistakes.Isaac Redman is the Steelers’ prime ball carrier with Mendenhall sidelined. Redman fumbled twice in 19 carries against Cleveland last week. The Broncos are undoubtedly aware of that.Denver will try to shorten this game by putting the league’s No. 1 running attack to work. With Kyle Orton at quarterback, the Broncos ranked 25th in the league rushing statistics.Since Tebow went behind center, this team is averaging 190 rushing yards per game. That’s a ton. Willis McGahee is the plowhorse type of back the Broncos may try to pound the Steelers with all day.Rumor has it that Denver coach John Fox has a passing package featuring No. 2 quarterback Brady Quinn ready to be inserted if the Steeler defense is stuffing the Bronco running game.It would be surprising to see that. You dance with what brung ya. Fox is prepared to sink or swim with Tebow and company.The guess here is they’re gonna sink.The Steeler defense against this one-dimensional offense is not a good enough match for the home team. Denver will have too many three-and-outs.Mike Wallace and Antonio Brown have over 1,100 receiving yards each. Denver’s leading receiver is Eric Decker with 612.You gotta make plays in the passing game and the Broncos can’t.If Ben can’t go at some point, Charlie Batch will — and he is serviceable enough to win this game.Steelers 20, Broncos 10 — without the turnovers.John Enrietto is sports editor of the Butler Eagle