We’ve been talking a lot about the Denver Broncos offense these last few weeks, but let’s be honest: The Broncos will ride and die with their defense.

No matter who’s at quarterback, no matter how many passes Demaryius Thomas does or does not drop, the only thing that’s going to allow the Broncos to hang with the big boys and compete for a Super Bowl championship is their defense, which just so happens to be the best in the league. And that’s never been more true than it will be this weekend against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Right now, there’s no offense in the league that’s hotter than the Pittsburgh Steelers. In their last five games, the Steelers have averaged 35.2 points and 494 yards per game, with their only loss coming against the Seattle Seahawks in a 30-39 thriller. For comparison, the 2013 Denver Broncos (the greatest offense in NFL history) averaged 37.9 points and 457 yards per game.

Despite everything the Broncos defense has proven this season, this will unquestionably be their biggest, most-important test of the season.

Luckily, they’re fully capable of bringing the Steelers offense to a sudden, abrupt stop. Here are three reasons why the Denver Broncos defense will shut down the Steelers offense: