The Colts did almost everything they could to give this game away, but they managed to survive a furious comeback attempt by the Steelers. They won by the final score of 27-24, despite losing their starting Quarterback, Anthony Richardson, in the first quarter due to a hip injury. There were many things the Colts did right against the Steelers that Pittsburgh’s first three opponents couldn’t do effectively.
That being said, this was an extremely sloppy game from the Steelers regarding coaching and execution on the field, and the Colts took advantage of that. It remains to be seen if Indianapolis’ weaknesses in run defense can be exploited down the line like it was during the first two weeks of the season. Regardless, they managed to clean up many errors from the prior weeks in Green Bay and Chicago, especially regarding turnovers. However, two key factors helped Indianapolis secure this win.
Winning the Line Of Scrimmage
In all three of their first three games of the season, the Steelers dominated the line of scrimmage, particularly on defense. They entered this game as the number one defense in terms of points and yards allowed, and were great against the run, holding teams to just 71.3 rushing yards per game coming into week 4. However, the Colts have something that the Steelers prior three opponents did not, and that is an elite offensive line and an elite running back.
Indianapolis ran the ball well against Pittsburgh’s stout front, with Jonathan Taylor finishing with 88 yards rushing on 21 carries with a touchdown. The Colts also did a great job in pass protection, as for most of the game, there wasn’t any significant pressure on Anthony Richardson or Joe Flacco. Although they did get away with a few missed holding calls on their right tackle, Braden Smith, against T.J. Watt.
The Colts also did a great job at stopping Pittsburgh’s rushing attack, particularly against Najee Harris. They held him to just 19 yards rushing on 13 carries. That’s just 1.5 yards per carry. Grover Stewart had a great game defending the run and the rest of Indy’s defensive line followed suit in rushing the passer. The Colts sacked Justin Fields four times and forced a fumble that they recovered. It was clear on both sides of the ball, that the Colts won the battle of the trenches.
Joe Flacco’s Composure
Joe Flacco came into the game early in the first quarter due to Anthony Richardson suffering a hip injury, and much like what he did in the past as a Baltimore Raven, terrorized Pittsburgh’s defense. Flacco had great protection for most of the game, and due to the threat of Jonathan Taylor, was able to take advantage of Pittsburgh’s tendencies on defense. The Steelers run cover three at one of the highest rates in the NFL this season, and Indy took advantage of that by attacking Pittsburgh’s linebackers in coverage, with a fair number of intermediate throws over the middle of the field.
However, that’s not to say they also didn’t have success against Pittsburgh in man coverage. Michael Pittman Jr. and Josh Downs both had monster games receiving and proved to overwhelm Pittsburgh’s corners. Joey Porter Jr. in particular had a rough outing, with multiple potential game-changing plays falling threw his hands. Above all else, the Colts were able to keep drives alive on third down, especially in the fourth quarter. They converted eight of their fifteen third down opportunities in the game, and in the final eighteen minutes of the game, they went 4-of-6 on third down.
Final Thoughts
The Colts got an impressive win against a tough opponent by beating them at their own game. Indianapolis ran the ball well, stopped the run well, protected their QB, and didn’t turn the ball over. They outplayed and outcoached the Steelers, and ultimately deserved to win this game.
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