STEELERS (5-5) VS. COLTS (5-5)
THURSDAY, 8:30 P.M. ET, LUCAS OIL STADIUM, INDIANAPOLIS uTV: NBC
Announcers: Mike Tirico, Cris Collinsworth, Michele Tafoya
About the Steelers: There was no better cure for a Pittsburgh four-game losing streak than a trip to Cleveland. In their 24-9 win against the winless Browns, the Steelers got back to the basics. They played old-school Pittsburgh defense against the run, holding Cleveland to 33 rushing yards on 13 carries. Offensively, they gave the Browns a heavy dose of the best one-two punch in football: RB
and WR Simply repeating that performance against Indianapolis likely won’t be enough to get a win against the pass-happy Colts. QB
will have to be more effective and more efficient against a spotty Colts secondary for the Steelers to keep their playoff hopes alive.
About the Colts: One day after winning back-to-back games for the first time this season, the Colts announced Monday that QB
is in the league’s concussion protocol. With four days between games and numerous steps required to be cleared from the protocol, Luck is almost certain to miss the game against a Steelers team that has beaten them by a combined score of 96-44 in their past two meetings. Colts backup QB
has not started a game since 2013, since he was with the Green Bay Packers. S
also is in the concussion protocol, coach said. The Colts defense looked sharp Sunday, sacking Tennessee Titans QB Marcus Mariota five times and holding Tennessee’s dominant running game to fewer than 100 yards.
Putting pressure on Roethlisberger is an absolute must if you want to have any chance of slowing Pittsburgh’s offense. Walden has had a resurgence as a lethal pass rusher on the edge, notching at least one sack in three of his last four games, bringing his 2016 total to a career-high eight sacks. As always, Villanueva’s performance is critical in keeping Roethlisberger comfortable and in control.
WHO WILL WIN AND WHY
The veteran has slowly but surely cranked out 64.2 rushing yards a game and is on pace to get back to the 1,000-yard rushing seasons that he used to consistently put up. But in Week 11, he did something he hadn’t done in more than six years — top 70 receiving yards in a game. Gore caught four passes for 71 yards, and if he continues to be a safety-valve threat in the passing game, it’ll be huge for the Colts offense.
The Steelers have held opponents to fewer than 22 points in six of 10 games, while the Colts have held opponents under that mark once this season.
KEYS TO THE GAME
1. Holding Hilton: The Colts are 0-4 this season in games in which a player other than T.Y. Hilton led the team in receiving yards and 5-1 in games in which Hilton led the team in that category. The Steelers must stay conservative and keep Hilton under thumb as much as possible to avoid falling into a shootout with the Colts.
2. Fourth-quarter scoring: The Colts have scored 9.5 points a game in the fourth quarter, third most in the league. The Steelers have allowed an average of 6.8 points a game in the final quarter, 22nd in the league. If this thing is a shootout, give the edge to Indy.
3. Stopping the run: Indianapolis has allowed opponents 4.5 rushing yards an attempt this season, ranking 27th in the league. If the Steelers can give Bell 20 to 30 carries in this game, the Colts will have a tough time keeping their offense off the field.
Jordan Godwin. Contributing: Stephen Holder, Indianapolis Star