Behind Enemy Lines: Colts at Steelers Q&A

The Indianapolis Colts face the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week Eight. I spoke with Kimberly Myers, an editor for Nice Pick, Cowher, to get some behind the scenes information on this week’s opponent.

1. The Steelers have gone from looking like a playoff team to falling apart the next week this season. What has been the issue with this team through the first seven weeks?

The inconsistencies have been frustrating. The team still has no real identity and they won’t until they can string together some wins instead of this win one lose one routine they’ve been on. Most fans fully expected the offense to carry the team and so far their red-zone issues have kept them from doing that.

2. We all know about Ben Roethlisberger, Le’Veon Bell, and Antonio Brown but who on the offense has really stepped up this season and who does the team look to besides these three?

Markus Wheaton had a strong start to the season but has been a bit off for the past two games. LeGarrette Blount has proven to be a good free agent pick up and dependable for positive yardage whenever he’s on the field.

But, for the most part, the offense runs through Roethlisberger, Bell, and Brown without a doubt.

3. What has been the issue with the defense? They can shut down the Panthers one week but give up 31 to the Browns. Is it an issue of age or talent with the team at this point?

It’s a bit of both. The youth movement was supposed to arrive with the drafting of Ryan Shazier and Stephon Tuitt but Shazier went out with injury and the Steelers went back to their old ways of playing veterans over rookies.

Cam Thomas has been awful on the defensive line and that’s where the strength of the defense needs to be to make up for the suspect secondary. I have a lot more optimism in the defense going forward with the younger guys playing more time, especially on the defensive line.

4. Who has to step up on both sides of the ball in order for the Steelers to pull of a win this week?

Roethlisberger and Wheaton need to be on the same page in order for the red zone offense to be effective if Brown is shut down by Davis. The defense just needs to try and get to Andrew Luck. It’s got to be with the front seven because our secondary is the biggest weakness on the team.

5. What is your prediction for Sunday’s game?

I can unfortunately easily see Andrew Luck dropping 50 points on us but, the Steelers are up and down this season so far. They’ve yet to put together back-to-back wins so by that trend this is the loss week. I’m hoping that ends and the Steelers can pull out a close win.

Schedule