3 things the Colts must do to beat the Steelers and win their second game in a row
The Indianapolis Colts (1-2) and the Pittsburgh Steelers (3-0) will meet Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium for an important early-season matchup. The Colts came out on top when these teams faced off in Week 15 of last season, but both squads look very different now, especially with new quarterbacks at the helm.
Last week, Indianapolis picked up their first win of the season against the Chicago Bears, and are currently one game behind Houston for the AFC South crown. On the other side, Pittsburgh has plenty of momentum as they enter Week 4 as one of only five remaining undefeated teams in the league. If Indianapolis wants to keep pace in the divisional race and beat the Steelers, here are three things they need to do.
1. Lean on Jonathan Taylor... but don’t be afraid to take deep shots
Still only seven games into his NFL career, Indianapolis quarterback Anthony Richardson is clearly feeling some growing pains. He has a league-worst 49% completion rate, and a league-high six interceptions so far this year. While the Colts’ passing game is sputtering, the team needs to rely on star running back Jonathan Taylor for production. Last week, Indianapolis head coach Shane Steichen handed Taylor 23 carries, and the former All-Pro rewarded him with 110 rushing yards and a pair of touchdowns. It's not always flashy, but giving Taylor a heavy workload has usually been a recipe for success.
Even with Taylor playing at an elite level, at some point, Richardson will have to make plays through the air. Richardson doesn’t throw the ball all that much, and many of his passes are woefully inaccurate, but when he is able to connect with his receivers, he makes it count. The 22-year-old QB has wowed fans routinely with explosive deep throws, as he leads the NFL in both air yards per completion and throws of at least 40 yards.
With Taylor likely to occupy so much of the Pittsburgh defense’s attention, Steichen should give Richardson the freedom to take deep shots when he has the opportunity to. It should help that the Steelers are dealing with injuries to an already-thin secondary. Pittsburgh has the league’s best scoring defense for a reason, and the Colts are going to need a few big plays from Richardson, along with another stud performance from Taylor, to get some points on the board.
2. The Colts offensive line needs to be excellent
It should be no secret that the Indianapolis offensive line has been excellent through Week 3. The numbers speak for themselves. The Colts o-line has the highest run block win rate (77%) in the league and the team is averaging the 2nd-most rush yards before contact. They are also third-best in pass block win rate (74%), allowing the 8th-lowest pressure rate. Anchored by 3-time first-team All-Pro Quenton Nelson, PFF currently has the Indianapolis unit ranked as the best offensive line in the entire NFL.
Superb offensive line play is critical for the Colts. Taylor, the squad’s most dangerous weapon, is at his best when he can take advantage of open running lanes. A clean pocket and more time to throw are also beneficial for a young QB prone to making mistakes like Richardson.
While the Indianapolis o-line has been stellar so far, Pittsburgh’s front 7 may pose their biggest challenge yet. The Steelers have plenty of playmakers, including Cam Heyward, Nick Herbig, and of course, sack artist T.J. Watt, as well as the league second-best run defense. Just last week, the Steelers tormented the Los Angeles Chargers offense, racking up five sacks, and allowing a measly 61 rushing yards. If the Colts want to avoid the same outcome and establish some sort of rhythm, they will need near-perfection from their offensive line.
3. Contain the Pittsburgh ground game at all costs
The Pittsburgh offense may not be lighting up opposing defenses, averaging just 17 points per game, but they’ve been getting the job done. That’s largely because of the ground game, with the Steelers running the ball on nearly 60% of plays (the third-highest rate in the NFL). Armed with a true bellcow back in Najee Harris and a dual-threat QB in Justin Fields, Pittsburgh’s rushers give them a way to move the ball down the field, and take the pressure off a subpar passing game.
The Steelers also play textbook complementary football — the offense soaks up the clock run after run and, when the opposing team finally gets the ball, Pittsburgh’s suffocating defense is waiting to take it right back. This formula is exactly why the Steelers average the second-highest time of possession in the league (Indianapolis is dead last in that category, by the way).
Unfortunately, the Colts run defense has been a clear weakness this year. They have conceded 537 yards on the ground through three weeks, as Houston’s Joe Mixon and Green Bay’s Josh Jacobs both ran all over them for over 150 yards each. Indianapolis was better in Week 3, but Chicago isn’t really known for their run game, either. This week, stopping Pittsburgh’s rushing attack, forcing them to punt early, and giving as many opportunities as possible to the Indianapolis offense should be the Colts’ defensive priorities.
To make that happen, defensive coordinator Gus Bradley will need to stack the box (and bet that Fields can't torch his vulnerable pass defense) as well as hope for better play at every level: the defensive line, linebackers, and secondary. Do that, and Indianapolis might just pull off the upset.