Week 9 saw the previously one-loss Indianapolis Colts head to Pittsburgh to face the Steelers. Unfortunately for the Colts, Pittsburgh proved a much tougher challenge than a team like the Tennessee Titans.
This was a tough loss, there's no other way to put it. In the ranking of most important games to win for this team, a contest that could determine high seeding order in the AFC is a big one. Pittsburgh is a good team, and they have their record for a reason.
It was an ugly day, but let's not lose sight of the bigger picture. Ultimately, if before the season Colts fans were told that they'd be 7-2 through nine weeks, they'd be jumping for joy. This is a very good Colts team that couldn't get out of its own way in a tough road environment against another playoff team. Somehow, this team committed six turnovers on the day, and yet still only lost by seven points.
The winners and losers for the Indianapolis Colts' Week 9 loss
Loser No. 1: Daniel Jones
Let's get the elephant in the room out of the way. This game was, far and away, very easily the worst Daniel Jones has ever looked in a Colts uniform. It's the only way that the quarterback's performance can be aptly categorized.
Jones finished the day completing 31 of his 50 pass attempts for 342 yards and a touchdown. Unfortunately, he also finished the day with three interceptions (one of them a pick six) and three lost fumbles, though only two of them were recovered by Pittsburgh.
It may not have been entirely Jones fault that he struggled so mightily against a Steelers defense that seemed to be channeling the steel curtain of days past, but it's next to impossible to win a game on a day where the quarterback can't take care of the ball to this extent.
This was an ugly game from Jones, a game that's the stuff of nightmares, but there is a silver lining that despite all of his troubles, he was still able to steer the offense to putting up 20 points in the end.
Loser No. 2: Josh Downs
Josh Downs made basically only one error on the entire day, but that mistake was an incredibly costly one. Towards the end of the first quarter, Jones and the offense had already put a touchdown on the board, and the defense had forced the Steelers into consecutive three and outs.
The game had the familiar feel of most Colts games this year, that they were in utter control and the day would end as an Indianapolis blowout.
From the start of the game up until this point, Indy had all of the momentum, and it was only growing in power. Unfortunately, a miscue from Downs shifted that momentum in a catastrophic way in favor of the Steelers. The Steelers were punting after a second consecutive three-and-out drive, and Downs misjudged the kick, allowing it to bounce off of him for a Pittsburgh red-zone recovery.
Funnily enough, that mistake didn't even end up with the Steelers putting points on the board, as the defense then forced them into a turnover on downs. Still, the damage to the momentum was done. From that point onwards, Indianapolis couldn't stop spiraling, and Pittsburgh never let up. This is not a game that can be put solely on Josh Downs, but his misstep was the catalyst for letting the Steelers back into the game.
Winner No. 1: Laiatu Latu
Shifting towards a more hopeful tone, there were still some definite bright spots for the Colts despite the result. Pass rusher Laiatu Latu continued his emergent sophomore season, notching two and a half sacks on the day. It's a minor miracle that on a day where the offense turned the ball over six times, the defense was still able to hold the Steelers to 27 points, and Latu was a huge part of that.
Ultimately, it wasn't enough to bring the Colts over the top, but the majority of that blame can't be put on the defense. They're the only reason that the final score was able to be so deceptively close. At many points in the game, it felt like Pittsburgh should have been up by at least three touchdowns, but Latu and company kept the game manageable.
Let's be reasonable. This is a bad loss, but it's only one game out of 17. In a season that has been defined by offensive dominance and lackluster defense, it's nice to see growth on at least one side of the ball. At the end of the day, it's nothing more than putting lipstick on a pig, but Latu had a great day for himself.
Loser No. 3: Shane Steichen
This was a game that got out of hand for Shane Steichen. In many ways, it's probably a good learning experience for the head coach, but his strategy was flawed as the game progressed. This was a day where Daniel Jones couldn't stop turning the ball over, and you have the most productive running back in the entire league in the backfield.
It's not a winning formula to then only give that esteemed bell-cow only 14 carries while the struggling quarterback throws the ball 50 times. Yes, for a large portion of the game, the Colts were down multiple possessions and needed to work against the clock. The passing game was something that the team was almost forced into continuing.
But still, the Colts were the first team to put points on the board. They should have established the run early and often before they were down multiple scores. It would have allowed them to set the tone and control the clock. What's the point of having arguably the best running back in the NFL if you don't use him when the passing game isn't working?
It was not Shane Steichen's best day as a head coach, not even close. But it might end up working out better for Indianapolis in the long run. Playoff football is a lot different than running up the score on the Titans and Raiders, and it's good to know what getting punched in the mouth feels like before then. Hopefully, Steichen and company will use this loss as an experience to get better.
Winner No. 2: Alec Pierce
It's no secret that Daniel Jones struggled mightily on the day. It seemed that whenever he panicked, he tried to throw it up to one of two players, Alec Pierce or Michael Pittman, who both finished tied as the leading receivers for the team with 115 yards.
Still, that's what Michael Pittman's role is supposed to be in this offense. Alec Pierce has had productive seasons in years past, but in 2025, he's transcended the player he used to be. Not only is Pierce arguably the most reliable deep threat in the NFL, but he's also been electric in every part of the field.
The Colts are going to have to be prepared to fork over big money for Alec Pierce in the offseason. He's been one of the best values in the league on his current contract, but he's played like a WR1 this season. A lot of times, it feels like he's the 1B to Michael Pittman's 1A.
All in all, Week 9 was a failure for the Indianapolis Colts. This is a tough loss for the team to swallow, especially with the playoff implications. But the important thing to remember is that this is only one game. All teams (besides one) in the history of the NFL have had to lose at some point.
Winning is amazing, but very often it's the losses and how a team responds to them that define the true nature of a squad. The Colts are at a critical position now where they need to cement that they're here to stay and here to compete.
Hopefully, this is the wake-up that the team needed to grow and be even better than what we've already seen. You can be sure that's how Shane Steichen and the rest of the team are going to use it.