Steelers Scouting Report: Indianapolis Colts, Week 4
Steel City Underground scouts the Pittsburgh Steelers’ opponents each week of the 2024 NFL regular season ahead of the games to inform fans of the latest news, roster moves, important players, and latest social media chatter.
Can the Steelers stay ahead in the AFC North? Here’s a look into another likely victory in Indianapolis.
The Pittsburgh Steelers will be facing off against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, September 29th, during Week 4 of the 2024 regular season. So far, the Steelers have defeated the Denver Broncos and Atlanta Falcons on the road, and won their first home game against the Los Angeles Chargers to secure a 3-0 record and the top spot in the AFC North.
Will Pittsburgh continue their winning streak against the Colts this Sunday?
Possibility of a victory in Indianapolis
The Steelers lost 30-13 to the Colts last season in Indianapolis, as both teams entered the matchup 7-6 on the season. That game was a matchup of backup quarterbacks as Mitchell Trubisky faced Gardener Minshew. Neither player is with their respective teams this season, yielding a new outlook despite the Steelers possibly handing the starting nod to a backup quarterback, Justin Fields, again this weekend.
The 1-2 Colts eked out a victory against the Chicago Bears at home last weekend for their first win of the 2024 season. Indianapolis relied on RB Jonathan Taylor to carry the team, rushing for a season-high 110 yards. It is Taylor’s second 100-yard or more game this year. He has 261 yards and three touchdowns to date.
Colts QB Anthony Richardson struggled against the Bears defense, throwing two interceptions and completing only 50% of his passes, registering a woeful 39.0 quarterback rating.
The Colts have several pass catching options for Richardson, with Joshua Downs returning last week after missing action in the first two games of the season. He’s flanked by Michael Pittman, Alec Pierce, and rookie Adonai Mitchell. However, those receivers will only perform as well as their quarterback, who has yet to complete more than half of his throws in a game this season. Richardson has three touchdowns to six interceptions on the year.
The lack of a passing attack in Indy should bode well for a dominant Pittsburgh defense that has allowed a combined total of 26 points in three games this season. The Steelers offense will similarly need to keep their passing attack going, as Justin Fields threw for a season-high 245 yards, adding a touchdown in the air and on the ground.
Sunday’s game could be the debut of rookie WR Roman Wilson, who would aid the run game with his blocking ability while also drawing attention with his 4.3 speed. Combined with Calvin Austin, who runs a 4.2 and scored his first touchdown last week against the Chargers, the passing game may open up more for George Pickens and Pat Freiermuth.
It could be a “Fields” day against the 31st ranked defense who has given up 1,195 yards and 61 points to the Texans, Packers (with backup QB Malik Willis) and Bears.
Defensively, we’ll be monitoring the progress of Colts players such as rookie pass rusher Laiatu Latu who has been hampered with a hip injury. Defensive tackle DeForest Buckner was placed on IR and is unavailable for several more weeks.
The turnover battle will be the key, as the Steelers have only given the ball away once in the 3-0 start. The Colts have turned the ball over six times thus far, as they await the league’s top defense: Pittsburgh is first in yards, points and first downs allowed in 2024. While the Steelers will be hoping for another win at the Lucas Oil Stadium, their opponents will be looking to make up for their losses and not fall to 1-3 on the year.
It may be too early to judge the consistency of team performances, but the experts have already made predictions on who’s most likely to win. If you’d like to bet on the match then check out the top NFL picks according to sportytrader.com.
Chances of winning the AFC North increase with win
Touted as the strongest division within the NFL, the AFC North comprises some of the strongest contenders in the league. Last season, three out of four teams made the playoffs, with all four of them finishing above .500, making the AFC North the first division since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970 to achieve this feat.
Pittsburgh currently holds the top spot in the division, while the Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, and Cincinnati Bengals have all suffered early season disappointment. The Steelers have jumped out to a three-game lead on the Bengals and hold a two-game advantage over the Ravens and Browns.
A win in Indy could increase the Steelers’ chances of winning the division but that will depend on how well they can continue their defensive dominance and find cohesion in the offense.
Winning against the Colts will definitely be in the cards for the Steelers. However, their chances of winning their division depend on how well they fare against their fellow AFC North contenders. With the way they’ve performed so far, it’s safe to say they’re off to a good start.
