INDIANAPOLIS – Areas of interest in the Indianapolis Colts’ Sunday meeting with the Pittsburgh Steelers at Lucas Oil Stadium:
*Kickoff: 1 p.m.
*Broadcast: CBS4.
*Spread: Steelers by 2½.
*History lesson, Part I: One streak ended in mid-December, and we’ll see if the Colts are able to manufacture a rare mini-streak Sunday. Indy posted a 30-13 win over Pittsburgh in week 15 last season, which snapped an eight-game losing streak in the series. The last time – well, the only time – the Colts have won back-to-back games against the Steelers consisted of a 41-7 victory in 1968 followed by a 34-21 decision in 1971.
Pittsburgh owns the series 26-7 and has won 18 of the last 21.
*History lesson, Part II: The Steelers are one of the NFL’s five unbeaten teams. They’ve opened a season 3-0 for the first time since 2020 and the ninth time since the 1970 merger. Pittsburgh used quick starts as a springboard to Super Bowl championships after the 1978-79 seasons.
The last time the Steelers opened 4-0: 2020.
*History lesson, Part III: Mike Tomlin is in his 18th season as the Steelers head coach and has endured exactly ZERO losing seasons. His 176 regular-season wins and 184 overall victories rank No. 11 in league history.
*Better accuracy: The prevailing topic leading up to Sunday has been Anthony Richardson and his accuracy issues. More to the point, his inaccuracy issues. He’s completing a league-worst 49.3% of his passes and the “layup’’ misses have been glaring and making it too difficult to sustain drives and stressing an injury-depleted defense.
Is it faulty footwork? Is Richardson hurrying his throws when he sees a wide-open Josh Downs, Alec Pierce or Kylen Granson?
He insisted he just needs to relax and play the position.
“Yeah man, just stop thinking and just let it spin,’’ Richardson said. “Of course, I’m hearing all the noise or whatever, but forget about it. Just let the ball go as you go out there and play football.
“Just trusting myself, trusting my instincts. I’ve been throwing the football for a long time. Why not just keep spinning it and don’t try to change anything up? Just let it rip.”
Pro Football Focus ranks the Colts’ offensive line No. 1. Jonathan Taylor has cracked the 100-yard barrier in consecutive games for the first time since 2021 and his 261 yards rank No. 7. Pierce is off to a blistering start and Downs’ return represents a short and intermediate threat in the pass game.
But the offense isn’t going to approach its potential until Richardson starts making the routine plays. The explosive plays are necessary – the Colts rank No. 3 in yards per play and have generated a league-best five completions of at least 40 yards – but they’ve converted just 32.3% of their third-down situations, including 5-of-21 the last two games. The latter is why Indy ranks No. 17 in yards per game and a contributing factor to a league-worst 21:36 time of possession.
And Richardson leads the league with six interceptions.
It’s harsh, but it’s true. Richardson needs to elevate his game.
And he must do it against a T.J. Watt-led Steelers defense that will get in his face and force the issue. Pittsburgh is allowing opposing QBs a 61.7% completion rate and 69.5 rating. It has nine sacks and four interceptions.
The Steelers have allowed 10, 6 and 10 points.
*Ride the hot hand: The best way to help a quarterback stabilize his game is by giving him a legitimate run game. That’s your cue, Jonathan Taylor.
The league’s 2021 rushing champion once again has established himself as one of the best at what he does. Taylor is relying on his patience, sharp cuts and acceleration to give the offense balance. He’s averaging 5.1 yards per game and eight of his 51 attempts have picked up at least 11 yards. His three 20-plus-yard runs are tied for the league lead.
Whatever damage Colts are able to do on the ground won’t come easily. The Steelers’ run defense is allowing 71.3 yards per game and 3.5 per attempt.
Even if it’s tough sledding early, Shane Steichen and coordinator Jim Bob Cooter must have patience with the run game.
In the victory last season, Taylor was out with a thumb injury and backup Zack Moss was forced from the game in the second quarter with an arm injury. Trey Sermon and Tyler Goodson stepped in and the Colts ran 34 times for 170 yards.
*Deal with Watt: Steichen and Cooter undoubtedly spent extra hours game-planning for Watt. He’s simply one of those rare players capable of wrecking a game with three or four plays from his left end spot.
Right tackle Braden Smith is questionable with a knee injury, which puts rookie Matt Goncalves on high alert. Regardless of who starts at right tackle, the tight ends – Mo Alie-Cox, Drew Ogletree, Granson, perhaps Will Mallory – will spend a ton of time offering assistance.
*Next man up on D: The Steelers won’t bring a prolific offense to Indy. It ranks No. 28 in yards per play (4.6) and yards per rush (3.6), No. 29 in passing (158.3 yards per game) and No. 24 in scoring (17.0). They’ve scored three touchdowns.
The Steelers undoubtedly will run the heck out of the football, whether it’s with Najee Harris or quarterback Justin Fields. Despite their lackluster per-attempt average, they rank No. 2 in the league with 108 attempts. The league average: 80.8.
The Colts got their act together in the win over the Bears, allowing just 63 yards and 2.3 per attempt after yielding 474 yards in their first two losses.
The trouble: The defense is dealing with significant injuries.
End Kwity Paye (quad) and nickel Kenny Moore II (hip) are out. Tackle DeForest Buckner (ankle), cornerback JuJu Brents (knee) and end Samson Ebukam (Achilles) are on IR.
That’s five starters, and that stresses the defensive depth.
*And the winner is: Colts 19, Steelers 16. One of those hunches. We’re not convinced the Steelers are as strong as the 3-0 indicates and at some point Richardson is going to make the necessary layups. Of course, the injuries on defense worry the heck out of us.
You can follow Mike Chappell on Twitter at @mchappell51.
