It’s week 15 of the National Football League season and this week the Pittsburgh Steelers head west to take on the Indianapolis Colts. Here’s everything you need to know about this one!
What: Pittsburgh Steelers 7-6 at Indianapolis Colts 7-6
Where: Lucas Oil Stadium Indianapolis, Indiana
When: Saturday December 16th, 2023 430pmET
Weather: INDOORS
Wagering Information: Colts -2.5 O/U 42.5
Last Week: Indianapolis was tied 14-14 at the half with Cincinnati before losing 35-14. The Steelers meanwhile dropped their second straight game at home losing to New England 21-18.
TV: NFL Network Rich Eisen (play-by-play), Kurt Warner (analysis), Jamie Erdahl (field reporter)
TV Coverage in Your Area: If you have NFL Network then you’ll get the game.
Radio: Steelers Nation Radio/WDVE Bill Hillgrove (play-by-play), Craig Wolfley (analysis), Missi Matthews (sideline),
Max Starks (sideline)
Westwood One Radio: Bill Rosinski (play-by-play), Mike Mayock (analysis)
Head Official: Adrian Hill. The aerospace software engineer is a graduate of Buffalo. Hill is in his fifth season as an NFL referee and last called a Steelers’ game in 2022. That was a December game against the Ravens in which seven accepted penalties were called.
Key Injuries/Game Status (courtesy steelers.com) PIT: No. 8 QB Kenny Pickett (Ankle) – Out, No. 72 G Isaac Seumalo (Shoulder) – Questionable IND:No. 50 LB Segun Olubi (Hip) – Questionable, No. 72 T Braden Smith (Knee) – Out
No. 28 RB Jonathan Taylor (Thumb) – Out
Injury Notes: Taylor being out is a huge benefit to the Steelers but Zack Moss is solid running back and he can’t be dismissed… I have to wonder if the Steelers shouldn’t have placed Pickett on IR since he’s scheduled to be out four weeks anyway. Doing that would have created a roster spot.
2023 NFL Ranks:
Total Offense: PIT 27th IND 8th Passing Offense: PIT 28th IND 17th Rushing Offense: PIT 15th IND 16th
Total Defense: PIT 7th IND 29th Passing Defense: PIT 21st IND 17th Rushing Defense: PIT 21st IND 27th
AFC North Rankings: Baltimore 10-3, Cleveland 8-5 Pittsburgh 7-6 Cincinnati 7-6
This Week in the AFC North: Minnesota at Cincinnati 1pmET SUN, Chicago at Cleveland 1pmET SUN, Baltimore at Jacksonville 820pmET SUN
What You Need to Know: The Steelers are 18-9 all-time on nine days rest winning four-straight in that category… Mike Tomlin is 13-4 on nine days rest and is 6-2 on the road in these games… Pittsburgh has won eight straight against the Colts… In his last five games against first year head coaches Mike Tomlin is 0-4-1… Since 1970, the Steelers are 43-33 in games played inside domes… Pittsburgh is 58-50 in games following a two-game losing streak… T.J. Watt played in his 100th career game last week.
Indianapolis Colts Names to Know: QB Gardner Minshew, RB Jonathan Taylor, WR Michael Pittman, WR Josh Downs, TE Mo Alie-Cox, DT DeForest Buckner, G Quenton Nelson, OT Bernhard Raimann, LB E.J. Speed, RB Zack Moss
What’s at Stake: It’s pretty simple, neither team is eliminated with a loss and neither team gets a postseason berth with a win. That said, this game is crucial for both teams and especially the Steelers who will still have two more road games remaining. The Colts meanwhile finish on the road in Atlanta and then host the Raiders and Texans to end the year.
All-Time Series: Steelers lead 33-9 and lead all-time in Indianapolis 13-6
Last Meeting: November 2022 in Indy. Steelers 24 Colts 17
Postseason History: Steelers lead 5-0
Steelers Game Highs vs IND: PASSING: 522 yards Ben Roethlisberger 10/26/2014 RUSHING: 179 yards Barry Foster 09/18/1994 RECEIVING: 154 yards Louis Lipps 09/08/1985 SACKS: 3.0 Mike Merriweather 10/21/1984,
Chad Brown 12/29/1996 , James Harrison 12/06/2015 Interceptions:2 Darren Perry 11/22/1992, Brent Alexander 10/21/2002
Check out the latest Steel City Blitz Steelers Podcast for more on the Steelers.
Three Things We Need to See for a Steelers’ Victory:
1. 19 and Turnovers. The Steelers are 6-2 this season when they win the turnover battle and they are 6-1 this season when they allow 19 points or less. Those two stats don’t guarantee a win but they do go a long way towards getting one. The Colts are better than you may think on offense ranking eighth best in the NFL. Teryl Austin needs to show us some creativity and get his defense into positions where they can be successful.
2. Stay Ahead of the Sticks. We all know the Steelers’ offense is on the struggle bus – it has been for a couple of years now – so the best way to help it is to keep yourself in good position. The duo of Eddie Faulkner and Mike Sullivan have to emphasize getting solid yardage on first and second downs. Any third down situation of three yards or longer is a mountain the unit just can’t climb. Therefore it falls on the play callers and ultimately the execution by the players to get things in manageable situations.
3. It’s On Mitch. Mitchell Trubisky is one of the highest paid number two QBs in the NFL and it’s high time he started playing like it. Last week saw him put three balls into the arms of the opposition. Thankfully, one was dropped and the other was called back on account of penalty. Saturday needs to be the day when he reverts back to that guy he was in Chicago who was managing the game well, taking care of the ball and completing a high percentage of his passes. Another poor performance and Mike Tomlin will have no choice but to go with Mason Rudolph to save the season. Never thought I’d type those words…
Prediction: This game is going to be viewed as a massive referendum on Mike Tomlin. His teams have lost games before they should have won, but never have there been so many questions about the lack of effort. If this team lays a third-straight egg then the knives will be out. What I see however is a game that only muddies the waters. It will not be pretty and the offense will struggle again but they’ll find a way to stay in the race with three games left.
Steelers 17 Colts 14
Season Prediction Record: 6-7
