2023 GDT Week #15 7-6 Steelers vs. 7-6 Colts

[Steeler Hitman]

Saturday, December 16, 2023 at 4 pm Lucas Oil Stadium Indianapolis, IN

All Time Series: Steelers lead 26-6 including 5-0 in play-offs

Last Meeting: November 2022 in Indianapolis won by Steelers 24-17.

State of the Steelers after losing 24-10 to the 2-10 Cardinals and 21-18 to the 2-10 Patriots

Many fans message to Coach Tomlin the past two weeks!

Fans and the organization have four games to get it together.

TJ and Alex are in concussion protocol. The middle of the defense may not be the only part of the unit that struggles.  

 

Gardner Minshew will look to duplicate what Zappe and DTR accomplished against the Steelers (unexpected victories). Although this one won't be nearly as much as a surprise if Minshew pulls it off.  

      

The Steelers game play have left fans frustrated.

Predictions

I am hoping the nightmare ends. However, the team is at a tremendous low-point and will either fight or go down in black and gold flames. I have no clue what this team will do and they may not have Superman and Kato to (TJ and Alex) to pressure Gardner and company coming off a loss to the resurgent Bengals. I want the Steelers to win, but I have little trust in the offense and now the defense is possibly playing without their best pass rushers. I have to pick the Colts to win 23-17.  Hard to say, but reality is setting in. With another rough week in Pittsburgh, the chants of Tomlin must go aka Fire Mike Tomlin will get louder and louder with every loss. It has been rough since Thursday night!🫣🤐

 

 

 

 

 

 

[AFF]

Sadly I hope they lose.

[jebrick]

If they can stop the run they can win this but I have zero confidence the offense can score more than 17 points.  I think the Colts could put up 30 on this team if the offense totally breaks down again.

[August4th]

I see another texans and niners type game tbh defense will fold in the end, while the offense does nothing AGAIN. I got colts winning 28-7

[jebrick]

Colts do not have one WR to stop.  Minshew throws to all WR and both TEs and the RB.  Stop the run and the Stach will make a mistake.  Allow them to PA and the Steelers are dead.

[warfelg]

7 minutes ago, jebrick said:

Colts do not have one WR to stop.  Minshew throws to all WR and both TEs and the RB.  Stop the run and the Stach will make a mistake.  Allow them to PA and the Steelers are dead.

On the flip side with him spreading the ball around that much: they don’t really have a singular game breaker at the WR position.

A little change and wrinkle I would like to see is more Thompson and Kazee in 2 high, put Minkah on the TE’s, bracket Downs with Wallace and a LB, let JPJ take out Pittman.

[Steeler Hitman]

1 hour ago, AFF said:

Sadly I hope they lose.

I am not quite there, but getting close. I have been so deprived of seeing the Steelers play a complete football game, that I want to see something to build on. Sadly, I thought that they had that at the end of last year and during the pre-season this year.  I have been a fan so long it is hard to root against the team and organization that I love to tank.

The past two weeks have been very hard. You talk about a upset fan base. Funny, as a kid, I sometimes would cry when the Steelers lost. The loss to the Dolphins in the 72 AFC CG, I had to be given an Alka Seltzer and settled down. My head and chest started hurting after the fake punt pulled off by the Dolphins. 😆 If I was growing up now, I would really be a spoiled brat having a hissy fit every other week. 🤣😅😂

15 minutes ago, jebrick said:

If they can stop the run they can win this but I have zero confidence the offense can score more than 17 points.  I think the Colts could put up 30 on this team if the offense totally breaks down again.

Jebrick, the biggest thing is that no one seems to be able to put together a  complete offensive game plan.  The defense gets worn down as the year wears on and injuries pile on. The TOP has been a killer and many times the offense does not sustain drives. It was pretty sad seeing them get a turnover on the 12 yard line and not be able to score a TD.  This is nothing new.  Even when they moved the ball in Cincinnati, they couldn't put the ball in the end zone. The defense hasn't been able to hold teams to FG's instead of TD's and the offense has not been able to score TD's.

The Steelers for some reason have historically played the Colts very well. That may be their only hope. Like you, I don't have a lot of confidence in Mitch Tribisky at QB. The defense almost got a TD last game. They may need one here. The pass rush has also been a non factor over the past several games.  Back-up QB's are finding holes in the defense (particularly targeting the TE).

7 minutes ago, August4th said:

I see another Texans and Niners type game tbh defense will fold in the end, while the offense does nothing AGAIN. I got colts winning 28-7

I honestly have no idea which version of the Steelers will show up. When they are expected to do something, they do the complete opposite. I wouldn't be surprised if they lost like that or they turned around and won another close one. They hold on at the end. The defense may be without Watt and Highsmith. My only hope may be that Golden and Herbig get under-estimated (not drawing double teams or special attention) and have a big game.

[jebrick]

I believe this is the last winnable game on their schedule

 

[Steeler Hitman]

6 minutes ago, warfelg said:

On the flip side with him spreading the ball around that much: they don’t really have a singular game breaker at the WR position.

I think that Michael Pittman can do damage that several other WR's have earlier this year. Minshew is pretty reliable and experienced. He uses his weapons and sees the field well.  It is nice having someone who can come in and rally your team and even raise expectations of your franchise after the starter goes down.

I was not in favor of signing Mitch, but supported him. I wanted the Steelers to sign Carson Wentz. I don't know how he would have done either, but I wonder.....🤔

A little change and wrinkle I would like to see is more Thompson and Kazee in 2 high,

I have more confidence in Thompson than Kazee.  Kazee has totally disappointed me. I thought that he would flourish playing here. I was on Patrick Peterson's case early, but he has raised his game and played much better since early in the season.  I would not mind seeing him back there with Thompson. I have more confidence in his football IQ and playmaking than Kazee. 

put Minkah on the TE’s, bracket Downs with Wallace and a LB, let JPJ take out Pittman.

That sounds good to help the TE plays that have killed us. My concern if we do this  would be slot guy Josh Downs. The team typically struggles with the smaller/quicker type of guys who can play inside or get deep with quickness and speed. Guys like Sullivan and Kazee somewhat scare me in coverage.  Levi typically can't cover these type of players either. We are kinda pick your poison.

 

[3rivers]

1 hour ago, jebrick said:

I believe this is the last winnable game on their schedule

 

Ravens don't rest starters in the last game ?

 if mitch is QB,  I doubt they win unless the defence wins for them.  If concussion protocol is 9 days, then TJ and Alex  won't play, but what is protocol anyways - just add tinted visor and smelling salts

Colts will rebound after the bengals game.   With them playing lots of zone, I expect mitch to throw a few INT's.   

If mitch really has a bad game, will he start vs the Bengals at home where the chants will start to take over the game?

Edited December 11, 2023 by 3rivers

[3rivers]

https://steelersnow.com/steelers-name-new-starting-linebacker-blake-martinez/

 

some changes made but these won't have a major effect considering Benton already had a fair amount of playing time, and the KR probably is a lateral move while CA3 is trying to hang on to a roster spot .

They need to make more changes such as QB and getting GP much more involved . But it's safe to say tomlin will keep mitch at QB until KP can return.  

C would be something to consider if cole has bad snaps and misses blocks, but once again I doubt tomlin makes that change unless he is forced to.  These last few games would be a way to evaluate Herbig or Anderson at C though, but I doubt it happens. Maybe cole is the C next year as well?

GP better get more receptions and some that are down the field a ways. That route chart for him was painful to look at , I can't imagine how he felt out there running those plays as well as having mitch ignore him. 

How is the colts run defence and  interior passrush? I know Buckner is good, but will our interior be able to provide decent pass pro for mitch?

[Dcash4]

Benton is starting?

It would be nice to see their best DL outside of Cam play. Benton played 37% and 30% of the snaps the last two games respectively and that's WITH Adams missing a game. 

Ever Sunday I go "oh yeah, he is on the team" when Igwebuike returns a kick. 

[3rivers]

1 hour ago, Dcash4 said:

Benton is starting?

It would be nice to see their best DL outside of Cam play. Benton played 37% and 30% of the snaps the last two games respectively and that's WITH Adams missing a game. 

Ever Sunday I go "oh yeah, he is on the team" when Igwebuike returns a kick. 

this is on the HC. Why isn't Benton playing more?  

funny how Mr.Irrelevant, old timer off the couch,  and 2 undrafted QB's are better than the RD1 QB's we have.  I had Tommy in a few mocks but he's right at home in Jersey  with home cooked  meals , so good for Tommy. 

tomlin made changes for the sake of making changes - but these changes aren't the ones to make .   C and QB would be a start, ILB is out of injury so thats expected.  

maybe a bad snap and mitch TO's will cost us this 'winnable' game?

[jebrick]

AC3 is criminally misused by the Steelers.  When you watch the Ravens WR Zay Flowers, remember he is the same size as AC3.

[warfelg]

Benton popped up on the injury report today with an oblique injury.