2024 GDT Week #3 Steelers 3-0 Visit the Colts 1-2

[Steeler Hitman]

Who: Your  3-0  Pittsburgh Steelers visit the 1-2 Indianapolis Colts

When: Sunday, September 29, 2024 at 1:00 pm on CBS

Where: Lucas Oil Stadium Indianapolis, IN

All-Time Series & Last Meeting: The Steelers hold a 27-7 series lead. However, the last meeting was on 12/16/23  at Lucas Oil Stadium. The Steelers went up 13-0 early on the Colts. The Colts then put up 30 unanswered points on the Steelers and cruised to a 30-13 win led by Gardner Minshew's three TD passes and 170 yards against the tired Steelers defense. 

Steelers QB Justin Fields continues to improve each week leading the Steelers offense. After going 0 TDs, 1 TD, and then 2 TDs, he hopes to lead the Steelers offense to more offensive touchdowns and another critical road win. 

When the Colts have the ball on Offense:  They will be led by RB Jonathan Taylor and a strong offensive line led by OG Quentin Nelson.

QB Anthony Richardson has passed for 583 yards and 3 TDs, and run for another 117 yards and another TD. However, he has thrown 6 INTs.  Is this the week we see Magic Minkah's return to the INT column?

 

Other key offensive Colts: C Ryan Kelly, LT Bernhard Ralmann, WRs Michael Pittman and Alec Pierce, TE Mo Allie Cox

OLB Nick Herbig will be starting for injured Alex Highsmith. The Colts may try to run his way, but in passing situations, Herbig's explosiveness could be a surprising problem for the Colts' OL. 

Deforest Buckner has been a nightmare for the Steelers at times. 

Other Key Defensive Colts: CB Jaylon Jones, Safeties Nick Cross, and Julian Blackmon, Nickel Back, Kenny Moore, DL Kwity Paye, rookie Edge Lalatu Latu

A major key to the Steelers' offensive success will be the ability to run the ball. Zach Frazier has a gleam in his eyes and seems to like moving men where they don't want to go. He will need this against a Colts DL that has traditionally held the Steelers' strong rushing attacks at bay with speed and quickness. The only way to get the Steelers' run game going will be with head and body shots thrown by the OL. 

It's a crazy NFL season. The AFC North should be the AFC "Say What?" The Browns and Ravens are 1-2, and the Bengals are 0-3. 

Many NFL "so-called experts" think the Steelers are doing it with smoke & mirrors. They have an offense that has scored three TDs in three games. They think it is just a matter of time before the division goes back to the narrative that they all predicted.  The Steelers are supposed to be lucky to be 1-2 at this point of the season and the Browns, Ravens, and Bengals should be 3-0 or 2-1 at worse. Most experts say don't believe the Steelers hype. 

"Yes to them, but to me I'm a different kind We're brothers of the same mind, unblind  Caught in the middle and not surrendering" Yes, I believe the Steelers hype. Steelers pull out another road win. Steelers over the Colts 23-16. The Steelers will hopefully be 4-0 after the first quarter of the season. 

 

 

Edited September 26 by Steeler Hitman

[jebrick]

I said this one another thread, Najee should get 100+ yards vs the Colts.  Their run defense is terrible.

That being said, they can score points.

[August4th]

I think minka gets his first pick of the year 

[Steeler Hitman]

28 minutes ago, jebrick said:

I said this one another thread, Najee should get 100+ yards vs the Colts.  Their run defense is terrible.

That being said, they can score points.

That is and has been my hope for this team for several years to go back to bully ball.  Oddly, the Colts always seemed to do a good job of not letting out OL get clean blocks on them or using speed to blow up plays. I know that each season is different, but even when the Steelers OL was solid and they had Bell and Williams, they seemed to do it more passing than rushing.  

Offensively, stop Taylor and confuse Richardson. He has been color-blind early with 6 INT's. 

25 minutes ago, August4th said:

I think Minka gets his first pick of the year 

Minkah's due and I am sure privately he is looking to not just get one, but take it back to the house.

 

[bigben07MVP]

Anthony Richerdson has 19 starts since HIGH SCHOOL. He’s a hard player to figure out. He will look like MVP season Cam Newton on one play and rookie year Sam Darnold on the very next one. It will be interesting to see how he does against our defense. Jonathan Taylor is the Colts only option to move the ball on us consistently. If we shut him down, it could be a fun game for the defense.

As @jebrick mentioned, their defense has been getting absolutely gashed through both the air and the pass this season. They will be without Buckner, Kwity Paye, Kenny Moore, and Julius Brents on that side of the ball. This will be by far the worst defense we’ve played so far. Is this the game the dam officially breaks and the offense puts up 30+? I think so

Steelers 34, Colts 10 👀

Edited September 25 by bigben07MVP

[jebrick]

Talking with my local Colt's fans, Richardson has not really changed since college in the issues that are seen.  You will get 1-2 bone head throws but one out of 10 throws is a WHOA!.  I said, going into this season, I expect Richardson to have a completion % at or below 60.  He can run the ball and is a load.

[bigben07MVP]

4 hours ago, jebrick said:

Talking with my local Colt's fans, Richardson has not really changed since college in the issues that are seen.  You will get 1-2 bone head throws but one out of 10 throws is a WHOA!.  I said, going into this season, I expect Richardson to have a completion % at or below 60.  He can run the ball and is a load.

🎯 

Only averaging 37 rushing ypg this season though. Possibly trying to protect his surgically repaired shoulder. 

[MOSteelers56]

I'm cautiously excited to see Leal get a few more snaps at OLB. 

[3rivers]

Seumalo playing this week?

[Blackstar12]

9 hours ago, bigben07MVP said:

Anthony Richerdson has 19 starts since HIGH SCHOOL. He’s a hard player to figure out. He will look like MVP season Cam Newton on one play and rookie year Sam Darnold on the very next one. It will be interesting to see how he does against our defense. Jonathan Taylor is the Colts only option to move the ball on us consistently. If we shut him down, it could be a fun game for the defense.

As @jebrick mentioned, their defense has been getting absolutely gashed through both the air and the pass this season. They will be without Buckner, Kwity Paye, Kenny Moore, and Julius Brents on that side of the ball. This will be by far the worst defense we’ve played so far. Is this the game the dam officially breaks and the offense puts up 30+? I think so

Steelers 34, Colts 10 👀

Both haven’t been ruled out. 

[jebrick]

4 hours ago, MOSteelers56 said:

I'm cautiously excited to see Leal get a few more snaps at OLB. 

Tomlin hinted that he would in his conference.

[bigben07MVP]

1 hour ago, Blackstar12 said:

Both haven’t been ruled out. 

True, I took that straight from a fantasy football article about Justin Fields matchup this week. 

[rlon]

13 hours ago, MOSteelers56 said:

I'm cautiously excited to see Leal get a few more snaps at OLB. 

Really, you’re excited about that? Meh…

[Steeler Hitman]

12 hours ago, Blackstar12 said:

Both haven’t been ruled out. 

What are your thoughts on the game?

What do you think are the Colts' strengths to exploit against the Steelers?

[43M]

Too much overblown hype with this team right now.

Dont get me wrong, this team has been a breath of fresh air thus far, BUT.....I cant help but feel like people are overlooking certain things when getting excited about this team right now.

As solid as Fields has been, and as much as I hope he continues to improve, I am absolutely not sold on him yet as a long term starter.   Ive seen people talking about a nee contract already, which kind of boggles my mind.   I give him credit for what he has done thus far, but in reality, he hasnt been asked to do much except not screw up.   And again, he has been good as a game manager so far, but with the defense playing how they have, he hasnt had to put too many points up, and when we DO eventually need him to do more, I have a feeling he may come back down to earth.    Lets remember that Tomlin has had some semi decent luck with backup caliber QBs for certain stretches, especially when the defense is playing well.

And speaking of the defense, I believe its also getting overhyped.   I believe this is definitely a good defense....perhaps even great, but right now, they are on a historic pace which wont hold up.   They played a week one Falcons teams which was still a work in progress, a Broncos team with a raw rookie QB, and the one good QB we played for a half tore us up a bit, and we got lucky we only had to shut down a backup in the 2nd half.

Not trying to be a downer, just a realist.   This team has played well thus far and I give them credit.   I admit that both Arthur Smith and Justin Fields have been better than I expected.    I just feel like people need to slow down the hype train, especially when it comes to Fields.   I hope he continues to develop, but right now, I still view him as a backup caliber QB that is playing well in favorable situations.  I really want to see if he can keep improving which is why I am completely in favor of keeping him as the starter, but I am waiting for the point where he is asked to do more to see how he responds before I get at all excited about him having a future here.