Unforced errors, including two fumbles and another botched snap ruined the Pittsburgh Steelers’ hopes in a 27-24 loss to the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium.
The Colts gained 46 yards on their first two plays, with a 32-yard pass from QB Anthony Richardson to WR Michael Pittman Jr. to open things up followed by a 14-yard run by RB Jonathan Taylor. Taylor finished the drive off with a 2-yard touchdown run, and the Colts took a quick 7-0 lead following Matt Gay’s extra point with 12:01 left. Indianapolis ran for 38 yards on the opening drive.
The Colts would extend their lead to 14-0 with 2:34 left in the first quarter on a touchdown pass from QB Joe Flacco to WR Josh Downs after Richardson left the game with an injury. Pittsburgh’s defense put up little fight on the drive as the Colts marched right down the field on a 9-play, 86-yard drive that took just 4:45. The 14 points allowed were the highest total that the Steelers have allowed all season.
On the Steelers’ second drive, they went for it on 4th-and-1 inside their own 40, and LB Zaire Franklin blew up QB Justin Fields short of the sticks. The Colts took over at the Pittsburgh 39 with a chance to extend their lead. They did just that, with a 39-yard field goal by Gay with 12:31 left in the half giving Indianapolis a 17-0 lead.
The Steelers put together their best drive of the game, starting on their own 4-yard line and driving down to the Indianapolis 15 on the strength of a 20-yard completion to TE Darnell Washington and a few nice runs by RB Cordarrelle Patterson, but Patterson exited the game with an ankle injury following a 10-yard run. On the next play, WR George Pickens fumbled at the Indianapolis 5 and the Colts recovered, taking over at their own 3-yard line with 3:13 left in the first half.
The Colts wouldn’t take advantage of the turnover, though, and the Steelers would avoid being shut out at the half as K Chris Boswell made a 50-yard field goal as time expired in the first half to cut Indianapolis’ lead to 17-3 heading into the locker room.
The Steelers would get the ball to start the second half, but their drive stalled out at the Indianapolis 48 and Pittsburgh was forced to punt. The Colts went three-and-out, though, and then WR Calvin Austin III had a 30-yard punt return to put the Steelers in business at the Indianapolis 33. But the Steelers wouldn’t take advantage, as Fields lost 20 yards trying to avoid a sack and ended up fumbling, with the Colts recovering and taking it back to the Pittsburgh 42. Matt Gay would miss a 54-yard try, and the score remained 17-3 with 5:49 left in the third quarter.
Pittsburgh was able to make it a one-score game after a 38-yard completion by Fields to Pickens put the Steelers in the red zone, and Fields took a third-down scramble 5 yards for a touchdown. Boswell’s extra point made the score 17-10 with 2:53 left in the third quarter.
The Colts responded, with Joe Flacco converting three times on third down, including a 3rd-and-10 from the Pittsburgh 15 with 14:43 left in the game, hitting TE Drew Ogletree for a touchdown as the Colts took a 24-10 lead.
The Steelers quickly responded with a 32-yard catch-and-run by RB Najee Harris with a roughing the passer penalty tacking more yards on the end of the play that put Pittsburgh in the red zone. Fields ran in his second touchdown of the game a few plays later, and the Steelers made it a one-score game again with Boswell’s field goal making it 24-17 with 11:23 to play.
Again though, the Colts were able to respond, with a 21-yard run by Jonathan Taylor and some first down catches by Josh Downs helping move the Colts to the Pittsburgh 21. Gay was able to hit a 35-yard field goal to give the Colts a 27-17 lead with just 6:03 left in the game.
The Fields-Pickens connection came through for the Steelers on the next drive, with a 37-yard completion down the sideline helping the Steelers move to the Indianapolis 25. Four plays later, Fields hit Freiermuth for an 8-yard touchdown, and the Colts lead was cut to 27-24 after Boswell’s extra point with 3:40 to go.
Pittsburgh’s defense got a stop, forcing the Colts into a three-and-out, and they quickly picked up a first down after getting the ball back at their own 17. At the two-minute warning, the Steelers had the ball at their own 38, trailing by 3 points. But once again, the C/QB exchange issues came into play, as Fields wasn’t ready for the snap and took a 12-yard loss on 2nd-and-10. Fields threw an incompletion on 4th-and-10 two plays later, and the Colts would win 27-24.
The Steelers move to 3-1 with the loss, while the Colts are now 2-2. Pittsburgh will play the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football next week.
