Sept. 28 — INDIANAPOLIS — The challenge that awaits the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday needs no embellishment.
The Pittsburgh Steelers (3-0) are one of five remaining undefeated teams in the NFL, and they rank first on defense in total yards (229 per game) and goals (8.7 points per match).
If the Colts (1-2) want to surprise and get back to the .500 mark, they will have to be physical and ready for a 60-minute fight.
“Every play, no matter how much time is left on the clock, they’re going to play to the whistle,” Indianapolis running back Jonathan Taylor said of the Steelers’ mentality. “They’re going to play fast. They’re going to play aggressive. So when you have a team like that, you can’t give them any room to breathe because when you do that, the next thing you know, they are starting to gain momentum, and they will be a tough team to beat, so you definitely have to come out on top with a team like this.
The Colts will not be at full strength.
Head coach Shane Steichen announced Friday that defensive end Kwity Paye (quadriceps) and cornerback Kenny Moore II (hip) would not play Sunday after being injured late in last week’s win over the Chicago Bears.
This means that Indianapolis will be without four defensive starters. Cornerback JuJu Brents (knee) and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner (back) were placed on injured reserve after Weeks 1 and 2, respectively.
The defense took a step forward against Chicago after being gashed on the ground for consecutive weeks.
The Colts allowed just 63 rushing yards against the Bears after giving up more than 200 in each of the first two games.
But Indianapolis ranks 31st with an average of 398.3 yards allowed per game. That hasn’t always translated into points — the Colts are 13th in scoring defense at 20.3 points per game — but it’s an obvious concern against a Pittsburgh offense that has been conservative through the first three weeks.
With Justin Fields replacing projected starter Russell Wilson (calf) at quarterback, the Steelers are scoring just 17 points per game. But they’ve only turned the ball over once and are fifth in the NFL in time of possession with an average of 3:17 per drive.
This forces opposing offenses to make the most of limited opportunities against Pittsburgh’s stout defense.
Indianapolis has had the second-most explosive offensive plays (runs of 10-plus yards and passes of 20-plus) by percentage in the league this season, but its six turnovers rank 28th in the 32-team NFL.
Maximizing the former while eliminating the latter will be the key to victory against the Steel Curtain.
“We have to recognize that they are a great team,” Indianapolis quarterback Anthony Richardson said. “They have a great plan there, they have great players. We all know that, but we don’t necessarily have any concerns. We think we can compete with anyone.
“So we’re just trying to play our offense and execute play by play, not really thinking about who’s on the other side.”
The Colts took the field to end an eight-game losing streak in the series last year.
Without an injured Taylor in the lineup, Indianapolis rushed 34 times for 170 yards in a 30-13 victory after falling behind 13-0 in the second quarter.
Trey Sermon led the way with 17 carries for 88 yards, and Tyler Goodson added 69 yards on 11 attempts.
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin mentioned the difficulty Richardson and Taylor present for the run defense earlier this week.
“It just depends on the concepts we have, right,” Steichen said of his duo’s potential. “The zone read stuff, you have to read a defensive end. You have to read a linebacker, whoever it is, instead of just calling designed runs sometimes.”
Pittsburgh looks to continue its torrid start and move further away from the pack in the AFC North after opening a two-game lead.
The Colts are hoping last week’s win can be a springboard to shake off a slow start to the season and keep them within striking distance in the AFC South.
This game will be the third home game in the first four weeks for Indianapolis, but it remains to be seen how much of a home crowd advantage the Colts will enjoy.
A large and vocal contingent of Bears fans invaded Lucas Oil Stadium last week and often made it seem like the game was being played more at a neutral site than a true road contest.
Pittsburgh fans are known to travel well and will likely be well represented on Sunday as well.
“I know the Pittsburgh fans,” Indianapolis linebacker Zaire Franklin said. “They’re going to try to come here. They like to travel, so I’m looking forward to us fighting back. But, again, it’s always a talented, tough team when we play Pittsburgh.
“Again, we know they bring the football they love to play, but this is our home. And we make the rules.”
