PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Without their two leading rushers for most of the game, the Colts outrushed the Steelers by 96 yards in a 30-13 Indianapolis win Saturday. Now at 7-7, the Steelers went from being in the sixth playoff spot in the AFC to number 11.
Taking over the football after Mike Tomlin was scared to go for a 56-yard field goal attempt, the Colts would run it 14 straight times before an incompletion on the 15th play led to a 31-yard field goal. The drive took 8:57 off the clock, gave Indy a two-touchdown lead.
Against the 25th best rushing defense in the league, the Steelers averaged 2.8 yards per carry (until two meaningless runs at the end of the game)
· Najee Harris 12 rushes for 33 yards and a fumble
· Jaylen Warren 10 rushes for 40 yards
· Trubisky 2 rushes for one yard and a TD
Mitch slapped
Mitch Trubisky threw a pair of interceptions, one on a 50-50 ball to George Pickens and the other sealed the game as Trubisky threw it off his back foot and intercepted by Julian Blackmon at the Colts 30-yard line.
Trubisky finished 16 of 23 for 169 yards with one touchdown. Steelers were 4 of 11 on third down with Trubisky out there.
Mason Rudolph would come in to replace Trubisky with 2:08 to play in the game.
Steelers offense would muster 229 yards on 56 plays for a horrid 4.08 yards per play. They also ended up with eight penalties for 101 yards.
Minkah out
Pro Bowl safety Minkah Fitzpatrick suffered a knee injury in the second quarter and was unable to return. Fitzpatrick missed all of November with a hamstring injury already this year. In nine games this season, Fitzpatrick has 64 tackles with two passes defended, a tackle for loss and no forced turnovers.
Kazee ejected
There were no arguments from the Steelers sidelines after safety Damontae Kazee was ejected in the second quarter as he lowered his head, launched himself into the head of a diving Michael Pittman, Junior. Pittman would leave the game with a concussion. Kazee was the Steelers leading tackler in the game with five.
Blocked punt
It’s the little brothers of a pair of Steelers that set up the second touchdown of the game. Steelers were up 6-0 just seconds into the second quarter and forced to punt. While being blocked rushing up the middle, Connor Heyward was able to reach across his body with his left hand to block the Rijoberto Sanchez kick. Nick Herbig would recover it at the Colts one-yard line, two plays later the touchdown pass to Diontae Johnson.
Up Next
Steelers final home game of the season, Cincinnati at Acrisure Stadium at 4:30 on Saturday, December 23.