Things went from bad to worse for the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, as they ultimately lost a closely fought contest with the Steelers in a game that also saw them lose Jacoby Brissett due to injury.
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Final Score
Pittsburgh Steelers 26, Indianapolis Colts 24
Pittsburgh Steelers
Mason Rudolph avoided putting the ball in harm's way through the air today, although he took a bad strip-sack in the end zone that almost cost Pittsburgh the game. He relied heavily on underneath routes by his backs and receivers but was able to make just enough key throws to lead Pittsburgh to victory.
Trey Edmunds was a surprise contributor, as he was effective as the No. 2 running back today. He showed solid speed for his size, as he ripped off some big plays with his ability to exploit holes opened up by his line.
Rookie linebacker Devin Bush had a rough first half but recovered nicely in the second. He was responsible for a touchdown into his coverage early, and he struggled with his angles, but he turned things around with two solid pass breakups in man coverage.
Cameron Heyward was strong against the run, which is notable considering he saw significant snaps one-on-one against guard Quenton Nelson. He held his ground well against double teams and made multiple stops.
Indianapolis Colts
Quenton Nelson has played like the best guard in the game this season, but today was a rough outing. He was beaten on a number of blocks, including getting walked back into (and stepping on) his quarterback on a pass block.
Zach Pascal is emerging as a serious receiving threat. He again had a number of big receptions, including a first-half touchdown.
This was an afternoon for Darius Leonard to forget. While he had struggles in coverage, it was his two unnecessary roughness penalties that cost the Colts the most. His first, a late hit on the last play of the half, extended the half with an untimed down, and the resulting field goal proved to be enough to put Pittsburgh on top in the end.
Ben Banogu was effective rushing off the edge today, as he notched multiple pressures from both sides. He showed speed to hit the edge, and also displayed a strong bull-rush.
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