Steelers Collapse in Brutal Loss to Colts

The Pittsburgh Steelers fall in all directions against the Indianapolis Colts.

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Justin Fields (2) slides after rushing the ball Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, during a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. / Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

PITTSBURGH -- After a 3-0 start, the Pittsburgh Steelers fell to the Indianapolis Colts 24-27 on the heels of a rough defensive performance. The 27 points the Steelers let up is the most they had let up all season. Fields passed for 312 yards on 22/34 passing and a touchdown and rushed for 55 yards and two touchdowns.

First play from scrimmage, Colts sophomore quarterback Anthony Richardson completed a 32-yard pass to wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. Richardson, a fourth overall pick last season, averaged the most air yards per pass attempt so an immediate deep shot shouldn't come as a surprise. Colts' running back Jonathan Taylor pushed the Steelers touted run defense to the endzone to give the Colts a 7-0 lead early.

After giving up quick points, the Steelers needed to answer. Quarterback Justin Fields took a brutal sack on third-and-nine, but a generous roughing-the-passer penalty gave the Steelers a breath of life. After getting back to the exact down and distance, Fields found wide receiver Calvin Austin III for a big 17-yard gain. Although in Colts territory, the Steelers opted to punt after a decent first drive.

Disaster struck for the Colts on their next drive. Richardson kept the ball himself for a first down but new Steelers safety DeSean Elliot stripped the ball from Richardson. While the Steelers didn't recover the fumble, Richardson got up slowly and gripped his right hip. Richardson stayed on the sideline for a play, but after returning for one play and getting tackled, taken to the locker room. Back-up quarterback Joe Flacco stepped in and found Josh Downs giving the Colts a 14-0 lead.

Needing to put points on the board, the Steelers couldn't even muster a first down. On fourth-and-one, Fields couldn't get past the sticks resulting in a turnover-on-downs in Steelers' territory.

With Richardson sidelined, Taylor's role was poised to increase. Flacco's first full drive was chalk full of pass attempts that led the Colts to the redzone, but the Steelers bend-don't-break defense held the Colts to a field goal extending the host's lead 17-0 early in the second quarter.

Although giving up points on their first three drives, the Steelers defense finally warmed up. The Steelers stopped three-straight Taylor touches and forced their first-three-and-out.

That was the momentum the Steelers needed. Starting at their four-yard line, running back Cordarrelle Patterson got the ball four-straight snaps for three first downs. Then, tight end Darnell Washington pushed a defender to the ground and hurdled another for a 20-yard gain, the Steelers' biggest of the day.

Unfortunately, Patterson, the driving force of the Steelers' longest drive of the day, was injured in the red zone. On the next play, wide receiver George Pickens broke a tackle, tried to break another, and fumbled the ball five yards from putting the Steelers' first points on the board.

The Steelers' defense did a good job of getting the ball back in the offense's hands. With 1:14 left in the first half, the Steelers aimed to avoid the shutout. With the pressure on, Fields took two sacks crippling any chance of a touchdown. But Boswell, the most accurate kicker of all time from 50+ yards, put the Steelers on the board with a 50-yarder.

The Steelers trailed 17-3 at the half.

Trailing two scores, the Steelers needed to take advantage of starting the second half with the ball. Great catches by Pickens and Washington built a small amount of momentum, but the Colts' defense, a unit that has struggled all season, forced another Steelers punt inside Indianapolis territory.

The Colts, deep in their own territory, punted for the third straight time. Two Taylor rushes and a rare Flacco scramble wasn't enough for a first down, giving the Steelers offense a chance to get back on the field quickly.

But the turnover bug that the Steelers avoided through the first three weeks of the season finally struck the Steelers' offense. After gaining no yards, Fields was blitzed, ran 20 yards backwards and fumbled before he was downed by a defender. Those 20 yards put the Colts immediately into field goal range.

The Steelers would have held the Colts to another three-and-out, but being generously put in field-goal range, ran the ball conservatively leading to attempt a 54-yard field-goal attempt. Lucky for the black-and-goal, the try was pushed wide left, meaning Fields' fumble only cost one-yard and no points.

Having shook all the bad football out of his system, Fields was ready to find the end zone. After a 17-yard pass to Pickens and a scramble into the redzone, Fields extended the third-and-goal try for his second rushing touchdown as a Steeler. Boswell completed the paperwork and the Steelers trailed 10-17 with 2:53 left in the third quarter.

Giving the Colts' punter a rest, Flacco converted on third-and-long twice, once to Pittman and once to Downs. A disagreeable unnecessary roughness penalty against Steelers' safety Minkah Fitzpatrick helped get the Colts into the red zone. On another third-and-long, Flacco found tight end Drew Ogletree for his second passing touchdown.

Still down two scores, the Steelers put together their best drive of the day. After eight plays and 70 yards, Fields crossed the goal line for his second touchdown cutting the Steelers' deficit to 17-24 with 11:23 remaining. The drive was highlighted by a 32-yard Harris reception extended by Fields drawing another roughing-the-passer penalty. Unfortunately for the Steelers, Harris went down with an injury on the drive, leaving the Steelers to their fourth-string running back. Since his fumble on two scoring drives, Fields had no negative plays and threw only three incompletions.

Flacco was brilliant on third down all day. On another third-and-long, Flacco found Downs for ten yards putting the Colts just outside the red zone. The Steelers' defense, the best in the league before today, could just not get it together for more than a few downs. After giving up an average of less than ten points per game, the Steelers gave up 10 to the Colts in the fourth quarter alone.

Fields was truly great after his fumble. Fields conducted another 70-yard drive but this time in only seven plays. A 37-yard completion to Pickens down the sideline got the Steelers into field goal range, but Fields found tight end Pat Freiermuth for his first touchdown of the season cutting the Steelers' deficit to 24-27.

Giving the black-and-gold and their fans a breath of hope, linebacker Nick Herbig came up big, sacking Flacco on second down. But Flacco had been almost perfect on third-and-long since entering the game. On third-and-15, Flacco's deep pass landed harmlessly, and Fields was back on the field looking for a fourth consecutive touchdown with 2:39.

That hope didn't materialize. A mistimed snap resulted in third-and-very-long for the Steelers, and two consecutive passing attempts couldn't get the offense past the sticks.

The Steelers host the Dallas Cowboys next week to try and bounce back.

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