Steelers vs. Colts takeaways: Indy, behind Joe Flacco, holds on to hand Pittsburgh its first loss of season

Joe Flacco is still good enough to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers. Flacco, the longtime Raven who replaced injured starter Anthony Richardson in the first half, threw a pair of touchdowns to help lead the Colts to a 27-24 upset win over Pittsburgh. 

Flacco entered the game late in the first quarter after Richardson exited for a second and final time after taking multiple hits to the midsection by Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. Flacco threw a touchdown pass on his first drive and helped the home team build a 17-0 lead. 

After a slow start, Justin Fields and the Steelers offense got on track in the second half, as Fields scored three touchdowns that included two on the ground. But the Flacco-led Colts twice responded to Pittsburgh scores with scores of their won, as the home team never relinquished its lead. 

Indianapolis clinched its second straight win when Pittsburgh went three-and-out on its final drive. The Steelers offense was ultimately done in by a botched center-QB exchange that led to a 12-yard loss on its final drive. 

Flacco finished the game with 168 yards on 16 of 26 passing. Fields threw for a season-high 312 yards, but he was sacked four times and committed a costly fumble that took the Steelers out of field goal range midway through the third quarter. 

Here’s a closer look at how the Colts upset the Steelers. 

Why the Colts won 

The Colts, despite rookie center Tanor Bortolini making his first career start in place of injured perennial Pro Bowler Ryan Kelly, had early success on the ground against Pittsburgh’s formidable run defense. Jonathan Taylor rumbled for 88 yards and a score despite leaving the game early with an ankle injury. That success on the ground enabled Richardson to get off to a hot start as the Colts took a quick 7-0 lead. 

Indianapolis didn’t slow down when Flacco took over the offense. Like Richardson, Flacco received solid pass protection…

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Author : Bryan DeArdo

Publish date : 2024-09-30 00:11:34

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