The Pittsburgh Steelers and Indianapolis Colts will square off this afternoon, as both teams will look to avoid dropping below .500. Which team will get the win? Our staff weighs in with our Week 5 picks.
Mike Nicastro: The Steelers are in a bit of disarray at the moment, but the recipe for healing might just be Daniel Jones and the Indianapolis Colts. Jones has been a shell of his former self since returning from his torn Achilles, and it doesn’t help that his top target, Alec Pierce, is still banged
up. The Steelers aren’t exactly healthy, either. Jamel Dean’s absence will put more pressure on a secondary that of course just lost Joey Porter Jr. I’d anticipate the Steelers edge rushers to make some big time plays and if they can limit Jonathan Taylor, much like they did last year at home, they should walk away with a victory. But it won’t be as comfortable as last season. Steelers 23, Colts 20.
Ryan Parish: With the exception of the Falcons game, the Steelers are doing the exact opposite of my prediction each week. Just wanted to note that at the top. The forecast calls for rain on Sunday, but regardless the Steelers defense should be expecting a heavy dose of Jonathan Taylor, rain or shine. The Steelers should answer in kind with more calls for their own run game, but getting Aaron Rodgers and Mike McCarthy to abandon their pass happy ways might be too much to ask. The Colts passing game is putrid, but Daniel Jones gets the ball out fast, which could once again neutralize the Pittsburgh pass rush. The Steelers should win. But based on my comments up top, I’m inclined to go with the Colts. Colts 24, Steelers 20.
Joey Bray: After previewing the game with a friend who covers the Colts, I have come to the conclusion that the Steelers and Colts are in similar spots at this point in the season. Both are teams that are underperforming to this point despite being labeled as “win-now” teams heading into the season. However, the biggest stat in this one is that Pittsburgh is 17-2 all-time at home vs. the Colts. Given the unpredictability of the weather and overall volatility of both of these teams, I feel inclined to go with a low scoring affair. This is a classic Steelers bounce back game, I’ll take them to win on a last second field goal over Indy. Steelers 17, Colts 14.
Ryland Bickley: Jonathan Taylor will be a tough matchup for a Derrick Harmon-less Steelers run defense, and the Colts’ cornerback duo of Sauce Gardner and Charvarius Ward could be a challenge for a Steelers wide receiver room that struggled to separate from man coverage last week. But on the flip side, the Colts’ pass rush has the league’s worst pressure rate this season, which is a good sign towards Aaron Rodgers playing comfortably in the pocket on Sunday. These are two evenly-matched teams, but I have Pittsburgh rebounding at home. Steelers 23, Colts 20.
Austin Bechtold: The rain is going to make this game a mess. That plays into the Steelers hands with Daniel Jones struggling with protecting the football. I trust Aaron Rodgers more than Jones in nearly every situation. Injuries are piling up and going to be a factor, making it increasingly necessary for Roman Wilson and Germie Bernard to make an impact. I’m curious to see how the defense performs against Jonathan Taylor. The Steelers limited him to 45 yards rushing last year but without Derrick Harmon and Keeanu Benton not playing up to his new contract, the defense needs to make a statement. I expect the Steelers to bounce back after another frustrating loss in Cleveland and move to 3-2 before a trip south to Tampa Bay. Steelers 24, Colts 21.
Jarrett Bailey: It’s expected to rain upwards of an inch throughout Sunday in Pittsburgh, as the effects of Hurricane Isaias make their way north. The Steelers’ run defense has allowed 4.33 yards per carry over the last two games, and they will have to keep Jonathan Taylor at bay in a game that will be run-heavy on both sides due to the weather. In a low-scoring outing, the Steelers get to 3-2. Steelers 16, Colts 13.
Let us know what you think in the comments. Be sure to bookmark Behind the Steel Curtain for all the latest news, breakdowns, and more!
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