The Indianapolis Colts couldn’t turn the ball over Sunday in Pittsburgh, after Daniel Jones’ turnovers have been the story of their first month. It doesn’t matter. The Pittsburgh Steelers beat them 34-22 at Acrisure Stadium, dropping the Colts to 2-3.
Indianapolis held the ball for 32 minutes and had more first downs than Pittsburgh, 19-16, but reached the end zone once. Here’s who came out of it looking good, and who didn’t.
winners
Spencer Shrader
Shrader made all five of his field goal attempts and scored 16 of the Colts’ 22 points. Two of them came in the first quarter from 57 and 56 yards, and he added kicks of 22, 40 and 28 yards. The latter cut Pittsburgh’s lead to 24-22 with 11:42 remaining, and the Colts never scored again. Without his two kicks from beyond 55 yards, the Colts would have remained scoreless in the first quarter.
Tyler Warren
Warren led the Colts with seven catches for 83 yards on nine targets, including a 29-yarder, and scored their only touchdown on a 1-yard run in the second quarter. He became Jones’ most reliable target. Warren now has 30 catches for 213 yards this season, and seven of his catches came against a Steelers defense that broke up 11 passes.
Gardner sauce
Athlon flagged DK Metcalf as Gardner’s next test after he allowed 95 yards on two catches in London. Metcalf finished with three catches for 12 yards on four targets. After a rough week with Gardner admitting he didn’t give his best effort, Pittsburgh’s leading receiver was a non-factor. Gardner entered the week with a 56.5 season grade, according to PFF.
Losers
Shane Steichen
The Colts went 1 for 3 in the red zone and settled for 22- and 28-yard field goals on two drives that stalled. Jones threw 44 passes without a touchdown, and Indianapolis went 4 for 15 on third down. Steichen said after the win in London that the Colts had “a lot to clean up,” and that the offense still couldn’t finish drives. Indianapolis enters the week 23rd in offensive EPA per game, according to Sumer Sports.
Defense of Lou Anarumo
Jaylen Warren had 188 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns. He caught an 80-yard touchdown pass 12 seconds after Shrader’s opening field goal and broke off a 50-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. Aaron Rodgers completed 22 of 31 passes for three touchdowns, two of them to Pat Freiermuth, and Pittsburgh averaged 5.8 yards per carry. The Colts entered Week 5 ranked 25th in defensive EPA per game on Sumer’s defensive table, and Pittsburgh’s 352 yards did nothing to move that number.
More than just the Indianapolis Colts
- Colts vs. Steelers Week 5 Inactives: Who’s In, Who’s Out as Keenan Allen Returns
- Rain Bands at Acrisure Stadium Could Turn Steelers vs. Jonathan Taylor into a Game Colts
- Final Injury Report for Colts-Steelers: Will Rico Dowdle, Keenan Allen Play?
- Indianapolis Colts at Pittsburgh Steelers NFL Prediction, Picks & Odds for Week 5