Two of the six 7-6 AFC teams meet in a matchup loaded with playoff implications as the Steelers, reeling after back-to-back losses to two of the league’s worst teams, travel to Indianapolis.
Just under one year ago, the Indianapolis Colts suffered the worst comeback loss in NFL history on this very weekend. Up 33-0 on the Vikings at halftime on a Saturday afternoon in December, they ultimately collapsed to a 39-36 loss that effectively spelled doom for Jeff Saturday’s interim run as coach. One year later, the Colts return to the Saturday slate in Week 15 having revitalized themselves.
The Steelers took down the Colts, 24-17, in Week 12 of last season, a victory that began their run to a winning record, keeping Mike Tomlin’s current 16-season streak of avoiding a losing record as coach alive. The last matchup that featured playoff implications between these squads happened in 2020 when the Steelers won 28-24 in Week 16 to secure the AFC North crown. The Steelers don’t have division implications in mind here, but the Colts remain alive in the AFC South. Plus, both are among the 7-6 teams jockeying for Wild Card slots.
Rookie defender JuJu Brents was a welcome sight at practice for the Colts, having missed the last six games with a quad injury, and should be gearing up for his return on Saturday. Jonathan Taylor’s thumb surgery remains a stickler point for the Colts; his status for Saturday remains unclear. Shane Steichen says the aim is for Taylor to return this season, and Colts fans will be hoping he can do so given the stakes at hand.
For the Steelers, they are arguably even more banged up as a number of key players found themselves on the preliminary injury report. That list includes Kenny Pickett, on the mend from his high-ankle sprain, and T.J. Watt, of whom the Steelers have come under fire for their handling of his concussion last Thursday night. The circumstances surrounding just how the Steelers handled Watt’s concussion evoked memories of the Dolphins’ handling of Tua Tagovailoa’s multiple concussions in 2022.
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Game Info
Date: Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023
Start time: 4:30 p.m. ET
Location: Indianapolis, Ind.
Stadium: Lucas Oil Stadium
TV Info: NFLN, NFL+
Betting Odds
Odds courtesy of DraftKings.
Point Spread: PIT +2.5 (-110), IND -2.5 (-110)
Moneyline: PIT (+110), IND (-130)
Over/Under: O/U 42 (-110)
The Colts open as 2.5-point favorites. A close, defensively-driven battle may be at hand.
What To Watch For
The Steelers’ offensive woes were not entirely solved with Matt Canada’s firing. They have put together a combined 44 points in their last three outings, including back-to-back losses where they only put up 28 combined points against the 3-10 Cardinals and Patriots. The Colts also put up a lackluster performance against Jake Browning and the Bengals. To bounce back and win this matchup, one where there may not be a ton of points put up, one of these teams will have to score on their first drive of the game. Furthermore, these teams will have to grab hold of any opportunities presented on turnovers or other field position opportunities.
Falling back to 7-7 would create a real obstacle for the losing team. Whoever leaves Lucas Oil with the loss will be forced to acknowledge that their path to the playoffs has become significantly more muddled, especially in a situation where the AFC race will go all the way to the final weekend.
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