Steelers hope to feast on Colts’ defense, backup QB
MEMORABLE SERIES MOMENT
Colts 26, Steelers 7
Nov. 28, 2005 at RCA Dome
The 2005 Steelers weren无毛视频檛 in that much of a midseason funk during championship season. Nor was that offensive line as fierce as we fondly recall these days. Injuries wreaked havoc on the OL back in 2005 as Marvel Smith, Kendall Simmons and Jeff Hartings played hurt and right tackle Max Starks negotiated his first season as a starter. Smith returned from a sprained ankle for this game, but sprained his other ankle during the game and was replaced by Trai Essex. That opened the door for Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis to harass Ben Roethlisberger. The Steelers fell to 7-4 with the loss, and lost the following week to Cincinnati, but regrouped to beat the Colts here in the playoffs.
TALE OF THE TAPE
无毛视频淲ith Andrew Luck out, I无毛视频檓 coming after Scott Tolzien. I went back and looked at his two starts in 2013 when he was with the Packers. He无毛视频檚 got an accurate arm but he stares down receivers. He threw three really bad interceptions in one game. The ball comes out quick. He has a funky delivery. He doesn无毛视频檛 throw a lot of long balls, and the ones he throws are lollipops. You无毛视频檝e got a rookie center, a rookie right tackle. The right guard is unathletic and a bit top heavy. So I无毛视频檓 coming after the quarterback.无毛视频� 无毛视频� Steelers Radio analyst Tunch Ilkin.
TOP QUESTION
Will Colts punter Pat McAfee kick it out of bounds?
McAfee, the Plum High and WVU grad, tweeted a video clip of Steelers punt returner Antonio Brown无毛视频檚 infamous high-flying kick to the head of Cleveland Browns punter Spencer Lanning during a 2014 game. Accompanying the video, McAfee wrote: 无毛视频淗ey, Antonio Brown, it无毛视频檚 gonna be Thanksgiving 无毛视频� my mom无毛视频檚 gonna be there 无毛视频� once again, none of this 无毛视频� please 无毛视频� thanks in advance.无毛视频� To which Brown replied, 无毛视频淵ou should just kick it out of bounds brother! Kidding, happy Thanksgiving Momma McAfee!无毛视频�
THREE QUESTIONS
With RT MARCUS GILBERT
Q: What was the key to getting the running game cranked up in Cleveland?
MG: 无毛视频淚 think we were doing too much in the offense, trying to get receivers on certain blocks they really couldn无毛视频檛 make. I think we just played really sound fundamental football, lining up and just running the ball.无毛视频�
Q: What was Le无毛视频橵eon Bell like? He had 90 yards on the first drive.
MG: 无毛视频淗e was falling forward every time. He kept his legs moving. That was one change I saw in him. He was really trusting his legs, trusting us. If you have games like that, with his talent, we can go far.无毛视频�
Q: Was he showing any signs of being tired?
MG: 无毛视频淗e无毛视频檚 the most conditioned guy on the team, I believe. I train with him in the offseason. He puts in a lot of work. He takes pride in what he does. He wants to be the best. He goes out there and he gets it. He prepares and he plays like it. It无毛视频檚 on us to make it happen for us.无毛视频�
GAME BREAKDOWN
What to look for from the Steelers at 8:30 tonight at Lucas Oil Stadium:
ON OFFENSE:
The 5-5 Steelers will be facing the 5-5 Colts and the league无毛视频檚 30th-ranked defense, which will be without free safety Clayton Geathers. Also, top cornerback Vontae Davis is listed as questionable. The Colts give up 27.3 points per game and rank 32nd in pass defense. They无毛视频檙e tied with Jacksonville for last place in interceptions with only three, but have a decent pass rush with the 35-year-old Mathis, as well as OLB Erik Walden, who has eight sacks. Rookie T.J. Green will start in place of Geathers at free safety.
ON DEFENSE:
Frank Gore still has a lot of jump left in his game and he无毛视频檚 still tough as nails and he无毛视频檒l still hunt you up and run you over. He also does a great job pass blocking and will stick his head in there with enthusiasm. WR Donte Moncrief is questionable, but TY Hilton and Phillip Dorsett are both 4.3 speedsters who can take a quick slant a long way. The Steelers will have to tackle the catch tonight, something that无毛视频檚 been hit and miss throughout the season.
PREDICTION
It could be another big day for the Steelers defense. Presumably they无毛视频檒l find a way to get past the Colts无毛视频� porous offensive line and sack the quarterback, Tolzien, who无毛视频檚 playing his first regular-season game in exactly three years. This game could mirror the one last Sunday in Cleveland. Steelers, 30-20.
BY THE NUMBERS
1: Rank of Colts无毛视频� net punting average (47.0/Pat McAfee) in the NFL.
2: Rank of Colts无毛视频� field goal percentage (95.2/Adam Vinatieri) in the NFL.
5: Rank of Colts无毛视频� kickoff return average (26.5) in the NFL.
DOWNLOADS
n The Steelers haven无毛视频檛 won on Thanksgiving in 66 years. They无毛视频檝e lost their last four and six of seven. Their only win was in Chicago in 1950, 28-17, over the Cardinals behind Joe Geri无毛视频檚 101 yards rushing and two touchdowns. The Steelers无毛视频� last Thanksgiving game was a 22-20 loss at Baltimore in 2013.
n The Steelers have all of the series edges on the Colts: 16-6 regular season, 5-4 at Indianapolis, 2-0 at Lucas Oil Stadium, 3-2 in November and 2-1 in November at Indianapolis. The Steelers are also 5-0 in the post-season against the Colts.
n Antonio Brown needs three catches for his fourth consecutive 80-catch season, and 93 receiving yards for his fourth consecutive 1,000-yard season. His 77 receptions lead the NFL and his 907 receiving yards ranks fourth.
n Splash plays anyone? James Harrison is 2.5 sacks away from 80 with the Steelers; Will Gay would break a tie with Rod Woodson for most interceptions returned for a touchdown with a sixth; and Brown needs a fifth punt return for a touchdown to break a tie with Antwaan Randle El for most in team history.
n Steelers TE Ladarius Green played 12 snaps his first game off the PUP list and 8 last week, but those numbers could increase significantly tonight. Said offensive coordinator Todd Haley: 无毛视频淚 would expect him to be ready to be full-go this week.无毛视频�
n Sammie Coates, on the other hand, remains hindered by two broken fingers. 无毛视频淵ou have to catch your way back to confidence,无毛视频� Haley said.
PARTING SHOT
无毛视频淚无毛视频檓 over the stats. They say they无毛视频檝e got the worst passing defense. Not this Thursday they won无毛视频檛. That无毛视频檚 how this league is. They无毛视频檒l play to the best of their ability and that无毛视频檚 how I无毛视频檓 treating each week. I won无毛视频檛 underestimate anybody. 无毛视频� 无毛视频� Steelers guard Ramon Foster.