The Indianapolis Colts earn a second straight win and are now 2-2 on the 2024 season.
The Indianapolis Colts earned a second straight victory with a 27-24 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Colts, now 2-2 on the 2024 season, will look ahead to their Week 5 road matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
JOE FLACCO STEPS IN FOR ANTHONY RICHARDSON, TOSSES TWO TOUCHDOWNS IN COLTS’ NARROW VICTORY
The Colts held on for a three-point victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, thanks to backup quarterback Joe Flacco, who came in for starting quarterback Anthony Richardson after he left late in the first quarter with a hip injury. Flacco finished 16-for-26 for 168 passing yards and two touchdowns. Flacco’s play was especially critical late, as he helped the Colts’ offense convert on 8-of-15 third downs, many of which came late in the second half when Indianapolis needed to put points on the scoreboard. Wideouts Michael Pittman Jr. and Josh Downs also deserve a ton credit for their play.
Downs hauled in eight catches for 82 yards and one touchdown while Pittman Jr. hauled in six catches 113 yards. Both Pittman Jr. and Downs played critical roles in Indianapolis’ offense converting on more than 50 percent of their third downs. Tight end Drew Ogletree also hauled in a touchdown on a third-and-long play in the red zone, which was also crucial in the Colts’ narrow victory.
Richardson was surgical on the Colts’ opening possession, which shouldn’t be forgotten about. However, the second-year quarterback did not return to game action after suffering a right hip injury. Richardson was taken back to the team’s locker room and returned to the sidelines in good spirits. The initial belief, according to reports, is that Richardson suffered a hip pointer (bone bruise), and Colts head coach Shane Steichen told local media after the game that Richardson wanted to go back in but was kept out as a precaution. Still, Richardson’s injury will be one to monitor going forward.
The belief is Colts QB Anthony Richardson suffered a hip pointer, per sources.
With hip pointer + 17-point lead, I’m told Colts decided to be safe with his health & rule him out. Richardson remains on sidelines interacting with his team.
— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) September 29, 2024
Shane Steichen with no update on Anthony Richardson (hip):
“He felt good to go back in, ran the play and then felt it more after that next play.”
Steichen adds: “…we just wanted to hold (Richardson) out.”
— Kevin Bowen (@KBowen1070) September 29, 2024
If Richardson does have to miss time, this is exactly why the Colts went out and signed Flacco in the offseason. The veteran showed he is more than capable of stepping in and stepping up in guiding the Colts to their second win of the 2024 season. We’ll see if Flacco will be tasked in trying to help Indianapolis secure its first win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in Jacksonville since 2014. It should also be noted that running back Jonathan Taylor suffered an ankle injury late in the game and did not return. Taylor finished with 88 rushing yards on 21 attempts and one rushing touchdown. In total, against one of the best run-stopping defenses this season, Indianapolis had 133 rushing yards on 32 attempts between five ball carriers. With that in mind, the statuses of both Richardson and Taylor will certainly be noteworthy throughout the course of the week.
COLTS’ DEFENSE HELPS SLAM DOOR SHUT ON POSSIBLE STEELERS’ COMEBACK IN 4TH QUARTER
The Colts’ defense was far from perfect on Sunday, but the unit — aided by a fumbled snap from the Steelers’ offense — did slam the door shut on a possible comeback from Justin Fields and co late in the fourth quarter. For the Colts’ defense, it was very much a tale of two halves, as they surrendered just 3 points in the first half and 21 points in the second half. Credit should still be given where it’s due, though, as Indianapolis’ defense performed well enough in Sunday’s win despite being down several starters, including defensive end Kwity Paye, defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, cornerback Kenny Moore II, and others.
The box score won’t necessarily tell the entire story, as the Colts’ defense practically lived in the Steelers’ backfield in the first half and finished with four quarterback sacks. Pittsburgh did finish with 434 yards of total offense, but Indianapolis’ strong efforts in the first half went a very long way in helping the team on their way to a close victory. There’s still plenty for the Colts to clean up, but plays were made when it mattered most, especially when the Steelers found a steady rhythm offensively in the second half.
