The Indianapolis Colts, with a record of 5-5, played their first game of the season without quarterback Andrew Luck, on Thanksgiving Day. They faced a Pittsburgh Steelers team, with a record of 5-5, that had lost four of their last five games. The Colts started quarterback Scott Tolzien. He had not played since the preseason. Two huge goal line stands from the Steelers defense held the Colts to seven points. Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and wide receiver Antonio Brown combined for three touchdowns. Running back Le’Veon Bell tacked on another, to give the Steelers the 28-7 victory. Now let’s take a look at the Indianapolis Colts week 12 takeaways after their defeat at the hands of the Steelers.
Indianapolis Colts Week 12 Takeaways
Injury Bug is Bigger Than Ever
Considering the Colts were already missing Luck, they could ill afford to lose another player to injury. Not only did the Colts lose a single player, they lost more than four of their most important players. According to the Indianapolis Colts Twitter page, cornerback Vontae Davis, receiver T.Y. Hilton, offensive lineman Denzell Good, and center Ryan Kelly, were all ruled out in the fourth quarter.
Vontae Davis and T.Y. Hilton have been ruled OUT. #PITvsIND
— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) November 25, 2016
The Colts have been bitten by the injury bug all season. As soon as they seemed to be getting healthier, things took a turn for the worst. Positive news comes from Kelly, Hilton, and Good not seeming to have serious injuries. However, Davis, the Colts best cornerback, is still dealing with a lingering groin issue. If the Colts want to make a run for a playoff spot, they will have to get healthy within the next few weeks.
Scott Tolzien Can Be Effective
After the Colts stalled out on their first drive of the game, it looked like it might be a long day of three-and-outs for the offense. Yet, Tolzien took control of the offense very quickly. If not for stalling twice at the goal line, the Colts could have won this game. Tolzien did throw two late interceptions, but he did play well enough to win. Furthermore, his supporting cast did not help him out much. Between poor offensive line play, Hilton getting injured, and a lackluster running game, Tolzien looked like he was left on an island. He was sacked three times for a total loss of 21 yards. The running game totaled less than 100 yards, with 37 of those coming from three Jordan Todman carries. If Luck is not healthy moving forward, head coach Chuck Pagano should be able to trust Tolzien at quarterback.
The Secondary is Still Subpar
It did not take long to realize that it would be a long day for the Colts defense against the Steelers. With a little more than a minute remaining in the first quarter, Roethlisberger hit Brown for a 25-yard touchdown pass. The first of three touchdown connections between them two. The injury to Davis did not help the Colts out either. Some good news came as a result of solid play from rookie safety out of Clemson T.J. Green. He showed his versatility, playing well against the run and pass, as well as rushing the quarterback.
Up Next
The Indianapolis Colts travel to New York to face the New York Jets. The Jets are currently 3-7, and 1-3 at home. This game is a must-win for the Colts to stay alive in the race for the AFC South. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. CT, on Monday Night Football.
