Vin+ 3,121 Posted September 23, 2011 TIME: 08:20 P.M. ESTVENUE: Lucas Oil Stadium Long a darling of the NFL's nationally televised slate, the Indianapolis Colts have done nothing to suggest they're ready for prime-time in 2011. With or without Peyton Manning, they'll still have plenty of opportunities. The offensively challenged Colts play the first of five scheduled prime-time games Sunday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers, who come to Lucas Oil Stadium off their first shutout since 2008. Indianapolis (0-2) has been a staple on Sunday, Monday and Thursday nights the past decade largely due to the presence of Manning, and that's the case again since the severity of the four-time MVP's neck injury wasn't known until long after the schedule was released. The Colts are set to make five prime-time appearances for the fifth consecutive season, a number that will likely remain considering the only option to be flexed - Week 13 at New England - figures to stay put. Manning has twice visited Indianapolis' practices this week, but unless he winds up taking snaps from center Jeff Saturday later this fall, the television networks may be in for some serious mismatches. For the first time since 2006, the Colts have failed to hit 200 yards passing in back-to-back games, and Kerry Collins followed his two-fumble performance in a season-opening loss at Houston with two more turnovers in Sunday's 27-19 home loss to Cleveland. Indianapolis is 0-2 for the first time since dropping its first four games in 1998 - Manning's rookie season. "We don't have much time left," receiver Reggie Wayne said. "We've got to figure it out fast. ... We have to figure out a way to win the close ones. I feel like that's what it's going to be from here on out." While the Colts wound up losing by 27 points in Week 1, the Steelers (1-1) came off even worse in a 35-7 loss to archrival Baltimore that had some wondering if Pittsburgh's defense was too old to be dominant once again. The Steelers hardly looked washed up in their home opener. They outgained Seattle 421-164 and held the ball for nearly 39 minutes in a 24-0 win, their first shutout since December 2008. "They have been calling this defense old since I was in college and they are still calling them old now," linebacker LaMarr Woodley told the team's official website. "In this sport, when is a defense at the right age? When has that ever been the case? It's always they are too old, or too young. There is never a 'just right' in this league." Even with a turnover-free, defensively dominant performance, coach Mike Tomlin was hardly ready to pronounce Pittsburgh over its Week 1 drubbing. "It's not going to take one performance to take that stench off of us," Tomlin said. A second straight game against a struggling offense could help. The Colts have converted just 5 of 23 third-down opportunities, 31st in the NFL and a far cry from what they've typically done to stay on the field. From 2005-10, Indianapolis' 49.6 percent success rate on third down was 4.3 percent better than any other team. "That's where you make your money," coach Jim Caldwell said. "We have to be better in that area." The Steelers, meanwhile, converted 8 of 15 third downs against Seattle, but couldn't punch in their lone attempt on fourth down. Pittsburgh failed to score on its opening drive of the game despite having four cracks after reaching the Seahawks' 1-yard line. "I felt like we could have scored a lot more points than we did, but we won the game and that's what's most important right now," quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said. Roethlisberger came dangerously close to joining Manning on the sidelines Sunday. Seattle's Raheem Brock, who got around rookie right tackle Marcus Gilbert, fell on the quarterback's right leg late in the second quarter, but Roethlisberger returned after missing two plays. Gilbert could have his hands full again this week against Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis, who each have one of the Colts' two sacks. Roethlisberger must hope he fares better Sunday than he has previously in the regular season against the Colts. Roethlisberger has a 58.9 passer rating and five interceptions in a pair of losses versus Indianapolis, though he did throw two touchdown passes in the Steelers' divisional playoff victory at the RCA Dome in 2006. Collins, meanwhile, is 3-1 as a starter against the Steelers with five touchdowns and just one interception. Copyright 2011 by STATS LLC and The Associated Press. Worst SNF ever. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sarge+ 3,436 Posted September 25, 2011 23 16 It's gonna be a lot closer than people think, because Arians is going to be a fucking idiot and not run the ball as much as the Steelers should. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AllYouNeedIsLovie 377 Posted September 25, 2011 Steelers should win this one pretty easily, but I'm hoping it's a good one since it's on SNF. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sarge+ 3,436 Posted September 25, 2011 They should, but they won't. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AllYouNeedIsLovie 377 Posted September 25, 2011 They should, but they won't. We'll see. The Colts offense is putrid without Peyton. I can't see them having any success against the Steelers D. Expecting a good amount of turnovers too from the Steelers D too. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RazorStar 4,025 Posted September 25, 2011 The Colts have quite a few questionable players as well, give me the Steelers. 28 17 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vin+ 3,121 Posted September 25, 2011 Steelers declared WR Jerricho Cotchery, RE Brett Keisel, CB Bryant McFadden, RB Jonathan Dwyer, QB Dennis Dixon, LT Jonathan Scott and OT Jamon Meredith inactive for Week 3 against the Colts. Ziggy Hood will start in place of Keisel, while Williams Gay will fill in for McFadden at left cornerback. Cotchery is inactive despite not appearing on the Steelers' Week 3 injury report. He might not last the season in Pittsburgh. Colts declared LB Gary Brackett, QB Peyton Manning, CB Kevin Thomas, SS Melvin Bullitt, LB Ernie Sims, G Ryan Diem and DT Fili Moala inactive for Week 3 against the Steelers. Dallas Clark (foot) is active. With both Sims and Brackett out for the second straight week, the Colts are going to have almost no chance of slowing down Rashard Mendenhall this evening. Mike Pollak should get the start in place of Diem, who is nursing a hight-ankle sprain. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BGColtFreak 3 Posted September 26, 2011 Well well. I know we lost but I didn't think it would be that close. I thought the Steelers were going to murder us. Great game by the Colts D. Pat Angerer with 21 tackles, 12 solo, holy shit. Drake Nevis was a steal. Great effort to stop the run, now do it every damn week please. Secondary played better, but still needs improvement. Although I gotta say, covering Mike Wallace with a linebacker? What did the coaches think would happen on that one? Just couldn't hold them on that last drive. Foster will be forever haunted by that missed sack. Build on this effort and work on getting off the field on 3rd down. O-line played their hearts out and got us some nice runs. Sure they had mistakes, but the Steelers have so many blitzing combos that you just can't stop all of them. Just gotta throw it away. Painter had just as many good plays as bad ones, which is good for him. But connect with Garcon on that wide open pass and things could've changed. Give him a full week of practice and things just may get better, depending on Collins' status. I say it's about a toss-up at this point. Painter's drive after the fumble was a great one. The only TD drives Collins has this year were in garbage time. Until Painter came in, our only TD was the Jamal Anderson fumble return. Addai once again shows why he was resigned, and by season's end I think we'll see how big of a steal Delone Carter was. There's obviously a reason why the coaches gave him the #2 slot over a 1st rounder. It sucks that we lost, but I still think the Colts played a solid game. No way did I think this game would go down to the wire like it did. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sarge+ 3,436 Posted September 26, 2011 I knew it would be a close game.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
