The Pittsburgh Steelers and Indianapolis Colts get together at Heinz Field this Sunday for the second straight season. Last year, Ben Roethlisberger torched the Colts to the tune of 522 yards and six touchdowns in a 51-34 win.
With both teams at 6-5 and major playoff ramifactions at stake, the quarterback situation in this meeting stands to be significantly different. Veteran quarterback Matt Hasselbeck will stand in for Andrew Luck, who tossed for 400 yards and three touchdowns with two interceptions on the losing side in 2014. Luck is still recovering from a lacerated kidney sustained in Week 9 against Denver.
Roethlisberger is recovering from a concussion suffered at the end of last week's loss in Seattle. He's already back practicing and on target to play, with the Steelers needing a win in the worst way. Currenty sitting in the eighth spot in the AFC, a loss would set Pittsburgh back further in the playoff picture and also put them at the losing end of a head-to-head tiebreaker with the Colts if the two end up vying for the same Wild Card spot.
Here are three keys to the game for both the Colts and Steelers:
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COLTS
1. Limit big plays
The Indianapolis secondary has struggled, giving up an average of 272.2 yards per game and has given up eight receptions of 40 yards of more. The Steelers, who have the NFL's fourth-ranked passing offense, averaging 398.8 yards per game, have one of the league's more dangerous receivers in Antonio Brown. The Colts should consider double covering Brown with a safety to help limit his potential for explosive plays. If the Colts can contain Brown, they give themselves a much better chance at slowing down the Pittsburgh offense.
2. Beware of the blitz
Hasselbeck acknowledged on Thursday that Pittsburgh will likely blitz more than any other team the Colts have faced this season. With left tackle Anthony Castonzo expected to miss another week with a sprained knee and Hasselbeck again forced to play behind a patchwork offensive line, protection will be at premium. The blitz offers the chance for big plays, but Hasselbeck will need to get rid of the ball quickly to take advantage.
3. Don't abandon the run
Last week, the Buccaneers stacked the box to stop the run and it worked, as the Colts were limited to a paltry 27 yards on 26 carries. Luckily for Indianapolis, Tampa Bay challenged Hasselbeck to beat them and he did, throwing for 315 yards and two touchdowns. Playing outdoors and on the road this week, however, will not be as easy. The Colts cannot afford to write off the running game if they hope to win at Heinz Field. The current offensive line should be improved with another week together to gel, but keeping the tight ends in to help block may be necessary as well to get the ground game going.
STEELERS
1. Bend, don't break in the secondary
The Steelers' secondary broke a heckuva lot last week in Seattle. With coverage being a major issue, Pittsburgh's defensive backs can't let T.Y. Hilton or Donte Moncrief get behind them. They should play on the soft side and make sure to bring down receivers right at the point of the catch. Missed tackles cannot happen at the rate they did last week against the Seahawks.
2. Take advantage of Indy's porous offensive line
The Colts' offensive line has been a major issue all season, and with left tackle Anthony Castonzo still battling a knee injury, it may be even worse. The Steelers need to turn James Harrison, Bud Dupree, and Cam Heyward loose. Getting more pressure on Hasselbeck will also be essential in helping the secondary prevent big plays.
3. Spread the Colts defense out
Roethlisberger doesn't need to throw for 500 yards again, but he'll still be throwing the ball around plenty to Antonio Brown, Martavis Bryant, and now Markus Wheaton after his 201-yard performance last week. Brown will be looking to rebound after being held in check by Seattle's Richard Sherman last week, so Roethlisberger should target him early to force the Colts to pick their poison on defense. They can try to play Brown straight up with Vontae Davis or double-team him and leave Bryant and Wheaton with more space to work with.
