Colts Rookie Detailed Steelers Can't Run On Indianapolis Defense: "No, Not At All"

The Pittsburgh Steelers are preparing to take on the Indianapolis Colts in Week 4 of the 2024 season. Pittsburgh is currently the one-seed in the AFC through three weeks, and they will look to continue that momentum as they travel to Indianapolis. The Steelers also have the chance to start the year off with a 3-0 record on the road, which would be impressive. The Colts have a young team, and the game should be considered very winnable for Pittsburgh on Sunday.

The Colts come into the matchup with a 1-2 record, and Pittsburgh is obviously favored in the contest. The Steelers took a beating in their last game in Lucas Oil Stadium which came during the 2023 season, and Mike Tomlin's team is looking to avoid a similar outcome. Laiatu Latu is a rookie defensive end for the Colts who they selected with the 15th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. He spoke to the media on Thursday, and he was asked if the extreme physicality the Steelers bring into games presents a challenge.

"No, not at all. We have the guys that can play the run, and stop the run, and we're going to do that. We're going to treat them, you know week by week, game by game, they're not better or worse than anyone else. Just gonna go out there and focus on what we've done throughout the week and do the best we can."

Latu delivered a pretty confident statement for a rookie that is entering his fourth career game. The young defender hasn't even eclipsed 100 snaps in his career, but it is clear the Colts are trying to work him into the rotation more. He recorded his first sack in Week 3 and should be a good player in Indianapolis for years to come, but his confidence going into this game is a bit irrational.

Latu sounded sure that the Colts were going to be able to stop the Steelers on the ground. This is odd to hear from such a young player, but especially a young player on the second-worst run defense in the league. The Colts have given up 537 yards on the ground, which comes in at just under 180 yards per game. They played one of the worst rushing offenses in the league in Week 3 and the statistics are still this bad.

Pittsburgh hasn't had an explosive run game so far in 2024, but this may be the week the offense is able to figure it out under Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith. The Steelers have been able to close out games using the run, but they have to have a truly great showing on the ground. It's safe to say Najee Harris, Cordarrelle Patterson, and Justin Fields will look to control the game with their legs when they take the field in Indianapolis on Sunday.

Steelers Have Plenty Of Bulletin Board Material Thanks To The Colts

Usually, it's a pretty good idea not to speak down on opponents or rile up their fan base prior to a matchup. The Colts have managed to do both of those things. They have had multiple players come out throughout the week with irrationally confident statements, which included Anthony Richardson stating he had no concerns going up against Pittsburgh's defense - which is currently the best in the NFL. 

Another incident included Zaire Franklin, who is arguably the Colts' best defender, talking about stealing Terrible Towels from fans in the stands. This would be an incredibly stupid idea; any team that messes with the towel usually receives a ton of karmic retribution shortly after. For instance, the Jacksonville Jaguars beat the Steelers in Week 8 of the 2023 season, and made fun of the towel, stealing some from fans afterwards. The Jaguars have now gone 3-9 since that incident, played themselves out of playoff contention in 2023, and arguably ruined Trevor Lawrence.

What do you think about the comments from all the Colts players ahead of the Week 4 matchup? Let us know below!

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