The Pittsburgh Steelers entered their Week 4 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts riding high on a 3-0 start to the season. However, they quickly found themselves down 17-0 on the road. Despite battling back and overcoming some costly mistakes, the Steelers' hopes of a comeback were crushed when a botched center-quarterback exchange occurred at the worst possible moment during their final drive to tie or win the game.
Alysa Rubin / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' Justin Fields stands on the sideline during a loss to the Indianapolis Colts.
Although Fields recovered the fumble, the damage was done, and Pittsburgh fell 27-24. This marked the Steelers' first loss of the season, a disappointing outcome, especially considering the fact that they were slight favorites against the Colts. While there are plenty of areas for concern, one bright spot was the play of Fields. He threw for 312 yards, one passing touchdown, and added 55 rushing yards with two scores on the ground.
The Steelers’ offense appeared to find its rhythm in the second half. After the game, Fields was asked if he felt more comfortable in the pocket during the latter part of the game, and he responded directly, saying he felt exactly the same.
"Nah, not really. I felt the same," Fields said.
Although it seemed like Fields and the offense found a better rhythm in the second half, Fields himself didn’t feel more comfortable. The question posed to him essentially implied that the offensive line had provided better protection after halftime. By saying he felt the same, Fields subtly suggested that the offensive line hadn't done enough to make him more comfortable.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' Justin Fields looks to pass in a loss to the Colts during the 2024 season.
Fields went on to explain why the offense started clicking more in the second half.
"Yeah, we just mixed it up a little bit on first and second down. Their defense was doing a good job on the run on first down so we started mixing in more play action pass. I think that was it, just mixing it up a little bit and trying to catch a rhythm like that."
The Steelers' offense performed much better in the second half, but they still couldn’t avoid costly mistakes. One positive for Steelers fans was that the offense managed to get back into the game and set up a potential game-tying or game-winning drive. Unfortunately, that opportunity slipped away due to a botched snap on the final drive, but at least they were in position to make a play.
This loss is a disappointing one, as the Steelers started slowly and couldn’t finish strong. The mistakes were glaring, and there’s a lot to clean up before Week 5. It was the team's first loss of the season, and Fields wasn’t happy with the performance. The offensive line struggled to protect him, the running game never got going, and the defense faltered. Injuries haven’t helped, but every team faces those challenges.
Steelers' Offensive Line Struggled Mightily In Week 4
The offensive line was expected to improve in the 2024 season, but injuries have taken their toll. First-round pick Troy Fautanu, who started at right tackle, is out for the year. Isaac Seumalo, the line’s best player, has yet to play this season, though there’s hope he’ll return next week.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' Troy Fautanu and Broderick Jones sit in their lockers before Week 1 against the Falcons.
Meanwhile, rookie Zach Frazier and Fields have had trouble with snap exchanges, which proved costly in this game. The youth and inexperience on the offensive line were evident, and Fields clearly felt it, expressing his frustration with the line’s performance in Week 4. Fields was sacked four times on Sunday against the Colts. The Steelers and their fans will hope the line can play better going forward.
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