Pittsburgh Steelers Thwart Last-Ditch Drive to Beat Indianapolis Colts on ‘Monday Night Football’

Posted on: November 29, 2022, 02:27h. 

Last updated on: November 29, 2022, 02:50h.

Erik Gibbs Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Gaming Business, Global Gaming.

For most of the contest, the Monday Night Football game belonged to the Pittsburgh Steelers, who entered as underdogs. However, the Indianapolis Colts made a late stand that almost flipped the game upside down before Pittsburgh found a way to stop them.

Pittsburgh Steelers vs Indianapolis Colts
Pittsburgh Steelers players celebrate a touchdown against the Indianapolis Colts on “Monday Night Football.” The Steelers hung on for an underdog win despite a late surge by the Colts. (Image: Getty Images)

Quarterback Kenny Pickett showed why he deserved the starting position for the Steelers. The 24-year-old rookie was good for 20 of 28 passes, picking up 174 yards with no turnovers. He was also forced to prove himself late in the game, with the Colts knocking loudly knocking on the door.

Pickett found a way to mount a comeback to clinch a 24-17 victory over the Colts. While the win doesn’t do much for the Steelers’ season – they’re still at the bottom of the AFC North – it gives the team something to build on next year.

Steelers Tame Colts

Pittsburgh’s defense took control in the first half, allowing the Colts to do no better than a second-quarter field goal. The offense had already taken a 3-0 lead on its first drive and immediately returned to the field after an interception.

On that play, cornerback James Pierre picked off Colts quarterback Matt Ryan on a huge blunder, but the Steelers couldn’t convert it into points. Still, by the end of the half, the Steelers were up, 16-3.

Tragedy struck when the Steelers lost running back Najee Harris to an injury at the end of the second quarter. He was responsible for one of the team’s two TDs and would have been useful in the second half.

In the third quarter, the Colts made some adjustments that paid off. One was on special teams, which saw cornerback Dallis Flowers return a kick for 89 yards and put Indianapolis just outside the pylons. Running back Jonathan Taylor made the best of it, punching into the end zone off a 2-yard run to close the gap to 16-10.

Indianapolis controlled the quarter, putting up another TD when Ryan found wide receiver Michael Pittman in the end zone. For the first time in the game, the Colts had the lead.

However, the Steelers weren’t done. Early in the fourth, they regained control following a strong drive and a two-yard run by running back Benny Snell into the end zone. Pickett then connected with wide receiver George Pickens in the back of the end zone to complete the 2-point conversion.

Ryan put the Colts in scoring position on their final drive. However, in another example of poor clock management this season, they couldn’t get anything done. With 24 seconds remaining, cornerback Minkah Fitzpatrick picked off Ryan, and Pittsburgh picked up the win.

Coming into the Home Stretch

Monday night’s game wrapped up Week 12, and the NFL season is coming into the home stretch. It’s two-thirds of the way through, and the postseason picture continues to take shape.

In Week 13, the Steelers will have a tough test when they face the Atlanta Falcons, who still have a chance of finding a playoff spot. The Colts face the Dallas Cowboys, who look like one of the big favorites in the NFC.

On the AFC side, there are still several battles remaining. The Miami Dolphins hold a surprise lead in the AFC East, while the Buffalo Bills are no longer getting the praise they were at the start of the season. The Bills still have four division games to go, which will determine where they fall when the regular season wraps up.