It’s another pre-postseason playoff game as the Indianapolis Colts (6-5) travel to Heinz Field to take on the Pittsburgh Steelers (6-5).
Scroll on down for the live blog. Keep reading for preview information.
First here’s my pick from the FAQ.
Indianapolis at Pittsburgh (-7)
Ben Roethlisberger is out of the concussion protocol and practicing. Matt Haselbeck has been fantastic, but he’s only human. A 40-year-old human. Steelers 30, Colts 17
And here’s both teams’ entries in this week’s Power Rankings.
9. Pittsburgh Steelers – (6-5) Ben Roethlisberger says he’s out of the concussion protocol. Mike Tomlin says he isn’t. I still think he’ll play Sunday and he’ll have to if the Steelers want to beat the resurgent Colts. Last week: No. 7
11. Indianapolis Colts – (6-5) Matt Hasselbeck is now 4-0 and people, dumb people, are starting to say the team should roll with him when Andrew Luck is healthy. Running your franchise quarterback out of town after one injury-riddled year is how you kill a dynasty and end up sending another team to the Super Bowl with your guy, Colts. Just ask the St. Louis Rams. Last week: No. 12
And here’s our GMS Preview.
This week’s matchup between the Indianapolis Colts (6-5) and the Pittsburgh Steelers (6-5) will give the Colts a chance to add to their three-game winning streak. A player to watch is the NFL’s second-leading receiver, Antonio Brown (1,192 yards, 5 TDs). It will begin Sunday, Dec 6 at 8:30 p.m. ET and can be seen on NBC.
Pittsburgh dropped one to the Seahawks 39-30 last week. Markus Wheaton had a big game in the loss, totaling nine catches for 201 yards and one TD. Ben Roethlisberger also had a big game with 456 yards and a TD through the air. Indianapolis is hoping for a similar result as last week when they beat the Buccaneers 25-12. T.Y. Hilton had an outstanding performance for the Colts, registering six catches for 95 yards and two TDs. Donte Moncrief also had a big day, contributing 114 yards on eight receptions.
Pittsburgh is a six-point favorite in this game and the Over/Under (O/U) is unavailable at the moment.
Heading into Week 13 of league action, the Steelers are 6-5 Straight Up (SU) and 5-4-2 Against The Spread (ATS). In the past five games, Pittsburgh is 2-3 SU and 1-4 ATS. Look for Pittsburgh to take advantage of an inferior Indianapolis pass defense, which ranks 27th in the league with 272.8 passing yards allowed per game. Transitioning to the Pittsburgh defense, there are some factors that could impact the outcome. The Colts may have a difficult time running against the Steelers. The Colts average 92 yards per game on the ground, 26th in the NFL. One of the keys to the game will be if the Steelers can take advantage of the turnover-prone Colts, who rank 31st in the league in turnovers with two per game. The Steelers should be able to profit from Indianapolis’s struggles during the second quarter, when it gives up 8.4 points per game. Pittsburgh isn’t likely to jeopardize its chances of winning this week with penalties. The team is the least penalized in the league, averaging 5.8 per game.
Moving to the road team, the Colts have 6-5 SU and ATS records this season. The Colts went 3-2 SU and 4-1 ATS over the last five games. If Pittsburgh’s earlier games are any indication, the Colts should throw the ball often on offense. The Steelers allow 283.6 passing yards per game, 30th in the NFL. Shifting to the other side of the ball, the Indianapolis defense can dominate if it takes advantage of some favorable matchups. If the Steelers aren’t careful throwing the ball against Indianapolis’s defense, they could be in trouble. Its defense has picked off the third-most throws on the season with 1.3 per game. The Colts generally save their best for last, averaging a league-best 9.6 points in the fourth quarter. With an average of 95.9 return yards per game (fifth-most in the league), Indianapolis has had a great deal of success with its special teams.
Predictions: SU Winner – Pit, ATS Winner – Ind
The game is on NBC at 8:20, depending on when the president gets done talking. Let’s watch.
