Colts game plan @ Steelers

I keep hearing fans and TV sports pundits saying we shut down Jonathan Taylor. Indeed we did but with a huge caveat (in my opinion). I felt like the Colts came out trying to throw haymakers. First drive was essentially all passing and it seemingly remained their formula throughout.

Now sure, we started to make them more 1-dimensional towards the latter stages of the 3rd QTR but I’m just convinced JT wasn’t a significant part of their original game plan. I felt like they were simply trying to expose what they’d seen on film from previous weeks, a porous defense. I mean they came out slinging showing a complete lack of respect for our defensive backfield, and can you really blame them ? Am I wrong here ? I felt like our D-Line and linebackers finally did what they’re paid to do, get after it and make life easier for our secondary.

Thankfully for us, (Tomlin Quote) “Theirs a fine line between drinking wine and squashing grapes” and our defense was drinking wine.

 

I agree. The Coaching stepped it up this game.

 

They may have been trying to gain a more favorable match up for Taylor based on what they saw from the Bengals game. In that game they had been stifling Brown until the Bengals started to use multiple receivers sets that forced the Steelers to go 2DL subpackage football that allowed Brown to see huge holes between both guards and the center. Yesterday they went less subpackage and more beef on the line. Early on the secondary wasn't challenging the Colts receivers they were losing them in the zone and looking into the backfield. They got that adjusted though.

 

TJ's strip sack of Jones was the biggest play of the game. The Colts were leading 7-0 and we're ready to go up 2 scores before that play. We go down and tie it up and Jones was rattled for the rest of the game.

 

Statistically we are one of the (if not the actual) worst teams in the league defending the pass. In terms of ypc allowed we are a middle of the pack team in defending the run. It’s not that far-fetched after watching the previous two games to think that the best offense in the league for the first half of the season felt like they’d be able to come into town and pass on us at will. Then they’d run it on us after they keep us in nickel. What they didn’t expect was that their OL would get utterly dominated. They struggled to protect Jones and struggled to open up holes for Taylor to run…. Wilson, Highsmith, and Benton had absolute monster games.

I don’t think the Colts over thought anything. They just got out played.

 

They shut down Taylor and Warren

 

That’s such a valid point. If the Colts go up 2 scores there then this could’ve possibly got out of hand. It’s amazing how a singular splash play can ultimately turn into multiple splash plays. TJ changed the game’s dynamics. However, even following that, the Colts still believed they could eventually exploit us via the passing game. The only time they really did was during garbage time.

 

Amazing