Colts Receive Strong Backup Performance from Joe Flacco to Defeat Steelers.
On September 29, Joe Flacco stepped in for an injured Anthony Richardson and led the Indianapolis Colts to a 27-24 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Richardson left the game after a 14-yard run where he was hit by DeShon Elliott, causing a fumble that the Colts recovered. After briefly leaving the field, he returned but quickly went down with a right hip injury and was ruled out.
Flacco completed 16 of 26 passes for 168 yards and two touchdowns, displaying patience in the pocket. His performance included a crucial final touchdown drive, where he made three completions on third-and-long situations, culminating in a touchdown pass to Andrew Ogletree that put the Colts ahead 24-10.
The Colts initially built a 17-0 lead, with Jonathan Taylor scoring on a 2-yard run, Flacco connecting with Josh Downs for a 4-yard touchdown, and Matt Gay adding a 33-yard field goal. The Steelers, trailing 17-3 at halftime, responded with three consecutive scoring drives, narrowing the gap to three points with an 8-yard touchdown from Justin Fields to Pat Freiermuth with 3:40 remaining.
However, an errant snap late in the game hurt the Steelers’ chances, as Fields couldn’t connect on two crucial passes, giving the Colts the ball back with 29 seconds left. Taylor finished with 88 rushing yards and a touchdown, despite the absence of starting center Ryan Kelly due to a neck injury.
Fields had a challenging game for the Steelers, throwing for 312 yards with one passing touchdown and two rushing touchdowns, but he faced pressure from the Colts’ defense, getting sacked four times for a total loss of 30 yards. His performance was especially important as the Steelers were missing Cordarrelle Patterson, who suffered an ankle injury during the game.
