Justin Fields had engineered the near-comeback.
He’d rebounded from his personal fumble to attain touchdowns on three straight dives, the Pittsburgh Steelers getting the ball down three with 2:39 to play.
May they no less than tie the sport, if not take a lead in opposition to an Indianapolis Colts squad down its beginning quarterback?
Fields scrambled 12 yards to jumpstart the drive earlier than discovering receiver Van Jefferson left for what would turn into a nine-yard acquire. However a good second-and-1 would quickly flip expensive. As a result of after Fields kicked his leg to sign to his heart that he was prepared for the snap, he noticed Colts defensive backs rotating and wished one final look on the protection he’d finally be throwing towards.
Steelers heart Zach Frazier didn’t know that, so he snapped a ball that will hit Fields within the facemask and are available unfastened earlier than Fields hurried to safe it. This wouldn’t turn into an official turnover for Pittsburgh, however the 22 yards to achieve had been an excessive amount of to beat.
Two incompletions later and an 11-yard acquire by which operating again Najee Harris staying in bounds later, the Colts had secured a 27-24 win.
And the Steelers had suffered their first lack of the season, although their 3-1 report was nonetheless ample to remain atop the AFC North.
“I used to be simply making an attempt to get that remaining image earlier than the snap got here,” Fields stated. “After I kick my leg, I bought to be prepared for the ball it doesn’t matter what.”
Fields shrugged: “It’s on me.”
The Steelers’ offensive day was a story of two sport intervals, Fields and his teammates flashing by means of a lot of the second half however finally unable to beat their protection’s worst efficiency but.
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin stopped in need of celebrating how his crew rebounded from repeated 14-point deficits to lose by three.
Practically profitable the sport isn’t sufficient, Tomlin stated, when the Steelers spent a lot time dropping it. Fields wasn’t immune from that criticism.
“I’m appreciative of the battle however I’m not congratulating them for it — that’s the enterprise that we’re in,” Tomlin stated. “I admire his battle. However he and we had been a bit sloppy at instances. Too sloppy to comfortably safe this victory.”
Justin Fields and Co. turned it on too late as Joe Flacco confounded Steelers D
Fields echoed his head coach’s sentiment.
He was assured coming into the ultimate drive however knew his crew finally misplaced due to greater than only a botched snap. If something, the snap miscue mirrored why his crew misplaced.
“We knew the entire day they weren’t stopping us; we had been simply stopping ourselves,” Fields stated. “It’s type of loopy we stopped ourselves within the final drive too.
“We knew we had been capturing ourselves within the foot.”
When Anthony Richardson and Jonathan Taylor anchored an eight-play, 70-yard landing drive within the first quarter, the Steelers responded with a punt.
When Joe Flacco changed Richardson after a hip harm on the second drive (experiences after the sport urged Richardson might play subsequent week), he discovered receiver Josh Downs for a 4-yard landing two performs after approaching.
The Steelers responded with a turnover on downs after failing to transform a fourth-and-1.
Pittsburgh would luck out in methods past dealing with the Colts’ second-string quarterback (which can or might not be fortunate, relying whom you ask). The Colts managed only a discipline purpose after their turnover on downs, punted after George Pickens fumbled within the crimson zone, and later stalled and missed a 54-yard discipline purpose try when Fields fumbled after tripping as he tried to increase a play.
However the Steelers wanted Fields and the offense to elevate them on a day when the protection struggled to regulate from a sport plan curated to defend Richardson quite than Flacco.
The Steelers surrendered 24 factors after yielding lower than 9 on common by means of their first three video games, permitting the Colts to transform 53.3% of third-down makes an attempt after averaging a league-best 21.9% allowed by means of the primary three weeks.
Tomlin didn’t really feel comfy pressuring Flacco extra if it meant sacrificing assistance on the again finish for a quarterback whom he known as “the way more proficient passer than Richardson.”
Mike Tomlin after Steelers loss to Colts: “Flacco’s the way more proficient passer than Richardson so blitzing doesn’t actually assist you. A veteran man. Makes fast and prudent selections. Didn’t really feel good. And clearly, we’ve bought expertise competing in opposition to Joe Flacco.”
— Jori Epstein (@JoriEpstein) September 29, 2024
The notion {that a} second-string quarterback could possibly be the more adept passer shouldn’t be a shock coming from Pittsburgh, which could have a choice to make as soon as Russell Wilson recovers sufficiently from an aggravated calf harm.
Wilson arrived this offseason with a 334-touchdown resumé that features 9 Professional Bowl berths and a Tremendous Bowl victory. His 100.0 passer ranking in that stretch bested Fields’ 83.2, the Steelers now figuring out how their present scheme and personnel match with every quarterback at a extra superior stage of their careers.
The Steelers’ loss to the Colts was a reminder of how the offense has stalled and erred at instances with Fields but in addition how his dual-threat skills can create a uncommon rhythm.
“I assumed the numerous part of the end result of the sport is clearly the turnover sport and the self-inflicted wounds we had,” Tomlin stated. “We felt comfy with our capacity to get again within the sport. First, we needed to cease kicking our butt.”
What does Fields’ near-comeback imply for his future as Steelers starter?
What does it appear to be when the Steelers’ offense stops turning the ball over and finds a rhythm?
After managing three factors of their first seven drives, Pittsburgh paradoxically settled in instantly after Fields’ third-quarter fumble.
Fields had 233 of his 367 whole yards within the second half, together with all three of his touchdowns. The offense appeared to achieve one other gear throughout this stretch, a rhythm the quarterback attributed partially to a schematic choice to move extra on first down because of how the Colts had been defending in opposition to the run.
Fields moved the ball downfield effectively with deep passes to Pickens, climbing left from the pocket and firing 38 yards on the primary landing drive because the pair capitalized on Pickens’ exterior leverage.
His arm started the progress, his legs ending it. Scrambles for six after which 5 yards accomplished the Steelers’ first scoring drive.
The following drive unfolded equally, Fields finishing passes to 3 completely different teammates together with a display move that operating again Najee Harris took from behind the road of scrimmage to 32 yards forward of it. Fields additionally drew a roughing-the-passer penalty.
After Fields missed Pickens low, he scrambled left, holding the ball out briefly as if to faux a move after which taking the landing himself.
And on the third drive, Fields handed most successfully, discovering Pickens for 37 yards and Jefferson for 12 earlier than finally dropping again and nailing an upfield move to tight finish Pat Freiermuth shut sufficient to the tip zone for Freiermuth to muscle and fall backward for a landing.
The three-point deficit within the remaining three minutes was tantalizing however finally unfulfilled.
In his postgame media convention, Fields preached ball safety and sooner begins as he described the fixes as issues of execution quite than capacity.
“What we had been doing within the second half we should always have carried out firstly,” Fields stated. “It’s no thriller. It’s not mystical.”
Because the Steelers proceed to navigate their quarterback depth chart, they’ll have a look at a sport by which Fields posted a number of season-bests in productiveness and effectivity however the crew took its first loss.
Fields’ 312 passing yards topped his earlier better of 245, his three whole touchdowns edging out his earlier mark of two. His 104.0 passer ranking was his finest by 6.7 factors, and Fields averted an interception for the third time in 4 video games, although he did lose a fumble along with the botched snap he recovered.
Tomlin didn’t handle Fields’ play within the context of Wilson’s roster spot, retaining his remarks on Fields to reward for his battle and concern concerning the “sloppy” turnovers.
Fields, for his half, spoke as if he could be again to start out subsequent week when the Steelers host the 2-2 Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night time Soccer.
“I’ve to be higher,” Fields stated. “We have now to be higher as an entire. Received to return again subsequent week and bounce again.
