Nov 25, 2016 6 min read

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INDIANAPOLIS – Riding down the elevator at Lucas Oil Stadium and listening to some of the Colts employees and media talk about what transpired in this game, you would have thught Indianapolis actually had a chance to win this game.

“If T.Y. hadn’t dropped that pass, who knows what happens,” one said.

“Yeah,” said the other. “He wouldn’t have gotten hurt at the end of that drive, because it never would have happened.”

Here’s a little dose of reality. The Steelers scored touchdowns on their first three posessions of the game. Ben Roethlisberger threw seven passes in the second half against what was the league’s worst pass defense entering this game.

Roethlisberger has 13 touchdown passes and no interceptions in his last three games against the Colts, throwing for more than 1,100 yards.

And, oh yeah, the Colts lost Vontae Davis, their best corner, to a groin injury after he was beaten for a second touchdown by Antonio Brown.

The Steelers played with the Colts like a cat does a mouse.

Yes, the Colts hit some plays. Yes, Indianapolis’ receivers dropped some passes.

But this was not a game that was ever in danger of getting away from the Steelers. They could seemingly score whenever they liked.

Don’t think so?

Realize that the Steelers scored touchdowns on four of their seven real possessions – I don’t count the one in the close minute of the first half as a “real” possession.

When they chose to attack the Colts downfield, Indianapolis, which came in allowing an average of 285 yards passing per game, had no answer.

Roethlisberger had four completions in the game of 30 or more yards, two to Ladarius Green, one to Eli Rogers and one to Antonio Brown. He also had completions of 25 and 22 yards to Brown.

Those were there anytime he wanted them.

The Steelers could have scored 50 on the Colts if they so chose.

@ Had Andrew Luck played, the Steelers might have had to score 50. He didn’t, so they didn’t.

@ It was good to see Green worked into the downfield attack with his catches of 35 and 32 yards. For the Steelers to be a factor in the playoffs, they need somebody other than Brown and Le’Veon Bell to emerge as offensive threats.

That’s why you also saw them try to get a couple of passes deep to Sammie Coates. Roethlisberger underthrew Coates both times he went deep to him. But when Pittsburgh’s offense was rolling earlier this season during the team’s 4-1 start, it was because Coates was keeping opposing defenses from centering in on Brown.

Green can serve that same role, but if the Steelers can also incorporate Coates into the equation, they’ll be very dangerous.

@ Green admitted after the game that he’s still feeling his way through all of this with his ankle injury.

“I’m still nervous doing some things,” he said.

That’s only natural when you’ve had a major surgery on a body part that you need to make cuts or one that gets hit on tackles.

But he’ll continue to work through that.

@ Keith Butler was once again bringing pressure from all levels throughout this game. The Steelers had three sacks and were credited with 11 QB hits.

But, that also leaves some guys in one-on-one situations. We saw the Colts take advantage of that a couple of times, but we also saw it lead to a some really bad series – a three-and-out that lost 15 yards, for example, on their opening possession – and two interceptions.

@ Even if the Colts had kicked field goals instead of going for it on fourth-and-goal from the 1 twice in this game, they still would have trailed by at least one score entering the fourth quarter. And you can bet Roethlisberger would have thrown more than seven second-half passes.

@ Sean Davis showed great instincts on his third-down stop of Scott Tolzien at the 1 at the end of the first half.

That was a run-pass option for Tolzien on the play and the Steelers had the tight end covered. Davis recognized that, read Tolzien’s eyes and came up and made the stop.

Yes, he made a play on a quarterback, but there was a lot of open field to play with and Davis shut it off and closed quickly and decisively.

@ The Steelers offensive line allowed one quarterback hit and no sacks in this game and has allowed Roethlisberger to be sacked once in the past three games.

It was also opening some massive lanes through which Bell could run.

Indianapolis’ defense is not good, but the one thing it could do is rush the passer pretty well. That never happened in this game.

@ The Steelers now have home games against the Giants, Ravens and Browns remaining, and road games at Buffalo and Cincinnatti.

Baltimore has home and away games against Cincinnati in addition to games at home against Miami and Philadelphia and road games at New England and Pittsburgh.

That puts the Steelers in the driver’s seat in the AFC North.

The Ravens should take care of the Bengals this week, but also must play at Cincinnati in Week 17, when there’s a good chance A.J. Green will be back. Beating the red-hot Dolphins, even at home, won’t be easy, but let’s say the Ravens also do that.

They’re not winning at New England and back-to-back road games at Pittsburgh and Cincinnati will be tough, as well.

Baltimore’s finishing 8-8.

We’ll give the Steelers a win over the Browns because, well, it’s the Browns. That gets them to seven wins. They are due to win against the Ravens, especially at home, with Roethlisberger at QB. Let’s not forget that Mike Vick started the game against the Ravens in Pittsburgh last season.

This team has regained its confidence, its swagger. And, most importantly, Roethlisberger hasn’t thrown an interception in his past two road games after throwing five touchdowns and five interceptions in Pittsburgh’s first five road games.