With the 2025 season on the horizon, Steelers.com is bringing you Looking Back, where a game against each of our opponents is highlighted. In this edition, it’s the Indianapolis Colts.
Steelers 24, Indianapolis Colts 17
November 29, 2022
Lucas Oil Stadium
The Steelers held on tight for a 24-17 win over the Indianapolis Colts on Monday Night Football, but afterwards Coach Mike Tomlin acknowledged there is work to be done still, and the kickoff coverage was one area in particular he pointed to.
“We’ve got a lot of work on, but we were good enough tonight to secure victory and for that we are thankful,” said Tomlin. “We got a short week. We got another road trip waiting on us and so you got to sleep fast and do those things.
“I thought our kickoff units got to be better. I thought that was a catalyst for whatever got started with them in the second half. The field position component of it was a big negative. We got to get better there. The field positioning was a negative in that aspect of the game, but that’s what jumped out at me.
“It was a lot of good. It’s a lot of things you grow from. We’ll accept it and move forward.”
The kickoff return Tomlin was referencing happened at the start of the second half. Dallis Flowers returned it 89 yards to the Steelers 19-yard line, and four plays later running back Jonathan Taylor took it in for a two-yard touchdown to cut the Steelers lead to 16-10. The Colts kept their momentum going, taking a 17-16 lead, before the Steelers went on top.
When asked what changed in the second half for the Steelers defense, who shut the Colts down in the first half, Tomlin pointed right at the kickoff coverage.
“Kickoff coverage,” said Tomlin. “It’s the natural ebb and flow of football. They got momentum with that kickoff. They were able to put that ball in the end zone and so you got to turn that tide. That’s professional football. That’s just part of it. And it doesn’t happen in an instant.”
While the kickoff coverage struggled, one area that stepped up big was the run game. The Steelers were already missing running back Jaylen Warren, who was inactive with a hamstring injury, and then fellow running back Najee Harris was ruled out with an abdominal injury after carrying the ball 10 times for 35 yards in the first half.
It would be a combination of running backs Benny Snell and Anthony McFarland, who was elevated from the practice squad for the game, who carried the ground game. Snell finished with 12 carries for 62 yards and a touchdown, and one reception for six yards. McFarland had six carries for 30 yards and two receptions for 11 yards.