Steelers make their own luck in win
By Dale Lolley
Staff writer
dlolley@observer-reporter.com
INDIANAPOLIS – Luck was with the Steelers in Indianapolis Thursday night.
With star Indianapolis quarterback Andrew Luck sidelined with a concussion, the Steelers got after backup quarterback Scott Tolzien, sacking him three times and intercepting him twice in a 28-7 Pittsburgh victory over the Colts.
The win improves the Steelers to 6-5 and puts them in first place in the AFC North, a game ahead of Baltimore (5-5), which hosts Cincinnati (3-6-1) Sunday.
Indianapolis fell to 5-6.
“It was a good win for us on a short week on the road,” said Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. “We don’t take it for granted. It was much needed.”
Ben Roethlisberger threw three touchdown passes to Antonio Brown, who had five catches for 94 yards, and Le’Veon Bell rushed for 120 yards and a touchdown to provide much of the offense. Roethlisberger, who has 13 TD passes in his past three games against Indianapolis, finished with 221 yards, completing 14 of 20 pass attempts.
“”We know it’s time. It’s time for us to roll our sleeves up, show our identity, put our will on display and find a way to do what we desire to do,” said Brown.
Two of Roethlisberger’s TD passes to Brown came in the first half as Pittsburgh built a 21-7 lead, scoring on each of their first three possessions.
Late in the half, the Colts put together a long drive, moving from their own 37 to get a first down at the Pittsburgh 2 following a 32-yard pass from Tolzien to T.Y. Hilton. Hilton took a big hit from Mike Mitchell after making the catch and suffered a lower back injury. He did not return to the game.
But the Steelers stopped the Colts on four plays from inside the Pittsburgh 2 late in the half to maintain that lead.
Rookie safety Sean Davis made a big stop of Tolzien on a rollout for a short loss on third down from the 1, and Mitchell then broke up a pass on fourth down for the turnover.
The Steelers would stop the Colts again on downs at the 1 early in the fourth quarter, with Mitchell stuffing Tolzien on a run on third down and Lawrence Timmons breaking up a pass intended for Phillip Dorsett on fourth down to end a drive that took 11:22 off the clock and failed to result in points for Indianapolis.
“More than anything it was two nice plays by safeties,” said Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. “One instance Sean Davis – the quarterback was scrambling, he made the definitive decision to come out of coverage and make a tackle. I think the other one was Mike Mitchell in a similar way. Those are two significant plays from pass defenders first to come out of coverage there and combat the quarterback. Those were significant plays. You get significant plays like that and you get a chance to have a stand.”
Following the second goal-line stop, the Steelers punted, but Mitchell intercepted a deep pass from Tolzien at the 10 and returned it out to the 36 with just under eight minutes to play.
The Steelers then went 64 yards on four plays before Roethlisberger found Brown a third time, this one coming from 22 yards out to give Pittsburgh a 28-7 lead with 5:30 remaining in the game.
“I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity to be able to catch three touchdowns in a game,” Brown said. “It’s an honor playing with Ben. He’s always putting me in a great position, making some great throws and grateful to do it on a great stage like this and it felt even better to get a win.”
William Gay then intercepted Tolzien again on the Colts’ next drive to end any threat of a comeback.
Tight end Ladarius Green, the Steelers’ big free agent signing in the offseason, had his biggest impact this season catching two passes for 67 yards. Green did not play in the first half of the season after going on the PUP List because of offseason surgery on his ankle.
Odds and end zones
Lawrence Timmons led the Steelers with 10 tackles. … Nose tackle Javon Hargrave, linebacker James Harrison and Gay had sacks for the Steelers. … The win improves the Steelers’ record on Thanksgiving to 2-5 and was their first win on the holiday since 1950. … Brown has now caught 48 touchdown passes from Roethlisberger, the second most for a QB-WR combo in team history, one behind Terry Bradshaw and Lynn Swann. … Despite running 50 plays to 63 for Indianapolis, the Steelers outgained the Colts 369-310.