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Steelers scouting report
The Steelers lead 17-4 (including 4-0 in the postseason) and have won eight straight and 12 of the last 13. Steelers coach Bill Cowher is 5-0 against Indianapolis. Colts coach Tony Dungy is 1-1 against the Steelers (0-0 with Indianapolis). The last five games in the series have been played in Pittsburgh, where the Steelers own a 12-1 mark overall (the franchise's only Pittsburgh win occurred in 1968 at Pitt Stadium).
THE LAST TIME
Oct. 12, 1997 at Three Rivers Stadium: The Steelers overcame six turnovers and a 10-point deficit and beat the Colts, 24-22. The outcome wasn't decided until Colts K Cary Blanchard missed a 42-yard field goal with 2:44 remaining. Indianapolis trailed by two at the time because it had failed on a two-point conversion following a 5-yard touchdown reception by WR Brian Stablein that brought the Colts to within 24-22.
SCOUTING THE COLTS (4-1)
Indianapolis ranks No. 11 in the NFL in total offense (20th rushing, eighth passing) and No. 9 in total defense (27th rushing, second passing). The Colts are tied for No. 11 in turnover margin (plus-3). … Indianapolis came from behind to defeat Baltimore on Oct. 6, 22-20, the first fourth-quarter comeback for the Colts since the 2000 season. … K Mike Vanderjagt tied a career high with five field goals (39, 50, 43, 25 and 38 yards), the last of which came with four seconds to play. … QB Peyton Manning was 18 of 21 passing in the second half against the Ravens, including a spike to set up Vanderjagt's winning kick. … WR Marvin Harrison had 12 catches for 150 yards, his fourth consecutive 100-yard game. Harrison is No. 2 in the NFL in receptions (44) and receiving yardage (583) overall. … P Hunter Smith had a 48.2 net punting average against Baltimore, including a career-long 69-yard effort. Smith leads the NFL in net punting average (42.3). … Indianapolis has forced an NFL-high 16 fumbles (seven against Baltimore). … RB Edgerrin James averaged 2.5 yards per carry against Baltimore and 2.7 per attempt the week before against Cincinnati. … Manning has yet to throw for 300 yards this season.
SCOUTING THE STEELERS (2-3)
The Steelers rank No. 13 in the NFL in total offense (16th rushing, 17th passing) and No. 11 in total defense (12th rushing, 22nd passing). The Steelers are tied for No. 30 in turnover margin (minus-7). … The Steelers posted season highs in points (34), rushing yards (211) and total yards (408) in a 34-7 drubbing of Cincinnati on Oct. 6. … RB Jerome Bettis had a season-high 109 yards and scored twice on the ground in Cincinnati. Bettis has 193 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns in his last two games. … WR Plaxico Burress tied a career-high with eight receptions for 149 yards against the Bengals. Burress has caught 15 passes for 211 yards (14.1 yards per catch) and two touchdowns since Tommy Maddox took over for QB Kordell Stewart late in the fourth quarter against Cleveland on Sept. 29. … Maddox has completed 49 of 76 passes for 606 yards, with five touchdowns, four interceptions and a 89.0 passer rating … The Steelers are an NFL-best 30-10 in October since 1992 … WR Antwaan Randle El leads the NFL in kickoff return average (29.3) and took one 99 yards for a score in Cincinnati. … The Steelers are 14-5 on MNF under Cowher (9-0 at home). … The Steelers have scored touchdowns on 52.9 percent of their red zone drives (nine of 14) and allowed touchdowns on 35.7 percent of their opponents' trips inside the 20 (five of 12).
WHAT TO KEEP AN EYE ON
When the Steelers have the ball — Burress towers over Indy CB David Macklin (6-foot-5 to 5-9), and that's a matchup the Steelers can exploit. Likewise, they should have success running off tackle provided they can get the DE and OLB blocked because Colts FS Idrees Bashir has very little interest in coming up and tackling anyone. Indy is built on speed defensively but doesn't figure to hold up against a smashmouth approach. When the Colts have the ball — The Steelers will be asking for trouble unless they play anything but press coverage against Harrison. He has speed, hands, courage and an accurate thrower working for him. Working against him is his lack of size (6-0, 175) and his inability to play big. Likewise, the Steelers will have to be as patient in attacking James as James will be in running against them. If not, cutback opportunities will materialize and James will become more dangerous. And Indy will likely kick into a no-huddle mode to prevent defensive substitutions between second and third downs, creating potential matchup problems for the Steelers against the Colts' standard three-wide receivers, one-back, one-tight end attack. Do the Steelers respond by playing Mike Logan at FS instead of Lee Flowers (a better cover guy who can still tackle), or perhaps Deshea Townsend (an even better cover guy who doesn't tackle well)? Can they live without Flowers' run-stuffing prowess against James? Can they cover three receivers with Flowers in the secondary? Defensive coordinator Tim Lewis has an interesting chess game to decipher this week.
THE STAT OF THE WEEK
Vanderjagt is the most accurate field goal kicker in NFL history (124 of 142, .873). He's made 89 of his last 99 attempts, including 17 of his last 19 from 40-49 yards on the road.
THE QUOTE OF THE WEEK
"Angry is too strong. Being mad, you are more in control. You don't want to be angry. There is nothing wrong with being mad because there is some poise involved with that. There is determination involved with that. With being angry, at times you can lose your poise. You lose your focus. You don't want to lose focus when you are playing the game." — Cowher on the difference between being made angry and mad.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Are you ready for some football? The Steelers finally appear to be following a rocky start. Another win Monday will go a long way toward stabilizing things and finally allowing them to put 0-2 and 1-3 behind them once and for all.
