NFL Week 4 live updates: Inactives, schedule, kickoff times, matchups, odds and predictions
Indianapolis lost starting quarterback Anthony Richardson to a right hip injury in the first quarter, but it was no problem for backup Joe Flacco and the Colts, picking up a 27-24 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Colts coach Shane Steichen said in his postgame news conference that he didn’t have an update on Richardson’s hip, but called his team resilient and praised Flacco for the way he stepped up.
“I’m feeling a little sore, but I’m feeling good,” Richardson said after the win. “We got the ‘W’ today. Great execution by everybody on the field today. I think I’ll be good. Just a little soreness.”
Richardson added he doesn’t know if he’ll be able to play next week against the Jacksonville Jagaurs. He’ll take it day by day this week.
The veteran Flacco guided the Colts to a 27-24 win to prevail against a strong second half from the Steelers offense. Pittsburgh’s Justin Fields attempted to take control of the game in the second half, throwing for one touchdown and rushing for two scores.
Fields gave up a fumble halfway through the third quarter, but responded by driving the Steelers down the field on the next possession and scrambling for a 5-yard rushing touchdown. Still, Indianapolis held on to win thanks to two 10-play scoring drives orchestrated by Flacco, who finished with two touchdowns in his first appearance of the year.
Another injury for Richardson
Richardson started Sunday’s game with a bang, throwing a 32-yard dart to wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. on the first play.
However, Richardson would only play 12 more snaps before exiting with a right hip injury. After leading the Colts on a touchdown drive to start the game, Richardson got hit by Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick at the end of a 16-yard run with 5:42 left in the first quarter. Richardson exited the game for two plays and was replaced by Flacco.
Upon Richardson’s return, he was immediately injured again on a 1-yard run.
The @colts go right down the field and find the end zone with a Jonathan Taylor TD 💪 pic.twitter.com/5SVUoRCegs
— NFL (@NFL) September 29, 2024
The second-year quarterback went to the locker room for a few minutes before re-emerging from the tunnel. Richardson jogged down the sideline as if he was trying to get loose, though he remained out. Richardson appeared to be in good spirts on the sideline while interacting with his teammates.
“People gonna talk about injuries,” Richardson said when asked about his frustration after suffering another injury. “People gonna say, ‘Oh, (he’s) injury prone, blah blah blah.’ Nobody wants to get injured. … So, of course I was like, ‘Man, damn, not again.’”
However, after being limited to just four games last year due to a concussion followed by a season-ending shoulder injury, Richardson’s latest hip injury re-ignites questions about his long-term durability in the NFL.
Richardson also faced questions about whether he should slide more often when evading the pocket.
“I don’t know. It’s football. Some people may say I do,” Richardson said. “Some people may say I don’t. But, shit, I don’t know, man. It’s just football. I’m just trying to play.” — James Boyd, Colts beat writer
Steelers’ top-ranked defense lets them down
Last season, Steelers defensive coordinator Teryl Austin said that the team’s propensity for giving up big plays was one weakness keeping them from being a lockdown unit. This season, thanks to improved personnel and tweaks like playing Fitzpatrick deep more often, Pittsburgh cut down on that problem area. That was one reason they entered Sunday with the NFL’s top-scoring defense.
However, the problem area reemerged on the first drive, as Richardson opened the game with a 32-yard completion to Pittman. Early on, Richardson found soft spots in the Steelers’ zone defense racking up 71 passing yards on just three completions to help the Colts jump out to an early 17-0 lead.
The Steelers offense, which spun its wheels in the first half, fought back to make it a one-score game three times. In the first two, the Colts answered with a scoring drive — first a touchdown and then a field goal. With 3:40 remaining, the Steelers offense scored for a third consecutive drive to pull within three points, 27-24.
This time, the defense finally stood up, thanks to a Cam Heyward sack on second down, to give the offense one last shot. But it was too little too late. — Mike DeFabo, Steelers beat writer
Flacco’s season debut
Flacco looked poised during his Indianapolis debut, which should come as no surprise considering his experience and success in the NFL. The 2012 Super Bowl MVP threw a 4-yard TD pass to Josh Downs on just his fourth snap of the game to give the Colts a 14-0 lead.
As Pittsburgh tried to rally in the second half, Flacco ensured Indianapolis held on with a crucial drive at the end of the third quarter that spilled over into the four quarter, which included three passes for third-down conversions.
“[Anthony Richardson’s] mom is 8 days older than I am, so there’s no chance in the world he thinks I’m cool.” 😂😂😂
– Joe Flacco with an ALL-TIME interview with @AKinkhabwala pic.twitter.com/773ilbNIDz
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) September 29, 2024
Flacco capped the drive with a 15-yard TD pass to tight end Drew Ogletree on third-and-10 that extended the Colts’ lead to 24-10 with 14:43 left in the game.
Flacco finished 16-of-26 passing for 168 yards and two touchdowns. His steady performance helped the Colts pull even this year at 2-2. — Boyd
Steelers running game stuck in the mud
Playing against a banged-up Colts defense that has struggled to stop the run should have played right into the Steelers’ hand.
They’ve made it no secret that they want to build a reliable rushing attack that anchors the offense. But with Isaac Seumalo out for a fourth consecutive game and the other starting guard, James Daniels, injuring his ankle on the first drive, running the football was an uphill battle.
Najee Harris had 10 carries for just nine yards. He finished the game with 12 carries for 15 yards. The most success the Steelers had running the ball on the day was with Cordarrelle Patterson, who rushed six times for 43 yards before leaving the game with an ankle injury. — DeFabo
Injuries taking a toll
The Steelers came into Sunday’s game missing their one starting guard, Seumalo and lost another, Daniels, on their first offensive drive. They were missing running back Jaylen Warren (knee), and in the second quarter, they lost his replacement, Patterson. Edge rusher Alex Highsmith was forced to miss the game with a groin injury.
His replacement, Nick Herbig, missed most of the first half with an ankle injury. While the Steelers got off to a 3-0 start to the season, their numerous and significant injuries are adding up and threaten to undo that positive momentum. — DeFabo
Matt Gay’s long-distance issues
Colts kicker Matt Gay continues to struggle from long distance. The former Pro Bowler missed a 54-yard field goal attempt wide left in the third quarter, dropping Gay to 0-for-3 on field goal attempts of at least 50 yards this season. He has also repeatedly missed wide left.
Indianapolis signed Gay to a four-year, $22.5 million contract last year, which was the largest deal signed by a free-agent kicker in league history at the time. Gay did convert a 35-yard field goal in the fourth quarter that proved to be the difference in the game, but he still hasn’t lived up to his payday.
Gay has made 36 of the 46 field attempts (78.2 percent) he’s had over the last two years with the Colts. — Boyd
Required reading
- The Steelers want to dominate on the ground, but one element is still missing
- Ranking the NFL’s 3-0 teams: Are the Steelers, Seahawks and Vikings for real?
- Colts’ Anthony Richardson needs time to improve accuracy. Jonathan Taylor can give it to him
- Laiatu Latu making splash plays for Colts D that needs them: ‘They drafted me for this’
(Photo: Christine Tannous / USA Today Network via Imagn Images)
