The Steelers’ record slipped to 7-7 after their third consecutive loss, ending in a final score of 30-13, painting an unpleasant picture for them inside Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday. Numbers such as first downs (19-13), total yards (372-216), running yards (170-74), penalties (8-101; 2-10), turnover ratio (minus-3), and time of possession (33:20-26:40) all provided information on the score in addition to 30-13.

With five AFC clubs having 7-6 records at the start of Week 15 of the 2023 NFL regular season—none of which were leading their respective divisions—all five of those teams were scouting the three Wild Card berths up for grabs as a means of advancing to the postseason. However, after seeing the specifics of the Steelers’ loss in Indianapolis and their consecutive home losses to the 2-10 Patriots and Cardinals, any notion that they will make the playoffs at this point seems ludicrous.

And the details of the Colts’ 30-13 loss had a definitive quality to it, as it could not be explained by a sluggish start in a hostile environment or any of the other similar elements identified in the previous defeats.

In the first sixteen minutes of the contest, the Steelers jumped out to a 13-0 advantage. Coach Mike Tomlin decided to take the opening kickoff rather than defer, presumably in an attempt to instill confidence in an offence that had struggled all season and would be using a backup quarterback on Saturday. The offence responded to that confidence with a three-and-out, while the special teams’ contribution was a poor 31-yard net punt.

Gardner Minshew entered the “Battle of the Backups” for Indianapolis, and he converted two third downs to give the Colts a 32-yard gain to the Steelers’ 37-yard line. However, T.J. Watt made a play that resulted in a second-and-13 instead of a second-and-7, and Matt Gay missed a 56-yard field goal attempt. Watt also had two sacks

The Steelers capitalised on the field position, and when backup Mitch Trubisky converted on third-and-3, third-and-6, and second-and-9, it became first-and-goal at the 7. Trubisky’s passes to George Pickens were for five yards, fifteen yards, and fifteen yards, respectively. On fourth-and-goal from the 1, Tomlin displayed trust in his offence for the second time in the game. Trubisky broke the plane on a sneak that was later reviewed as a touchdown. However, Chris Boswell mishandled the extra-point effort off the right upright before the feel-good factor could even take hold, and 6-0 just doesn’t ignite the confidence embers like 7-0 would have.

However, the Steelers answered with a flurry of counterattacking football. After the defence forced a three-and-out, punter Rigoberto Sanchez of the Colts was within the 15-yard line following a sack by Larry Ogunjobi on third down. After recovering the block, playback finally found that Nick Herbig was down by contact inside the 1-yard line after Connor Heyward burst through and got a touch on the ball.

Just fifteen minutes and change into the game, Trubisky threw a perfectly placed pass to Diontae Johnson, who was schemed open on a nicely executed rub-route by Allen Robinson. This time, Boswell converted the PAT to make it 13-0 before the ugly sight of Najee Harris being stuffed for a 3-yard loss on a run up the middle and what that would portend for the second half could ruin the mood.