On paper
4 games in. Samples are still small, so a rank can move a lot in a week. Ranks are out of 32 teams and 1st is always best, on offense and defense alike.
Colts
1
pairings with the edge
Steelers
4
pairings with the edge
On paper, the Steelers hold the edge across the position groups.
Steelers big edge
Steelers pass coverage (14th) against the Colts quarterback play (30th)
Steelers big edge
Steelers run game (10th) against the Colts run defense (27th)
Colts edge
Colts run game (9th) against the Steelers run defense (22nd)
Position group by position group
Each offense against the other team's defense, one position group at a time. Circle: the offense. Diamond: the defense. Whoever sits further right wins that pairing.
Colts offense vs Steelers defense
Pass protection vs pass rush
EvenWeakestBestThe Colts pass protection ranks 9th. The Steelers pass rush ranks 12th.
The numbers and the players
Colts pass protection
- Sacks allowed per dropback5.6% (15th)
- Pressure allowed per dropback20% (7th)
- Tanor Bortolini (C) 100% of snaps
- Matt Goncalves (G) 100% of snaps
- Jalen Travis (T) 100% of snaps
- Quenton Nelson (G) 99% of snaps
- Bernhard Raimann (T) 97% of snaps
Steelers pass rush
- Sacks per dropback7.9% (7th)
- Pressure per dropback21% (24th)
- Quarterback hits per dropback17.3% (10th)
- T.J. Watt (LB) 8 pressures, 4.5 sacks
- Alex Highsmith (LB) 5 pressures, 3 sacks
- Cameron Heyward (DT) 4 pressures
Run game vs run defense
Colts edgeWeakestBestThe Colts run game ranks 9th. The Steelers run defense ranks 22nd.
The numbers and the players
Colts run game
- Points added per run+0.12 (2nd)
- Runs that keep the drive on track46% (6th)
- Rushing yards after contact1.8 (10th)
- Runs of 10+ yards12.3% (6th)
- Rushing yards before contact2.0 (26th)
- Runs stopped at or behind the line16% (11th)
- Jonathan Taylor (RB) +0.06 per run on 85
- Seth McGowan (RB) +0.01 per run on 12
- Tanor Bortolini (C) 100% of snaps
- Matt Goncalves (G) 100% of snaps
- Jalen Travis (T) 100% of snaps
- Quenton Nelson (G) 99% of snaps
- Bernhard Raimann (T) 97% of snaps
Steelers run defense
- Points allowed per run−0.10 (16th)
- Runs stopped at or behind the line21% (10th)
- Runs of 10+ yards allowed9.9% (19th)
- Missed tackles12.6% (30th)
- Payton Wilson (LB) 34 tackles, 5 missed
- Patrick Queen (LB) 27 tackles, 3 missed
Quarterback vs coverage
Steelers big edgeWeakestBestThe Colts quarterback play ranks 30th. The Steelers pass coverage ranks 14th.
Steelers (Week 4 report, latest out): Jalen Ramsey (CB, questionable, wrist)
The numbers and the players
Colts quarterback play
- Points added per dropback−0.24 (31st)
- Completions above expected−2.2 (24th)
- Interceptions per throw2.9% (26th)
- Passes of 20+ yards per dropback6.3% (26th)
- Daniel Jones (QB) −0.25 per dropback on 138
Steelers pass coverage
- Points allowed per throw+0.03 (18th)
- Completions allowed above expected+2.0 (21st)
- Interceptions per throw3.3% (5th)
- Asante Samuel Jr. (CB) 133.1 passer rating allowed on 19 targets
- Jalen Ramsey (CB) 124.8 passer rating allowed on 18 targets
Receivers vs coverage
Steelers edgeWeakestBestThe Colts receiving corps ranks 29th. The Steelers pass coverage ranks 21st.
Colts (Week 4 report, latest out): Keenan Allen (WR, questionable, not injury related - resting player)
Steelers (Week 4 report, latest out): Jalen Ramsey (CB, questionable, wrist)
The numbers and the players
Colts receiving corps
- Points added per target+0.00 (29th)
- Yards after the catch4.3 (22nd)
- Drops per target5.8% (24th)
- Tackles broken per catch2.4% (28th)
- Tyler Warren (TE) +0.14 per target on 27
- Josh Downs (WR) +0.34 per target on 26
- Keenan Allen (WR) −0.12 per target on 20
Steelers pass coverage
- Passes of 20+ yards allowed10.2% (25th)
- Passer rating allowed88.9 (11th)
- Points allowed per throw+0.03 (18th)
- Asante Samuel Jr. (CB) 133.1 passer rating allowed on 19 targets
- Jalen Ramsey (CB) 124.8 passer rating allowed on 18 targets
Steelers offense vs Colts defense
Pass protection vs pass rush
EvenWeakestBestThe Steelers pass protection ranks 23rd. The Colts pass rush ranks 18th.
The numbers and the players
Steelers pass protection
- Sacks allowed per dropback7.7% (24th)
- Pressure allowed per dropback24% (20th)
- Zach Frazier (C) 100% of snaps
- Mason McCormick (G) 100% of snaps
- Troy Fautanu (T) 100% of snaps
- Max Iheanachor (T) 51% of snaps
- Brock Hoffman (G) 51% of snaps
Colts pass rush
- Sacks per dropback6.0% (17th)
- Pressure per dropback21% (25th)
- Quarterback hits per dropback15.2% (17th)
- DeForest Buckner (DT) 7 pressures, 3 sacks
- Laiatu Latu (DE) 6 pressures, 1 sacks
- Adetomiwa Adebawore (DT) 5 pressures, 2 sacks
Run game vs run defense
Steelers big edgeWeakestBestThe Steelers run game ranks 10th. The Colts run defense ranks 27th.
The numbers and the players
Steelers run game
- Points added per run+0.00 (7th)
- Runs that keep the drive on track40% (14th)
- Rushing yards after contact2.2 (4th)
- Runs of 10+ yards10.4% (11th)
- Rushing yards before contact2.2 (23rd)
- Runs stopped at or behind the line17% (13th)
- Jaylen Warren (RB) +0.05 per run on 53
- Rico Dowdle (RB) −0.38 per run on 15
- Zach Frazier (C) 100% of snaps
- Mason McCormick (G) 100% of snaps
- Troy Fautanu (T) 100% of snaps
- Max Iheanachor (T) 51% of snaps
- Brock Hoffman (G) 51% of snaps
Colts run defense
- Points allowed per run+0.02 (28th)
- Runs stopped at or behind the line14% (26th)
- Runs of 10+ yards allowed9.3% (15th)
- Missed tackles10.7% (25th)
- Akeem Davis-Gaither (LB) 37 tackles, 2 missed
- Bryce Boettcher (LB) 14 tackles, 2 missed
Quarterback vs coverage
EvenWeakestBestThe Steelers quarterback play ranks 25th. The Colts pass coverage ranks 22nd.
The numbers and the players
Steelers quarterback play
- Points added per dropback−0.17 (28th)
- Completions above expected−4.5 (28th)
- Interceptions per throw2.4% (23rd)
- Passes of 20+ yards per dropback8.3% (12th)
- Aaron Rodgers (QB) −0.16 per dropback on 164
Colts pass coverage
- Points allowed per throw+0.06 (23rd)
- Completions allowed above expected−0.7 (10th)
- Interceptions per throw0.7% (27th)
- Justin Walley (CB) 108.1 passer rating allowed on 27 targets
- Sauce Gardner (CB) 117.7 passer rating allowed on 20 targets
Receivers vs coverage
Steelers big edgeWeakestBestThe Steelers receiving corps ranks 10th. The Colts pass coverage ranks 23rd.
The numbers and the players
Steelers receiving corps
- Points added per target+0.05 (24th)
- Yards after the catch6.3 (6th)
- Drops per target3.5% (14th)
- Tackles broken per catch9.3% (4th)
- DK Metcalf (WR) −0.03 per target on 32
- Roman Wilson (WR) +0.31 per target on 24
- Jaylen Warren (RB) −0.14 per target on 21
Colts pass coverage
- Passes of 20+ yards allowed8.6% (20th)
- Passer rating allowed104.1 (27th)
- Points allowed per throw+0.06 (23rd)
- Justin Walley (CB) 108.1 passer rating allowed on 27 targets
- Sauce Gardner (CB) 117.7 passer rating allowed on 20 targets
Tale of the tape
Every unit on its own, side by side.
- 30thQuarterbackOffense25th
- 13thOffensive lineOffense21st
- 29thReceiversOffense10th
- 5thRun gameOffense7th
- 18thPass rushDefense12th
- 27thRun defenseDefense22nd
- 23rdPass coverageDefense17th
Longer bar is better. Each unit is graded on the stats shown in the pairings above, ranked among all 32 teams.
How these grades are calculated
- Each position group is judged on three to five plain stats, listed below. All of them are per play or per throw, never season totals.
- Every stat is ranked across all 32 teams, 1st to 32th, the right way round (fewer drops is better, more pressure is better for a pass rush).
- A rank becomes a score from 0 to 100, with 1st at 100 and last at 0. The group's grade is the average of its stats' scores.
- Teams are ranked by that grade, and that rank is the number on the cards.
For example, the Steelers quarterback is 25th. Its stats rank 28th (points added per dropback), 28th (completions above expected), 23rd (interceptions per throw), and 12th (passes of 20+ yards per dropback). Averaged, that is a grade of 30 out of 100, which is 25th among the 32 teams.
This is why a grade can disagree with a total or with another site's rating. A team can rank high in rushing yards because it carries the ball a lot or trails late, and still rank low here because each run adds little. Film grades, like PFF's, come from watching every player on every snap, and these do not. Early in the season a few plays can move a rank a lot.
- Quarterback
- points added per dropback, completions above expected, interceptions per throw, passes of 20+ yards per dropback
- Offensive line
- sacks allowed per dropback, pressure allowed per dropback, rushing yards before contact, runs stopped at or behind the line
- Receivers
- points added per target, yards after the catch, drops per target, tackles broken per catch
- Run game
- points added per run, runs that keep the drive on track, rushing yards after contact, runs of 10+ yards
- Pass rush
- sacks per dropback, pressure per dropback, quarterback hits per dropback
- Run defense
- points allowed per run, runs stopped at or behind the line, runs of 10+ yards allowed, missed tackles
- Pass coverage
- points allowed per throw, completions allowed above expected, passes of 20+ yards allowed, interceptions per throw, passer rating allowed
The coaches
Records are regular-season games since 1999, against the spread as listed by the games file. A new coach has no history here yet.
| Measure | Colts | Steelers |
|---|---|---|
| Head coach | Shane Steichen | Mike McCarthy |
| Record as a head coach | 27-28 in 55 games | 176-114-2 in 292 games |
| With this team | 27-28 since 2023 | 2-2 since 2026 |
| Against the spread, this season | 3-1 | 2-2 |
| Against the spread, career | 30-25 | 158-127-7 |
| Against the spread as an underdog | 16-15 | 48-53-2 |
| Against the spread as a favorite | 14-10 | 110-74-5 |
| Coming off a bye | 1-2 | 12-6 |
| Head coach against head coach | Have not met | Have not met |
| Team against team since 1999 | 4-10 | 10-4 |
How each team plays
Not good or bad, just the style. Ranks go from the highest rate down, so a 1st means the most of it in the league.
Pass rate over expected
Colts −3.8 pts (22nd highest)
Steelers +3.9 pts (3rd highest) — throws more than the situation calls for
Play-action share of dropbacks
Colts 31% (4th highest) — leans on play-action
Steelers 21% (27th highest) — rarely uses play-action
Plays with pre-snap motion
Colts 60% (12th highest)
Steelers 49% (29th highest) — keeps its formations still
No-huddle plays
Colts 4% (24th highest)
Steelers 10% (5th highest) — hurries to the line
Plays from the shotgun
Colts 59% (16th highest)
Steelers 67% (11th highest)
Blitz rate
Colts 21% (30th highest) — rarely blitzes
Steelers 28% (17th highest)
Pass rushers sent
Colts 4.2 (31st highest) — rushes with the fewest
Steelers 4.3 (19th highest)
Runs against a loaded box (8+)
Colts 11% (11th highest)
Steelers 9% (13th highest)
Who is missing
The latest injury report for each team, sorted by position group. A starter averaged more than half the team's snaps in the games he played.
Colts
Latest report is from Week 4; the Week 5 report is not out yet.
- Keenan Allen WRStarterQuestionable · not injury related - resting player · receivers
- Ashton Dulin WRQuestionable · ankle · receivers
Steelers
Latest report is from Week 4; the Week 5 report is not out yet.
- Joey Porter Jr. CBOut · not injury related - other · pass coverage
- Rico Dowdle RBOut · toe · run game
- Jalen Ramsey CBStarterQuestionable · wrist · pass coverage
- Yahya Black DTQuestionable · not injury related - personal matter · pass rush
- Brandin Echols CBLimited in practice · concussion · pass coverage
Data: nflverse play-by-play, CC BY 4.0. Ranks use the 2026 regular season through Week 4. Also FTN charting, Pro Football Reference advanced stats, snap counts and injury reports, all through nflverse. Calculations and charts by Raiders Rundown.