The Indianapolis Colts are done asking for respect; they’re here to take it.
Eight weeks in, and Indy’s still being talked about like a “nice little story.” The talking heads keep parroting the same tired line: “They haven’t beaten anybody.” Funny, because the Chiefs started 0–2 and somehow they’re still “the team to beat.” The Chiefs dropped close ones to the Eagles and Chargers, both playoff-caliber squads, and — aside from a third loss to Jacksonville that appears as a hiccup and nothing more — haven’t looked back since. But apparently, dominance only counts when it fits the national narrative.
This week in Pittsburgh, that noise meets cold steel. Acrisure Stadium is where pretenders get punched in the mouth, but this Colts team isn’t flinching. They’re not sneaking up on anyone anymore. They’re walking into hostile territory with one goal: leave no doubt.
You want a statement? Here it comes loud, physical, and undeniable.
Team Context
The Colts’ offense has gone from underrated to undeniable. Under Shane Steichen’s direction, this unit has evolved into one of the most efficient and explosive groups in football. Daniel Jones has been surgical with the ball, playing mistake-free football while keeping defenses off balance with rhythm, tempo, and control. Through eight weeks, Indianapolis is averaging 33.8 points per game, the best in the NFL, while allowing just 19.3 PPG, a top-five differential in the league. That’s not luck. That’s total team football.
Jonathan Taylor looks like himself again, violent, sharp, and impossible to corral. The offensive line has rediscovered its identity, giving up only 9 sacks all year and ranking as a Top-5 unit according to Pro Football Focus. They’ve paved the way for over 1,075 rushing yards and given Jones the time to throw for more than 2,000 yards, all while allowing one of the lowest pressure rates in football at 25.8 percent. When defenses stack the box to stop Taylor, Jones makes them pay, hitting Josh Downs and Tyler Warren for chunk plays and red-zone daggers. This offense doesn’t just move the ball. It sets the tone.
Then there’s Lou Anarumo’s defense, disciplined, opportunistic, and built around one simple truth: every player can make a play. Even with a banged-up cornerback room, Indy’s secondary continues to hold its own thanks to Anarumo’s ability to put guys in the right spot at the right time. The linebackers have been inconsistent, still finding their stride, and the pass rush could use another jolt. But when the front gets home, the entire defense elevates. They communicate, they close windows, and they force quarterbacks to hesitate, and that’s when the turnovers come.
And for anyone still chanting the tired “they haven’t played anyone” line, look around the league. This is professional football. Every team has elite talent. Every coach is fighting for their job. Just in recent weeks, the Falcons (2-3) beat the Bills (4-1), the Giants (1-4) upset the Eagles (4-1), the Bears (2-4) took down Washington, and the Bengals (3-5) clipped the Steelers (4-3) in a divisional fight. Bad records don’t mean bad teams, and in a league built on parity, anyone can beat anyone.
The difference? The Colts aren’t just beating those “bad” teams. They’re burying them. 41-20 over Tennessee, 41-14 over Cincinnati, and 40-6 over Las Vegas. Those are statement wins, the kind that leave no doubt. Every week, Indy’s not just proving it belongs among the NFL’s best. They’re making the case that they might be the NFL’s best.
Key Matchups
1. Daniel Jones vs. Teryl Austin’s Disguised Fronts
Arthur Smith’s offense may be finding rhythm, but it’s Austin’s defense that has long defined Pittsburgh’s identity as aggressive, layered, and reliant on confusion. The problem for the Steelers is that Daniel Jones has been one of the most efficient quarterbacks in football against pressure. Through eight weeks, Jones owns a top-five completion rate when blitzed and the second-lowest turnover percentage in the league. Austin loves to show six at the line and drop two into zone, but Jones has punished those looks all season by getting the ball out quickly and letting his playmakers eat after the catch.
2. Jonathan Taylor vs. Pittsburgh’s Front Seven
The Steelers still play physical football, but they’ve been vulnerable against downhill power. Opposing backs are averaging nearly 4.7 yards per carry against them since Week 5. Taylor thrives on those gaps his combination of burst and balance makes him lethal once he hits the second level. If Indy’s line keeps opening lanes the way it did in those 41-20, 41-14, and 40-6 blowouts, Pittsburgh’s linebackers could spend the afternoon chasing instead of tackling.
3. Josh Downs & Tyler Warren vs. Slot & Safety Coverage
Austin’s system lives on pre-snap disguise, but his corners have struggled to hold up in man coverage this season. Downs has quietly become one of the league’s most efficient slot receivers, averaging over 2.1 yards per route run, and Tyler Warren’s versatility as a tight-end hybrid forces mismatches with slower linebackers. If the Colts keep forcing single-high safety looks, expect Steichen to exploit the seams early and often.
4. Lou Anarumo’s Chess Board vs. Arthur Smith’s Offense
This is a coaching duel. Smith’s system relies on misdirection, bunch sets, and play-action rhythm throws — all things Anarumo’s defense specializes in taking away. Lou’s genius lies in how he positions his players. Even with injuries in the secondary, Indy ranks near the top in third-down defense and has limited opponents to under 20 points per game. Expect him to rotate coverages late and bait Smith’s quarterback into hesitation reads.
5. Colts’ Pass Rush vs. Steelers’ O-Line
The one area Indy needs to win outright. The Steelers have allowed 15 sacks in their last four games, most of them coming off edge-pressure looks. Kwity Paye and Laiatu Latu have to collapse the pocket early. When they do, Anarumo’s back end tightens, and bad throws start flying.
X-Factors
1. Josh Downs’ Versatility
With Pittsburgh’s secondary dealing with injuries to Jabrill Peppers and Chuck Clark, the middle of the field becomes vulnerable. Downs has been one of Daniel Jones’ most trusted weapons, consistently moving the chains and finding soft spots in zone coverage. Against a defense that could be down multiple starters, his route precision and yards-after-catch ability could turn short throws into explosive plays. Speaking of Downs and versatility, there’s a good chance he takes punt returner duties back over after wide receiver and primary returner Anthony Gould is ruled out for Sunday.
2. Lou Anarumo’s Rotations
The Colts defense will again be short on the edge with Samson Ebukam and possibly Tyquan Lewis unavailable, but that’s where Lou Anarumo’s creativity shines. Expect more disguised pressures, nickel looks, and delayed blitzes from linebackers and safeties to disrupt timing. If Jaylon Jones suits up, his ability to hold his own on the perimeter allows Lou to send extra heat from different angles. His defensive adjustments could be the difference between controlling the game and letting Aaron Rodgers find rhythm.
3. Jonathan Taylor’s Patience and Burst
Taylor’s running style will be critical against a Pittsburgh front missing depth at linebacker. Malik Harrison and Cole Holcomb’s questionable status means fewer proven tacklers at the second level. If Taylor stays patient behind his line and forces linebackers to overcommit, this game could quickly tilt in Indy’s favor. The Colts are undefeated when Taylor tops 80 rushing yards, and this matchup sets up perfectly for another heavy workload.
4. Colts O-Line vs. T.J. Watt
Every offense that faces Pittsburgh has the same question: how do you contain T.J. Watt? Through eight weeks, Indy’s offensive line has allowed only 9 sacks, and Steichen’s play-calling has neutralized edge rushers with quick reads and balanced formations. If right tackle Braden Smith continues to anchor the edge like he has, Jones will have time to carve up a depleted secondary.
5. The Turnover Battle
Indianapolis enters the week with one of the top turnover margins in football, while Pittsburgh has struggled to generate takeaways without consistent pressure. If the Colts continue protecting the ball, they control pace, possession, and field position, four keys that win games in November.
Prediction & Final Thoughts
This one feels personal for Indianapolis. Every week, the noise gets louder, but it never gets smarter. “They haven’t beaten anyone.” “It’ll catch up to them.” “They can’t keep this up.” Yet here we are heading into Week 9, and the Colts have done nothing but prove that winning is their identity.
Pittsburgh is never an easy place to play. The crowd, the cold, the pride that hangs in that stadium, it all tests a team’s toughness. But the Steelers are limping into this matchup with key injuries on both sides of the ball. Their defense could be missing two starting safeties, two linebackers, and one of their rotational corners. Their offense, even with Aaron Rodgers, has been inconsistent behind an offensive line that struggles against creative pressure. That’s a bad recipe against Lou Anarumo’s defense, which feasts on forcing quarterbacks into tight throws and late reads.
On the other side, Shane Steichen’s offense is hitting full stride. Daniel Jones has command, Jonathan Taylor is running angry, and the line is playing like it’s 2018 all over again. If the Colts protect Jones and get Taylor moving early, this game can tilt quickly. Expect Indy to push tempo, use misdirection, and take advantage of Pittsburgh’s banged-up middle of the field with Josh Downs and Tyler Warren controlling the seams.
The Colts don’t just want respect. They’re taking it. And a statement win in Pittsburgh is the perfect way to silence what’s left of the doubt.
Prediction:
Colts 34, Steelers 17
Indianapolis walks out of Acrisure Stadium 8-1, not as a surprise story, but as a legitimate AFC powerhouse. The talk ends here.
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