INDIANAPOLIS -- Only a few hours remain before kickoff of the Steelers' second half, this afternoon against the Colts inside Lucas Oil Stadium, so a few final observations to add to my Carter's Classroom video preview:
• The Steelers' defense comes into the game ranked in the top five of several key statistical categories in the NFL. They're fifth in yards per game allowed with 286.6, second in points allowed with 16.4, second in passing yards allowed with 180, fourth in third-down percentage, only allowing 31.6% of opposing offensive attempts, and fourth in sacks forced with 26. Now they face a string of teams that either rank in the bottom half of the league in offensive points or have recently been stripped of their starting quarterback. Starting with that run is the Colts, whose offense ranks 25th in scoring and is led by second-year quarterback Jacoby Brissett, without a true feature running back, and their two decent receiving threats in T.Y. Hilton and Jack Doyle who together account for 55% of the team's receiving yards.
Watch for the Steelers to key on those two targets to force Brissett to look to his other options. This will require him to cycle through his reads, giving the Steelers' pass rushers that much more time to work against the league's worst protection unit that's allowed a league-high 36 sacks.
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