The Pittsburgh Steelers are preparing to take on the Indianapolis Colts in Week 4, and they're going for their fourth straight victory to start off the year. This should be a very winnable game for the Steelers, but the Colts were able to dismantle Pittsburgh when the two sides clashed during the 2023 season. Both sides are starting to get hit with some injury woes, and the Colts will be missing some key pieces on the defensive side of the ball, which the Steelers should be able to take advantage of.
Indianapolis will be missing several key contributors on the defensive line, but their secondary has also been picked apart. They will be without their starting slot corner Kenny Moore II. Cornerback is a position the Colts are already fairly weak at, which is good news for a guy like George Pickens, who is set up to have a spectacular game on Sunday. As of now, the Colts' depth chart shows that Jaylon Jones will be starting at cornerback on one side with Samuel Womack III starting on the other.
Jones had an impressive showing in Week 3 as he won the AFC Defensive Player of the Week Award after hauling in two interceptions against the Chicago Bears. Despite the impressive game, Jones has still allowed 13 completions through just three games. Womack on the other hand will be rotating on and off the field, and doesn't have much experience at the NFL level. The Colts have serious worries about the cornerback position going into this contest.
Womack has just three starts under his belt in his NFL career. He has only been targeted once in the 2024 season where he allowed a six-yard completion for a touchdown. He stands at 5'10", and is clearly a favorable matchup for Pickens. Pittsburgh's offense will be seeing two backup cornerbacks throughout the contest, and should be able to put up their best passing game yet.
Pickens has played well so far in 2024, but his numbers don't necessarily reflect that. Through three games, he has hauled in 13 passes for just 171 yards, but he is capable of much more. He has had some plays called back thanks to penalties, but he should be able to flourish against a decimated defense in Indianapolis. Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith needs to scheme for Pickens in Week 4, and the third-year receiver needs to have his best performance of the season.
Steelers' Offense Should Be Firing On All Cylinders On Sunday
In addition to the injuries throughout the secondary for the Colts, they will also be without defensive linemen DeForest Buckner and Kwity Paye. This will likely give Justin Fields plenty of time to throw the ball and go through his reads, which can lead to a lot of success through the air. Pittsburgh will also be going up against the second-worst run defense in the league, as the Colts have given up approximately 180 yards on the ground per game. Najee Harris will need to take advantage of this and get the running game going early, which will open up the passing game. There is no reason the Steelers shouldn't be able to put up their highest point total of the year in Week 4.
The success of the offense all hinges on Fields, regardless of who they are going against. If the fourth-year quarterback can take another step forward like he has each week so far, Pittsburgh should escape Indianapolis with an easy victory. The quarterback needs to be able to excel through the air against the defense, and get his legs going early.
