In Week 4 of the NFL season, the 3–0 Pittsburgh Steelers faced the 1–2 Indianapolis Colts. The game was chaotic for the Steelers, who struggled with injuries, key mistakes, and missed opportunities from the first snap onward.

The Steelers’ defense, previously dominant, allowed three consecutive scoring drives by the Colts on their first three possessions. Second-year cornerback Joey Porter Jr., who had been outstanding, had a chance for a pivotal interception in the end zone but dropped it, allowing the Colts to extend their lead.

The offense also faltered when George Pickens fumbled inside the 10-yard line after a promising drive, squandering what could have been their best scoring opportunity of the half. From that moment on, the Steelers were forced to play catch-up, and momentum never really shifted back in their favor.

Adding to their troubles, the offensive line was a mess, especially after losing James Daniels to a season-ending Achilles injury. The constant reshuffling of players hindered their ability to gel, leading to protection breakdowns and struggles in the run game. Cordarrelle Patterson initially sparked the offense with his dynamic running, but when he left with an injury in the second quarter, the Steelers lost their most effective running threat outside of quarterback Justin Fields.

Fields, who had shown flashes of potential, had another solid outing but also contributed to the Steelers’ woes. After an electrifying 30-yard punt return by Calvin Austin III—his best of the season—Fields fumbled the ball, wasting a chance to add more points. This moment marked the emergence of “Chicago Justin Fields” in Pittsburgh, exemplifying a trend of turning bad plays into worse outcomes.

The closing moments mirrored the game’s overall frustrations. With time running out, Najee Harris inexplicably stayed inbounds, wasting precious seconds. Additionally, communication issues between center Zach Fraizer and Fields resulted in a costly fumble, leaving the offense desperate and unlikely to salvage the game.

Despite the negative atmosphere, there were bright spots, such as DeShon Elliott forcing a fumble. Elliott, arguably the best free-agent acquisition this season, has been consistently solid, but the Steelers were not able to recover the ball, reflecting the day’s theme of missed opportunities. Fields finished with his best statistical performance of the season, going 22 of 34 for 312 yards and one touchdown. He also rushed 10 times for 55 yards and two touchdowns, though he had two critical fumbles. Fields led the team to 21 second-half points becoming the first player in team history to throw for 300+ yards, run for 50+ yards and rush for 2 touchdowns in a single game. The defense did eventually settle down, holding the Colts to 10 second-half points but it was too little, too late.

This game served as a reality check for the Steelers, revealing that winning can sometimes mask underlying issues. Despite entering with a perfect record, the team is far from flawless. The hope is to recover from injuries and improve performance for a better showing next Sunday night at home against the Dallas Cowboys.

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Stay Blessed and Stay Positive… “Here We Go”