Colts Risers and Fallers in victory over Steelers

The Indianapolis Colts defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers ( ) on Sunday afternoon to end the month of September with a 2-2 record, marking their second straight home win. With many storylines developing from this win in Indianapolis, it’s time to look at the Colts’ rise and fall after reaching a .500 record.

Risers | Tanor Bortolini

After the Colts announced that long-time starter Ryan Kelly would not play on Sunday (neck), Tanor Bortolini was next. While on paper it seems like a fourth-rounder should be intimidated or easily shut down by a top-five defense like the Steelers, Bortolini had other ideas.

The former Wisconsin Badger played fantastically given his situation, often reaching the second level in the run game to create space for defenders like Jonathan Taylor and Anthony Richardson on quarterback-designed runs.

While Kelly remains the starter when he’s ready, Bortolini showed his mettle in his first start against a highly efficient Pittsburgh defense. The Colts can rest easy knowing Kelly’s successor is the focus for the future.

Faller | Matt Gay

Colts kicker Matt Gay once again struggled at 50+, finishing with 2/3 field goals and hitting all 3 extra points. The deeper problem is that Gay has been missing for a long time and that he recently suffered injuries (hernia/quad). Since signing with Indianapolis in 2023, Gay is 8/15 on 50+. He is now 25/38 (65.7%) for his career.

Gay’s $22.5 million contract (Over the cap) appears to be a bust for Indianapolis. The NFL’s elite kickers make long-range field goals, and Gay is 0/2 on the year and barely above 50% as a Colts player. If Gay doesn’t increase the speed soon, he could feel his seat as the starter heats up.

Risers | Dayo Odeyingbo

Despite missing Kwity Paye (quadriceps), Indianapolis had a tremendous performance from Dayo Odeyingbo. On the day, Odeyingbo led Indianapolis with 1.5 sacks and three tackles (1 for a loss). Odeyingbo had a great 2023, finishing the year with 8.0 sacks and 38 tackles (9 for a loss).

The hope for Gus Bradley and Charlie Partridge is that this performance from the former second-rounder is the start of more consistency. If Indy gets a boost from Odeyingbo, especially if Pay returns, the Colts can keep up while DeForest Buckner recovers from a high ankle sprain.

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Faller | AD Mitchell

The Colts’ second-round receiver AD Mitchell was targeted three times for no catches. This season, the young pass catcher has 2 catches for 32 yards. The problem is that he has a wild 13 targets, giving Mitchell a paltry 15.4% catch efficiency.

The added problem is his “slacking” on another throw down the sideline, which could have given Indy prime field position had he tried. However, as he did against the Green Bay Packers, Mitchell stopped running to avoid contact.

For Mitchell, it’s simple: If he wants to succeed as an NFL receiver, he has to get braver and tougher. Even a veteran like Joe Flacco throwing passes will sometimes be off balance and rely on Mitchell to get the ball. We’ll see what receivers coach and Colts legend Reggie Wayne does to address this issue with the former Longhorns star.

Risers | Sam Womack III

The Colts lost JuJu Brents (knee) and didn’t have Kenny Moore II (hip) this season, so Chris Lammons and Samuel Womack III could be counted on to fill in. While Lammons played well, Womack’s coverage was most important.

Womack came to Indianapolis as an unknown from the San Francisco 49ers, but will be remembered for his performance against the Steelers. Womack finished the game with a tackle and defended two key passes. Indianapolis can feel better about its strength after today, with two CBs stepping into the gap and performing admirably when needed. Womack’s story stands out more, however. We will see how his use will play out in the future.

Faller | Anthony Richardson

Richardson’s placement as a faller isn’t necessarily his fault, as he completed 3/4 passes for 71 yards through the air. He also threw for 24 rushing yards on three runs, for a total of 95 all-purpose yards in a quarter. Instead, the 22-year-old’s constant injuries are piling up.

With Richardson leaving the game with hip soreness, Flacco took over the offense while Richardson recovered. Then Richardson limped back and took the lead on a QB-directed run that resulted in a possible concussion.

Richardson is developing into the injury-prone QB that Indy feared he would transform into. However, his age of 22 is extremely encouraging. There’s plenty of time to keep Richardson going as he adjusts to the NFL, and Richardson even mentioned that the injury wasn’t too serious and that he wanted to return to action. Indianapolis took him out of action for “precautionary reasons.”

We’ll see what the Colts do with Richardson’s injury before their AFC South clash with the winless (0-4) Jacksonville Jaguars in week five.

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