Tweet
59-49-5 YTD
PITTSBURGH STEELERS @ INDIANAPOLIS COLTS -8
Pittsburgh (7-3) at Indianapolis (10-0) @ 9:00 PM. EST. * ABC Network
If Ben Roethlisberger wishes to add to his ever-growing legend, Monday night would represent a perfect opportunity to enhance that mythic status.
Roethlisberger is expected to return from a three-game absence on Monday, when he will lead the Pittsburgh Steelers into battle to face the unbeaten Indianapolis Colts at the RCA Dome.
The second-year pro will come into the Week 12 contest with a career record of 18-1 as a regular season starter, including 5-1 in 2005. With Roethlisberger posting a lusty 112.4 passer rating this year, the Steelers have looked every bit like the Super Bowl contender they were predicted to be in the preseason. With the signal-caller out due to knee injuries, Pittsburgh has looked far more human, going 2-2 and generally sputtering on offense with Tommy Maddox and Charlie Batch at the controls. Maddox presided over the team's 16-13 overtime loss in Baltimore last Sunday.
As for Indianapolis, continued perfection will be the goal. The Colts come off a thrilling 45-37 win in Cincinnati last week, a game that included 10 offensive touchdowns and 943 yards of total offense. In addition to keeping the AFC's other contenders for homefield advantage in the playoffs at arm's length, Indy will on Sunday be attempting to become the first team since the 1998 Denver Broncos to start a season 11-0. No NFL team has ever finished better than 15-1 in the regular season since the schedule was expanded from 14- to 16 games in 1978.
SERIES HISTORY
The Steelers have a 13-4 edge in their all-time series with the Colts, and have won the last seven regular season meetings in a row against Indianapolis. Pittsburgh was a 28-10 home winner when the clubs last met, in 2002, and earned a 21-3 triumph in its most recent visit to the RCA Dome, in 1991. Indianapolis' only win against Pittsburgh since departing Baltimore following the 1983 season came in 1984, when the Colts were 17-16 home winners over the Steelers.
In addition to its regular season advantage, Pittsburgh also has a 4-0 edge in the all-time postseason series. The Steelers were winners over the Colts in AFC Divisional Playoff contests in 1975 and 1976, took a narrow 20-16 decision in the 1995 AFC Championship, and drilled the Colts by a 42-14 margin in a 1996 AFC First-Round Playoff.
Steelers head coach Bill Cowher is 6-0 in his career against the Colts, including playoffs. Indy head man Tony Dungy is 1-2 against both Cowher and Pittsburgh in his career, with the win coming for his Buccaneers during the 1998 season. Dungy played for the Steelers in 1979-80.
OVERALL ANALYSIS
The Steelers are not the type of team that can run up and down the field trading scores with the Colts, but they should be able to devise the right formula to remain in this game into the fourth quarter. Pittsburgh will use all of its running options to keep the clock moving and out of the hands of Manning. Provided the Steeler offense can avoid the big mistake, it should be able to make some gains against an Indy defense that was exposed against the Bengals. The trouble is that when Manning has the ball, he rarely makes mistakes, and an average Pittsburgh secondary can't count on holding him in check for four quarters. Look for the perennial Pro Bowler to have the final word in the form of a long fourth-quarter drive, and for the Colts to come away with their 11th win of the year.
Colts 28
Steelers 17
PITTSBURGH STEELERS @ INDIANAPOLIS COLTS -8
Pittsburgh (7-3) at Indianapolis (10-0) @ 9:00 PM. EST. * ABC Network
If Ben Roethlisberger wishes to add to his ever-growing legend, Monday night would represent a perfect opportunity to enhance that mythic status.
Roethlisberger is expected to return from a three-game absence on Monday, when he will lead the Pittsburgh Steelers into battle to face the unbeaten Indianapolis Colts at the RCA Dome.
The second-year pro will come into the Week 12 contest with a career record of 18-1 as a regular season starter, including 5-1 in 2005. With Roethlisberger posting a lusty 112.4 passer rating this year, the Steelers have looked every bit like the Super Bowl contender they were predicted to be in the preseason. With the signal-caller out due to knee injuries, Pittsburgh has looked far more human, going 2-2 and generally sputtering on offense with Tommy Maddox and Charlie Batch at the controls. Maddox presided over the team's 16-13 overtime loss in Baltimore last Sunday.
As for Indianapolis, continued perfection will be the goal. The Colts come off a thrilling 45-37 win in Cincinnati last week, a game that included 10 offensive touchdowns and 943 yards of total offense. In addition to keeping the AFC's other contenders for homefield advantage in the playoffs at arm's length, Indy will on Sunday be attempting to become the first team since the 1998 Denver Broncos to start a season 11-0. No NFL team has ever finished better than 15-1 in the regular season since the schedule was expanded from 14- to 16 games in 1978.
SERIES HISTORY
The Steelers have a 13-4 edge in their all-time series with the Colts, and have won the last seven regular season meetings in a row against Indianapolis. Pittsburgh was a 28-10 home winner when the clubs last met, in 2002, and earned a 21-3 triumph in its most recent visit to the RCA Dome, in 1991. Indianapolis' only win against Pittsburgh since departing Baltimore following the 1983 season came in 1984, when the Colts were 17-16 home winners over the Steelers.
In addition to its regular season advantage, Pittsburgh also has a 4-0 edge in the all-time postseason series. The Steelers were winners over the Colts in AFC Divisional Playoff contests in 1975 and 1976, took a narrow 20-16 decision in the 1995 AFC Championship, and drilled the Colts by a 42-14 margin in a 1996 AFC First-Round Playoff.
Steelers head coach Bill Cowher is 6-0 in his career against the Colts, including playoffs. Indy head man Tony Dungy is 1-2 against both Cowher and Pittsburgh in his career, with the win coming for his Buccaneers during the 1998 season. Dungy played for the Steelers in 1979-80.
OVERALL ANALYSIS
The Steelers are not the type of team that can run up and down the field trading scores with the Colts, but they should be able to devise the right formula to remain in this game into the fourth quarter. Pittsburgh will use all of its running options to keep the clock moving and out of the hands of Manning. Provided the Steeler offense can avoid the big mistake, it should be able to make some gains against an Indy defense that was exposed against the Bengals. The trouble is that when Manning has the ball, he rarely makes mistakes, and an average Pittsburgh secondary can't count on holding him in check for four quarters. Look for the perennial Pro Bowler to have the final word in the form of a long fourth-quarter drive, and for the Colts to come away with their 11th win of the year.
Colts 28
Steelers 17