5 things we learned: New coordinator, same slow starts on offense for Steelers

Five things we learned from Colts 27, Steelers 24:

1. Slow pokes: One of the valid criticisms of Matt Canada’s offenses was the Steelers’ inability to get off to a fast start.

In 2023, even with Canada being ousted as offensive coordinator at midseason, the Steelers averaged just 8.7 points in the first half of games. Only four teams in the NFL averaged fewer. In Canada’s first two seasons, the Steelers were No. 20 (2022) and No. 31 (2021) in first-half points.

The results haven’t changed much in Arthur Smith’s first season in charge of the offense. Through four games, the Steelers have scored 29 first-half points, an average of 7.25 per game.

It took a 50-yard field goal by Chris Boswell on the final play of the half Sunday for the Steelers to avoid a shutout at intermission. The Steelers have scored just two first-half touchdowns on the season, and they have totaled 10 first-half points the past two weeks.

Avoiding a slow start against the Colts was a point of emphasis in practice this week, as several players mentioned after the game. Before Boswell’s field goal, the Steelers punted twice, turned the ball over on downs when a fourth-and-1 run by Justin Fields was stopped for no gain and they had a red-zone turnover courtesy of a George Pickens fumble.

2. Crash course: The Steelers entered the game having allowed the fewest points and yards in the league, and they boasted the second-ranked rushing defense.

The Colts apparently weren’t impressed. They had 17 points and 239 yards by halftime against a defense that had allowed an average of 8.7 points and 229 yards coming into the matchup.

As for that seemingly impenetrable run defense?

After yielding an average of 71.3 yards during a 3-0 start, the Steelers surrendered 70 on the Colts’ first two drives and 133 for the game. For the second week in a row, the defense benefited from halftime adjustments.

On the heels of holding the Chargers to minus-5 yards after halftime, the Steelers limited the Colts to 118. But the Steelers also yielded points in the second half after they twice had cut the deficit to one score, which isn’t supposed to happen with good defenses.

3. Missed opportunity: Calvin Austin III had just one chance to return a punt. He made the most of it in the third quarter, weaving for a 30-yard gain to give the Steelers field position at the Indianapolis 33.

It appeared to give the Steelers a much-needed jolt considering they were trailing 17-3 at the time.

All the good vibes ended three plays later when Fields backpedaled on third-and-10 and retreated all the way into Steelers territory before he fumbled while being brought down. Chris Lammons, who chased down Fields and forced the fumble, recovered for the Colts.

Austin never touched the ball the rest of the game. He had one catch for 17 yards on his lone target.

4. Finishing the job: Colts receiver Michael Pittman didn’t get a chance to enjoy his team’s 30-13 victory against the Steelers in December thanks to the hit by safety Damontae Kazee that laid him out on the Lucas Oil Stadium turf.

Pittman was placed in concussion protocol and missed the rest of the game, plus the Colts’ next matchup. Kazee was ejected and suspended for the final three games of the regular season.

Pittman made his presence felt Sunday on the first play when he hauled in a perfectly thrown Anthony Richardson pass for 32 yards. It led to a touchdown. On the first play of the next Colts series, Pittman had a 28-yard catch. It also led to a touchdown, and the Colts were off and running.

Pittman finished with six catches for 113 yards, which exceeded his receiving yardage from the previous three games combined.

Kazee, meanwhile, was a non-factor. He played just 11 snaps and didn’t show up on the stats line.

5. Consistently inconsistent: Najee Harris entered the game with the best start in his NFL career, a modest run in which he rushed for 70, 69 and 70 yards.

Fantasy football owners felt the pain Sunday as Harris finished with 19 yards on 13 attempts. It took runs of 5 and 4 yards on his final two carries for Harris to finish in the teens. He had 11 carries for 10 yards to that point.

Harris had just one negative rushing attempt, and that came on the Steelers’ opening play when Fields bobbled the snap and awkwardly flipped it to Harris, who also had difficulty with the exchange.

Harris then gained a single yard on four of his next five carries. He had two attempts for no gain and, overall, had six carries that netted 1 yard apiece.