Steelers' Mike Tomlin Admits Pittsburgh Had No Emergency Plan For Colts' Joe Flacco

The Pittsburgh Steelers finally have a blemish on their record after a crushing loss to the Indianapolis Colts in Week 4. It was an ugly performance for Mike Tomlin's team, as they started the game out down 17-0. Pittsburgh was able to climb back in the second half and had a chance to escape the state of Indiana with a victory, but came up short. It was a sloppy game overall from Pittsburgh, and it was impressive the team was able to get back in it at all.

A wrinkle was thrown the Steelers way early in the game. The Colts' starting quarterback Anthony Richardson went down with a hip injury, which led to Joe Flacco coming into the game. Flacco is coming off of a year where he won the NFL's Comeback Player Of The Year Award, and he carried that success into his first game action of the 2024 season. 

Pittsburgh spent the whole week preparing for Richardson, which left them at a disadvantage when Flacco came in which Tomlin mentioned in his postgame press conference.

"In particular, I think we got comfortable there in the third quarter. When you work all week preparing for Richardson and then you get Flacco it's a little bit different. It probably took us a little bit too long to adapt and adjust in some areas."

Richardson and Flacco are two very different quarterbacks. Early in the game the Colts drew up some designed quarterback runs for Richardson, which is something Pittsburgh prepared for. Once Flacco entered the game, all that preparation went out the window. Flacco is an experienced quarterback who has seen a lot of success in the NFL. Tomlin spoke about the differences between the two quarterbacks Pittsburgh faced on Sunday when he was asked why they did not blitz Flacco more often.

"We didn't feel like thinning out our coverage was appropriate. Flacco is a much more proficient passer than Richardson and so blitzing doesn't necessarily help you. He's a veteran guy, makes quick and prudent decisions. Didn't feel good, and obviously we've got experience competing against Joe Flacco."

Flacco is familiar with Tomlin and Pittsburgh's defense. He was their number one enemy during his long tenure with the Baltimore Ravens. He is used to facing off against the Steelers twice a year, and he even went against Pittsburgh multiple times during the postseason. Flacco has had a decent amount of success against Pittsburgh throughout his career, and the veteran quarterback added to his resume on Sunday.

Steelers Allowed Joe Flacco To Pick Defense Apart

Flacco didn't miss a beat when he entered the game. He completed a touchdown pass almost immediately to give the Colts a 14-0 lead. The veteran finished the game with with 16 completions in 26 attempts which went for 168 yards and two touchdowns. Pittsburgh was able to stop the rushing attack during the second half, but Flacco was able to continuously find open receivers on critical possession downs which ultimately secured the victory for Indianapolis. 

Ultimately there were a lot of ways that Pittsburgh beat themselves. The Colts looked impressive, but Pittsburgh committed some penalties that hurt them late. They also lost the turnover battle, and Tomlin made some questionable decisions. He wasted a challenge on a clear completion during the first half which cost Pittsburgh a timeout. George Pickens also fumbled while Pittsburgh was driving and near the end zone, and the Colts kicked a field goal on the next drive. Ultimately it was a 10-point swing for Indianapolis, which ended up being a major reason Pittsburgh suffered the loss.

Pittsburgh will look to bounce back against a talented, but depleted, Dallas Cowboys team in Week 5. A win against Dallas would be a big way to bounce back and get the season back on track. 

How did you think Flacco played against the Steelers? Let us know in the comments below!

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