Aaron Rodgers has recorded 168 dropbacks through the first four games, ranking seventh-most in the NFL. Following a Thursday Night Football game and a mini-bye week, the Pittsburgh Steelers enter Week 5 facing an Indianapolis Colts defense struggling against the run.
Mike McCarthy Assesses The Pittsburgh Steelers Ground Attack
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy stated that the team needed to clean up its own house following the first quarter of the season, according to reporting by Steelersdepot. That cleanup revealed a productive ground attack. After struggling to establish consistency in the first two weeks, the Steelers rushed for 138 yards against the Cincinnati Bengals and managed 92 yards at 4.8 yards per carry against the Cleveland Browns.
During those two matchups, the team relied heavily on Jaylen Warren, who delivered strong performances. Although trailing in three of those four contests contributed to the pass-heavy approach, sticking with the pass proved costly in the Week 4 loss to Cleveland, which turned on an interception during a 7-0 game while Warren was rolling early.
Mina Kimes Details An Indianapolis Run Defense Plan
ESPN’s Mina Kimes pointed out a clear path for success against the upcoming opponent on her YouTube show. The Steelers should be able to run the ball on Indianapolis, and they’re good at it,
Kimes said, as reported by Steelersdepot. The Steelers are a good running team. Indianapolis is an abysmal run defense. This is not rocket science.
The Indianapolis Colts Enter Week 5 Allowing 131.0 Yards Per Game
The Indianapolis defense enters Week 5 allowing 131.0 yards per game on the ground, which ranks seventh-worst in the league. Early in the season, the unit surrendered 202 rushing yards and four touchdowns to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 1, followed by 152 yards against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 2. However, the Colts tightened up in Week 3, holding the Houston Texans to just 70 rushing yards. Last week in London, Indianapolis allowed 100 rushing yards to the Washington Commanders, though 35 of those came on an early run by Marcus Mariota before he sustained an injury.
Josh Carney Breaks Down Recent Play-Calling Patterns
Josh Carney of Steelersdepot highlighted that Jaylen Warren logged nine touches across the first 21 offensive plays, but received just 11 touches over the subsequent 51 snaps following Rodgers’ first interception.
With Warren operating as arguably the offense’s best piece and currently sitting on a strong run of form, analysts argue that McCarthy and Rodgers must lean into the running game against Indianapolis.
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