Steely McBeam
Well-known member
- Mar 20, 2019
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Adam Vinatieri was the hero last week. He was not the hero Sunday.
The Colts kicker badly missed a 43-yard kick with 1:11 remaining that would have given Indianapolis the lead. Holder Rigoberto Sanchez never got the laces turned, and the kick never had a chance.
Vinatieri earned AFC special teams player of the week last week with a 51-yard field goal with 22 seconds remaining in a 15-13 victory over Denver.
He also had an extra point blocked by Cameron Heyward Sunday.
It was that kind of day for the Colts in a 26-24 loss that dropped them a half game behind the Texans in the AFC South with a 5-3 record.
Indianapolis likely believes it beat itself with three turnovers that led to 17 Steelers’ points, seven penalties for 89 yards — including two for 30 yards on Darius Leonard that led to Steelers’ points — and the missed chances in the kicking game.
The Colts played most of the game without Jacoby Brissett, who left in the first quarter with a knee injury. The Steelers had Ben Roethlisberger watching from their sideline.
That left a matchup of Brian Hoyer and Mason Rudolph for most of Sunday.
Hoyer threw three touchdown passes, but he also threw a pick-six as Minkah Fitzpatrick returned an interception 96 yards for a touchdown.
The Steelers took the lead for good with 6:36 remaining in the game on a 26-yard field goal by Chris Boswell, but they still had to sweat it out.
The Colts began a potential go-ahead drive on their own 15 with 2:28 remaining.
Mike Tomlin challenged interference twice in three plays in the drive, and the Steelers lost both challenges and two timeouts. Tomlin had a case on a 35-yard pass interference penalty on Steven Nelson. Hoyer’s pass intended for Zach Pascal appeared uncatchable, but the NFL’s supervisor of officials, Al Riveron, let the call stand.
Two plays later, Pascal caught a 19-yard pass. Tomlin wanted offensive pass interference called against Pascal on Nelson. He didn’t get that one either.
The two plays set up the Colts in field goal range, setting up Vinatieri for more heroics.
The Steelers, though, left with their third consecutive victory and fourth in five games to move to 4-4.