Carney: Four Key Matchups To Watch In Steelers-Colts

Last season entering the Week 15 matchup, the Pittsburgh Steelers were licking their wounds and limped into Lucas Oil Stadium for a matchup against the Indianapolis Colts. The Steelers promptly got thumped in all three phases of the game.

This time around, though, ahead of the Week 4 matchup at 1 p.m., the Steelers are firing on all cylinders, are relatively healthy and are riding high with a lot of confidence entering the AFC tilt.

The Steelers’ defense is the best in the league and has been downright dominant through the first three weeks, while the offense has run the ball relatively well, avoided the killer mistakes and dominated the time of possession. It’s a formula of success that has worked very well through the first three weeks of the season, and now they have an opportunity to go into Indianapolis and right a wrong from the 2023 season.

There will be games within the game to watch, like the turnover battle, tackling battle and more. Make sure to keep an eye on key individual matchups, though. There are plenty of them this week top to bottom in all three phases for the Steelers against the Colts on the road.

Below are my four key matchups to watch on Sunday afternoon.

COLTS LG QUENTON NELSON VS. STEELERS DL CAMERON HEYWARD

This is the cream of the crop, the marquee matchup, the one I’ll have my eyes glued to on Sunday. Anytime you get two All-Pros going up against each other, ones that are playing great football entering the matchup, you’ve got to keep an eye on it.

When Colts’ LG Quenton Nelson and Steelers’ DL Cameron Heyward lock horns, magic is going to happen. On the season, Nelson hasn’t allowed a single pressure and is the best pass-blocking lineman in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus. He’s been a rock for the Colts in the trenches year after year, and looks to be putting together another All-Pro season.

Then, there’s Heyward. Coming off an injury-marred season and then getting an extension a week before the start of the season, Heyward has looked like his usual self, that being dominant. Heyward has been the best run defender on the field for the Steelers and is generating quite a bit of pressure getting after the quarterback once again. He’s been a force through the first three weeks and now gets a crack at Nelson once again, this time healthy after being limited in Week 15 last season.

This will be like two big-horned rams clashing in the mountains snap after snap. Can’t wait.

STEELERS OT BRODERICK JONES VS. COLTS DE LAIATU LATU

Play in the trenches is going to be so key in Sunday’s game. That might sound obvious, but it’s true. There are plenty of huge matchups on both sides of the football in the trenches between the Colts and the Steelers. One of those is Steelers’ second-year right tackle Broderick Jones against Colts’ rookie pass rusher Laiatu Latu, who will have an even larger role with Kwity Paye out with an injury.

Latu has 6 pressures and a sack on the season, generating 5 pressures in Week 3 against the Chicago Bears, which was his best performance to date in his young career. He’s an explosive pass rusher, one that has great athleticism overall and is a handful for tackles off the edge.

He’ll go up against a young tackle in Jones in a matchup of two first-round picks.

Jones allowed just 2 pressures in Week 3 and played well in place of the injured Troy Fautanu. It’s Jones’ spot now moving forward the rest of the season with Fautanu out long-term, and Sunday’s matchup against Latu is another chance for Jones to put good reps on tape and continue to build his confidence.

It’s worth noting that last season, Jones was dreadful in the matchup against the Colts, allowing 5 pressures. That performance started his slide in his rookie season. This is a chance to redeem himself.

STEELERS WR CALVIN AUSTIN III VS. COLTS CB CHRIS LAMMONS

The best slot cornerback in the NFL resides in Indianapolis, that being Kenny Moore II. But he’s out this week, which is a huge development in favor of the Steelers. Moore’s an All-Pro for a reason and is one of the top coverage guys in the NFL, too. Throughout his career, he’s been a lockdown corner, one that erases the slot position for opposing offenses.

Without his services Sunday, the Colts will turn to backup slot corner Chris Lammons, who is banged up himself, having missed practice Wednesday and Thursday. He should be good to go on Sunday, though, which will be a boost for the Colts. He’s played just 7 snaps on defense this season, though. That bodes well for Steelers’ slot receiver Calvin Austin III, who had his breakout game in Week 3 against the Chargers with four receptions for 95 yards and a touchdown, which was a 55-yard catch-and-run. 

Austin is a player that received quite a bit of praise throughout the offseason from his new quarterbacks in Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, and from his new receivers coach in Zach Azzanni. Last Sunday, he put it all together and now the arrow is fully pointing up.

Though he draws a tough matchup on paper, there’s an opportunity that’s going to be there for Austin in the passing game on Sunday to create some splash once again. Winning out of the slot will be huge for the Steelers’ offense, which could open things up on the outside for George Pickens in the process, making the Steelers very difficult to stop once again.

COLTS LT BERNHARD RAIMANN VS. STEELERS OLB NICK HERBIG

With Alex Highsmith set to miss the Week 4 matchup, the Colts might be thinking they get a bit of a reprieve, considering Highsmith has been quite good against the Colts in recent years. But that won’t be the case with second-year OLB Nick Herbig stepping into the starting lineup. 

Herbig had 2 sacks and 3 pressures on just 8 pass rush snaps in Week 3 against the Chargers, and brings great athleticism and burst to the table for the Steelers off the edge. He’ll find himself matched up against Colts’ LT Bernhard Raimann on Sunday.

Raimann has been rather good so far this season, allowing just 4 pressures on 87 pass blocking reps. Last year against the Steelers he only allowed 1 pressure, too. He’s quickly developing into a very good left tackle in the NFL, so it’ll be a huge matchup for Herbig, who needs to establish himself as a starting-caliber outside linebacker in place of Highsmith the next few weeks.

Based on what he’s done so far in his career, Herbig should be good for a splash play or two on Sunday. The Steelers will need it.