Joe Flacco stepped up when needed on Sunday, helping the Indianapolis Colts secure a 27-24 win against the previously unbeaten Pittsburgh Steelers. The 39-year-old quarterback showed he was still capable, but he knew it was a team effort.
The Colts played without several key players, including quarterback Anthony Richardson, All-Pro running back Jonathan Taylor, center Ryan Kelly, four starters on defense, and another important defensive lineman due to injuries.
Despite this, they never fell behind in the game. Flacco filled in for Richardson effectively.
“Anytime you have a backup that’s played at a high level for a long time, when he goes in, you have confidence in his ability to go out and operate,” said coach Shane Steichen on Monday. “That’s what he did.”
Flacco’s familiarity with the Steelers, having faced them twice a year for over ten years with the Baltimore Ravens, also helped. While many focused on his stats of 16 completions out of 26 attempts for 168 yards and two touchdowns, he received plenty of support from his teammates.
Defensively, the Colts were missing key players like Samson Ebukam, last season’s sack leader, and All-Pro defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, as well as rising pass-rusher Kwity Paye. Still, they managed to sack Justin Fields four times.
Trey Sermon, who had a strong performance with 88 rushing yards on 17 carries in their December win against Pittsburgh, helped finish the game in place of the injured Taylor.
Perhaps the standout performance came from rookie center Tanor Bartolini, who made his first start after three-time Pro Bowler Ryan Kelly couldn’t play due to a neck injury. Despite facing one of the toughest defenses in the league, the fourth-round draft pick from Wisconsin made all the right decisions.
