Steelers vs. Colts final score, results: Pittsburgh's comeback bid falls short

Mike Moraitis

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Steelers vs. Colts final score, results: Pittsburgh's comeback bid falls short image

Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

The Pittsburgh Steelers have lost their first game of the 2024 campaign in Week 4, falling to the Indianapolis Colts by a score of 27-24.

Pittsburgh was absolutely lost on both sides of the ball in the first half and fell behind 17-0 to Joe Flacco and Co. — that's right, Joe Flacco, who replaced Anthony Richardson after he was ruled out due to a hip injury.

The Steelers managed to notch a field goal before the half but still trailed by two scores. Pittsburgh's offense woke up in the second half to make this a game, but the defense again left a lot to be desired.

Even still, the Steelers had a chance to tie the game on their final possession with a field goal but failed to get into range.

As if the Steelers didn't have enough to overcome with their lackluster play on both sides of the ball, they also turned the ball over twice. One was a fumble by quarterback Justin Fields that knocked the Steelers out of field goal range, and the other was a fumble by George Pickens at the Colts' five-yard line.

The Colts didn't turn either into points, but both were obviously incredibly costly in what was ultimately a three-point loss for Pittsburgh.

Steelers vs. Colts final score

TEAM1234F
Steelers0371424
Colts14301027

Steelers' players of the game

QB Justin Fields: 22/34, 312 YDS, TD; 10 CAR, 55 YDS, 2 TD

WR George Pickens: 7 REC, 113 YDS

Colts' players of the game

QB Joe Flacco: 16/26, 168 YDS, 2 TD

RB Jonathan Taylor: 21 CAR, 88 YDS, TD; 3 REC, 20 YDS

WR Michael Pittman Jr.: 6 REC, 113 YDS

Steelers vs. Colts updates

(All times eastern)

Fourth quarter

4:07 p.m. - The Steelers' comeback bid will fall short after an incomplete pass on fourth down gives the ball back to the Colts. Just a brutal way to lose after nearly pulling off a minor miracle. Indy will kneel it out for the win.

4:05 p.m. - Yikes. Fields wasn't ready for the snap and it leads to a fumble and a huge loss of yards for Pittsburgh. Fields' second-down pass falls incomplete and it's third-and-22.

4:02 p.m. - We're at the two-minute warning and the Steelers are at their own 38-yard line, facing a second-and-1 after a 12-yard run by Fields and a nine-yard reception by Van Jefferson. Pittsburgh still has it's last timeout.

3:58 p.m. - A huge Steelers sack forces a third-and-16 and the Colts fail to convert and punt it away. The Steelers take over at their own 13 with 2:39 remaining and one timeout.

Colts 27, Steelers 24

3:54 p.m. - TOUCHDOWN STEELERS: Fields hits Muth, who fights through a few tacklers to find pay dirt on what was ultimately an eight-yard strike. Steelers are down by a field goal with 3:40 remaining. Pittsburgh has two timeouts.

3:52 p.m. - What. A. Pass. Fields hits Pickens down the sideline on a beautiful throw and the Steelers are in business at the Colts' 25-yard line.

Colts 27, Steelers 17

3:48 p.m. - FIELD GOAL COLTS: The Steelers get a stop in the red zone but the Colts are able to convert on their field goal try to go back up two scores, 27-17. The Steelers have 6:03 remaining in the game to make up the deficit.

3:43 p.m. - The Steelers just have no answers for the Colts, both on the ground and through the air. A big completion from Flacco to Downs and then an even bigger gain on a run by Taylor sets the Colts up at the Steelers' 34.

Colts 24, Steelers 17

3:37 p.m. - TOUCHDOWN STEELERS: Harris had the play of the drive with a 32-yard catch and run on a pass from Fields. Then, Fields finished the drive off a handful of plays later with a two-yard touchdown run. Steelers back to within one score.

Colts 24, Steelers 10

3:27 p.m. - TOUCHDOWN COLTS: The Steelers nearly had a stop in the red zone but Flacco hits Ogletree for a 15-yard touchdown pass to increase the Colts' lead to 24-10. Just a terrible play for the Steelers' defense to allow that to happen. Indy completed three third downs on that drive and are 7-for-12 on the day.

Third quarter

3:23 - The Colts finish off the third quarter strong with a 25-yard pass from Flacco to Downs to set the Colts up at Pittsburgh's 15-yard line. We're through three quarters and the score remains Colts 17, Steelers 10.

3:21 p.m. - A questionable unnecessary roughness penalty is called on Minkah Fitzpatrick on a deep ball to Adonai Mitchell and that moves Indy up to the Steelers' 46-yard line.

3:19 p.m. - After the Steelers failed to finish off a sack on second down, Flacco finds Pittman Jr. for 12 yards and a first down. Huge play for Indy, taking them to their own 30. 

Colts 17, Steelers 10

3:13 p.m. - TOUCHDOWN STEELERS: Fields finally gets the Steelers into the end zone with a five-yard scramble and Pittsburgh is now down by one score.

3:09 p.m. - Big play from Fields to Pickens for 38 yards and Pittsburgh is cooking inside the red zone.

3:05 p.m. - The Colts weren't able to move the chains on their next drive and failed to convert on a 54-yard field goal attempt by Matt Gay, keeping the score at 17-3. The Steelers will take over at their own 44-yard line.

2:59 p.m. - Pittsburgh is unable to capitalize on Austin's return. Fields fumbled at midfield after losing a ton of yardage while trying to escape a sack and the Colts will take over, pending review. Massive yikes.

2:56 p.m. - The Steelers get a much-needed stop on the Colts' first drive of the second half, with Indy going three-and-out. Calvin Austin then explodes for a big return of 30 yards, setting Pittsburgh up at the Colts' 33-yard line.

2:50 p.m. - The Steelers made it up to midfield but failed to convert on third-and-4 and Pittsburgh is punting it away again. After the punt, the Colts will begin their next drive at their own 11.

2:46 p.m. - Patterson has been ruled out with his ankle injury.

Second quarter

Colts 17, Steelers 3

2:37 p.m. - FIELD GOAL STEELERS: With just 41 seconds left and one timeout, the Steelers bafflingly ran the football on second-and-4. They did pick up the first down but that killed a ton of time and Fields was then sacked on the next play. Not surprisingly, the Steelers were forced to settle for a field goal to make it 17-3.

2:27 p.m. - A big pass from Fields, who barely escapes pressure to get it to Freiermuth for 29 yards and the Steelers are at midfield. Fields then completes a pass to Pickens but it's ruled incomplete. Tomlin challenges and it's successful. Pittsburgh is up to Indy's 44-yard line with 43 seconds left.

2:21 p.m. - Patterson is questionable to return with an ankle injury. That's bad news, as Patterson has been Pittsburgh's best player on offense.

2:20 p.m. - Flacco can't connect with Alec Pierce on a deep ball on second down and the Colts just hand it off on third down. Indy is punting it away with 1:18 remaining. The Steelers have one timeout left.

2:19 p.m. - Another big completion for 17 yards from Flacco to Pittman out of the two-minute warning but the Colts move themselves back five yards on the next play with a penalty, leaving them at their own 33.

2:14 p.m. - We're at the two-minute warning and the Colts have moved their way up to their own 21-yard line. It'll be second-and-1 for Indy when the game resumes.

2:11 p.m. - DISASTER: George Pickens catches a pass at the Colts' 10-yard line but didn't protect the football while trying to gain more yards and he fumbles it away. Colts take over inside their own five.

2:10 p.m. - Patterson has been a one-man show on this drive, but he's now shaken up and leaving the field under his own power. Steelers have Najee and Aaron Shampklin active at the position.

2:08 p.m. - LOOK AT THE BIG MAN GO! Darnell Washington takes a short pass and rips off a 20-yard gain, complete with a stiff-arm and a hurdle! What a play! Steelers are in business at the Colts' 34.

2:07 p.m. - The Steelers are up to midfield after three straight sizeable gains from Cordarrelle Patterson, who has carries of 12 and 11, and a reception of 14 on the drive thus far.

2:00 p.m. - The Colts drove their way into Steelers territory again but the Steelers get a big stop on third down and the Colts will punt it away. Pittsburgh shoots itself in the foot again, though, as a penalty on the punt moves the Steelers back to their own four-yard line.

1:56 p.m. - Richardson has now been ruled out due to his hip injury. It'll be Flacco time the rest of the way.

1:55 p.m. - Following the Colts' field goal drive, the Steelers go three-and-out. Fields' pass on third-and-4 gets batted down. Pittsburgh simply can't do anything on the ground, either. Steelers punting it away.

Colts 17, Steelers 0

1:50 p.m. - FIELD GOAL COLTS: OOF! Joey Porter Jr. had a Flacco pass hit him in the hands in the end zone but he couldn't bring it in. Pittsburgh gets a stop on the next play and holds the Colts to a field goal.

1:43 p.m. - Flacco moves the chains with a completion to Downs on third down to the Steelers' 29-yard line, but the Steelers are challenging. After looking at the replay, it looks like a completion.

First quarter

1:39 p.m. - We're at the end of the first quarter and the Colts have a 14-0 lead and will start the second quarter at Pittsburgh's 35-yard line facing a third-and-6. That's a quarter the Steelers would like to forget.

1:38 p.m. - The Steelers went for it on fourth-and-1 inside their own 40 with a designed run for Fields and he's short. The Colts will take over on downs at Pittsburgh's 39.

1:36 p.m. - Richardson is dealing with a hip injury and is questionable to return.

1:34 p.m. - The Colts have gained 155 net yards so far, while the Steelers have just 29. Not a good start for Pittsburgh on either side of the ball. The Steelers will get the ball now for their second offensive drive of the game.

Colts 14, Steelers 0

1:32 p.m. - TOUCHDOWN COLTS: Taylor did most of the work in Steelers territory but Flacco finds Josh Downs for a five-yard touchdown. Pittsburgh's defense has had no answer for Indy's offense thus far.

1:30 p.m. - Richardson missed a few snaps, came back into the game, took another big hit and is out again. He's off to the blue medical tent. The Colts are at the Steelers' six-yard line.

1:27 p.m. - The Colts are driving once again, as Richardson continues to sling it. But the Colts QB was shaken up after a carry and is leaving the field under his own power. Joe Flacco time with the Colts at midfield.

1:24 p.m. - According to ESPN's Brooke Pryor, Daniels is questionable to return due to an ankle injury.

1:22 p.m. - Spencer Anderson commits a drive-killing penalty with a late hit on second down to set the Steelers up with third-and-forever. Fields completed a pass to tight end Pat Freiermuth for eight yards on third down but it wasn't enough to get the Steelers into field goal territory. Pittsburgh is punting it away.

1:16 p.m. - The Steelers have moved the chains on their own for the first time on a third-down pass from Fields to Calvin Austin for 17 yards. The Steelers are at Indy's 36-yard line. Right guard James Daniels is down after the play with an injury. He was able to walk off the field on his own power and Spencer Anderson is replacing him.

1:14 p.m. - An ugly start for the Steelers, as Justin Fields got his foot stepped on on the first play of the drive. He managed to flip the ball to Najee Harris, but it still led to a loss of yards. After a short gain by Fields on the ground, the Steelers failed to convert on a third-and-long thanks to a sack but got bailed out by a penalty, which was certainly questionable.

Colts 7, Steelers 0

1:07 p.m. - TOUCHDOWN COLTS: Jonathan Taylor fights his way to pay dirt on a two-yard run and the Colts drive right down the field for an eight-play, 70-yard drive to take a 7-0 lead.

1:04 p.m. - Anthony Richardson started off the game with a big pass to Michael Pittman Jr. for 32. It was a dangerous pass but Richardson completed it. On the next play, Jonathan Taylor breaks a 14-yard run and the Colts are in business in the red zone.

1:02 p.m. - The Steelers won the coin toss and deferred. The Colts will start with the ball.

11:34 a.m. - The Colts won't have starting center Ryan Kelly, who is officially inactive. Indy is expected to start rookie Tanor Bortolini. For the Steelers, rookie Roman Wilson is inactive yet again despite being healthy, and Russell Wilson is also inactive. Check out the full list of inactives for both teams below.

Steelers inactives Week 4

Colts inactives Week 4

Steelers vs. Colts start time

  • Date: Sunday, Sept. 29
  • Time: 1 p.m. ET

What channel is Steelers vs. Colts on today?

  • TV channel: CBS
  • Announcers: Spero Dedes, Adam Archuleta
  • Live stream: NFL+ (local only) | Fubo

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Mike Moraitis

Mike Moraitis Photo

After cutting his teeth with Bleacher Report, Mike Moraitis has covered the Los Angeles Rams and Tennessee Titans for FanSided, and the Titans and New York Giants for USA TODAY Sports Media Group. On top of his duties with Sporting News, Mike is the managing editor and lead writer for Titans Wire.