First Call: Jeff Saturday regrets decision vs. Steelers; more talk about 'same plays' from opposition

Indianapolis Colts coach Jeff Saturday is second-guessing a decision he made during Monday’s loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Meanwhile, a Colts defensive player sounds like he is echoing something one of the Cincinnati Bengals said last week about the Steelers offense.

Also, we have info about some Atlanta Falcons injuries in advance of their game against the Steelers. The gambling line for that game is shifting already. And a Robert Morris hockey alum receives a conference honor.

All that in Wednesday’s “First Call.”

Saturday’s self-evaluation

Jeff Saturday received much mockery for some poor clock management toward the end of his team’s 24-17 loss to the Steelers.

The television analyst turned Colts head coach ended the game with two timeouts still in his pocket, and he let valuable time wind off the clock late in the fourth quarter before burning his first timeout with 30 seconds left.

Immediately following the loss, Saturday claimed he “wasn’t really concerned” about using timeouts in that situation, trailing by a touchdown, in Steelers territory.

The former Colts center changed his tune while speaking with the media Monday afternoon.

Colts interim HC Jeff Saturday: "I wish I had that third down back and in all honestly, wish I would have called a timeout.... Looking at the film, you could tell we were in disarray."

— Stephen Holder (@HolderStephen) November 29, 2022

The play Saturday is referencing was a third-down handoff that went to Jonathan Taylor for no yards. The Colts rushed to set up for the play after Matt Ryan scrambled for 14 yards, and the offense was out of sorts getting back to the line of scrimmage.

The failed third-down run was followed by a timeout, then an incompletion to essentially end the game by forcing a turnover on downs.

Heard this one before

A week ago, Bengals linebacker Germaine Pratt voiced frustration about his team’s poor first half defense against the Steelers. In his words, the Cincy defense felt the Steelers were just running a few plays over and over again, and the Bengals still were allowing too many yards even though they knew what was coming.

“It was us giving them plays. We knew what they were going to do. They like to do the same plays over and over,” Pratt told CBSSportsline.com.

Monday night during the game, a Colts player was apparently heard on field exclaiming the same thing.

Yep. “It’s the same plays.” #Steelers pic.twitter.com/g9bi8fwWRN

— Josh Rowntree (@JRown32) November 29, 2022

Much like the Bengals game, the Colts seemed to figure out the Steelers eventually. After falling behind 16-3, Indy stormed back to take a third quarter lead, just like the Bengals did.

At least this week, the Steelers counterpunched and came back to get the win.

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That didn’t last

Shortly after their Monday night win in Indianapolis, the Steelers (4-7) were quickly installed as a 1.5-point underdog for their Sunday game in Atlanta against the Falcons (5-7).

That was according to Odds Shark. By Tuesday evening, the website was listing the Steelers as a one-point favorite. So apparently some fast money came in on the Steelers after that victory.

According to Odds Shark, the Steelers are 4-2 against the spread in their last six games. The Steelers are 14-2-1 all-time against the Falcons. The franchise’s only losses in Atlanta occurred in 2006 (41-38 in overtime) and in 1970 (27-16).

That 2006 defeat was one of Hines Ward’s best games of his career. The Steelers wide receiver had eight catches, three touchdowns and 171 yards.

Falcons injuries

Former Penn State Nittany Lion Arnold Ebiketie was starting to emerge in his rookie season with the Falcons.

Entering the Falcons’ 19-13 loss to the Washington Commanders, the linebacker recorded two quarterback hits, two tackles for loss and one and a half sacks over the previous two games. But he entered that game with an arm injury and apparently aggravated it during the game.

Ebiketie left the game in the second quarter and didn’t come back. Via Si.com, head coach Arthur Smith seemed somewhat optimistic about his availability in Sunday’s game against the Steelers.

“(We’re) hopeful he’ll be alright,” Smith said. “He’s dealing with a wrist injury. We’ll try some different things, maybe a different brace here or there, check again to make sure there’s nothing else lingering with him.”

Smith also said that starting left guard Elijah Wilkinson “has a shot” at returning to practice Wednesday. He’s been on injured reserve with a knee ailment since Nov. 5.

Stick tap

As the Robert Morris hockey team prepares to be reinstated for competition next season, a former Colonials star is being recognized for his standout career at the Island Sports Center.

Shaler’s Zac Lynch is being inaugurated as part of the first class of the Atlantic Hockey Hall of Honor. Lynch has been dubbed one of the 20 best players in the league over its 20 seasons. Lynch is the 10th player to be named to the Hall of Honor so far.

The high-scoring forward was part of Derek Schooley’s team from 2012-16. Over 152 games, Lynch totaled 156 points (67 goals and 89 assists). In 2015-16, Lynch set the RMU single-season record for points with 55. He still sits second all-time in points and goals and third all-time in assists. Lynch was part of 87 wins in his four seasons. He left campus with two Atlantic Hockey regular-season championships (‘15,’16) and one Atlantic Hockey tournament title in 2014.

Via ColonialSportsNetwork.com, players of current and former members of Atlantic Hockey programs are eligible for consideration. The AHA will announce one inductee weekly throughout the 2022-23 season.