Steelers vs. Colts: What they're saying in Indianapolis after loss

Some Pittsburgh Steelers fans held a makeshift funeral for the team’s defense Sunday outside Acrisure Stadium.

As it turns out, the eulogy was a little premature — as the defense posted six takeaways and five sacks on the way to rattling the Colts’ offense and a 27-20 win.

Indianapolis Star columnist Gregg Doyel delved into what happened to the league’s No. 1 offense and how it’s hopefully a fluke rather than an omen.

“What else would you call the Colts’ 27-20 loss Sunday to the Steelers — an omen?,” Doyel wrote. “A suggestion that the 2025 Indianapolis Colts aren’t as good as we thought? Because if you’re willing to go there, then you have to go all the way.”

Colts coach Shane Steichen put it succinctly to start his post-game presser: “It’s hard to win when you turn it over like we did.”

“There was no quit in the guys at the end, but obviously we have to look at it and get things cleaned up,” Steichen told the media.

Colts receiver Michael Pittman Jr. chose to look at the bright side of the loss in his post-game comments.

“Adversity is good,” Pittman Jr. said. “I wouldn’t want to go into postseason 17-0. There’s only been one team that’s ever done that and actually won. So adversity is good, but we got to go win the next one.”

#Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. following the loss to the Steelers:

"Honestly, I think that the adversity is good." pic.twitter.com/DVIRNGYkve

— WISH-TV News (@WISHNews8) November 2, 2025

The Associated Press game recap credited the Steelers’ defense for adjusting and stepping up.

“The Steelers played without three of the top four safeties on their depth chart because of injuries,” the AP wrote. “Enter Kyle Dugger, acquired in a trade with New England on Thursday. Three days later, he started and finished with four tackles.”

Indianapolis’ Fox 59 columnist Mike Chappell wondered which was the real Colts team, the one that posted an NFL-best 7-2 record, or the one he saw Sunday in Pittsburgh, where the Colts have only won two games in franchise history.

“So, who are these guys?” Chappell wrote. “Until the loss to the Steelers turns into a midseason losing streak — the Colts meet the Atlanta Falcons Sunday in Berlin before having their bye — they’ll use their first eight games as evidence of their collective worth and insist Sunday was an aberration.”