The Pittsburgh Steelers and Indianapolis Colts have been considered two of the better-managed organizations over the last several years, but both teams are struggling this season. They're each sitting at 5-5 on the season, and in second place in their respective divisions. On Thursday, the Colts will play host to the Steelers in the third of three Thanksgiving matchups.
Steelers vs. Colts 2016: Time, TV schedule for Thanksgiving game
Can Ben Roethlisberger shred the Colts for the third consecutive season?
Their game will be a special NBC Sunday Night Football presentation of football ... on Thursday night. It’s silly wording that the networks won’t change so we’ll run with it. Thursday’s game will kick off at 8:30 p.m. ET with a live stream online via NBC Sports.
Pittsburgh has the same record as the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC North, but the Ravens are in the top spot due to a win over the Steelers earlier this season. The Colts find themselves trailing the Houston Texans in the AFC South. Both teams are still in the playoff hunt, especially since neither division is as strong as expected.
The Steelers still have rematches against all three of their divisional rivals on the schedule, while the Colts will play the Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars for the second time, having already beaten the Tennessee Titans twice, including in their last game. Indianapolis is riding a two-game streak while the Steelers have won just one, snapping a four-game skid of their own.
Over the past two seasons, Ben Roethlisberger has found a ton of success against the Colts. He's completed 64 of 88 passes for 886 yards with 10 touchdowns and no interceptions over the past two years against the Colts. The only thing going for the Colts on that front is the fact that both games were in Pittsburgh, while they will be hosting this year's matchup. Pittsburgh is 2-3 on the road this season, while the Colts are 3-2 at home.
Getting a win in their last outing was hugely important for the Steelers. One of the more stable organizations and locker rooms in the league, the Steelers players and coaches have been venting recently, which led people to believe they were panicking about this season. Sitting at .500, the Steelers are still in control of their own destiny and putting together a winning streak would continue to help them get things under control.
The big story for the Colts at this point is the injury to Andrew Luck. The quarterback is in the league’s concussion protocol, and won’t play Thursday night. It’s very hard to get through the protocol quickly when faced with a short week.
With Luck unable to go, the Colts will start Scott Tolzien, who has only limited regular season experience. Tolzien last played meaningful minutes in 2013, when he was with the Green Bay Packes and filled in for an injured Aaron Rodgers. The Colts also activated Stephen Morris from the practice squad.
Below is all you need to watch Thursday’s game.
How to Watch Steelers vs. Colts on Thursday
Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
Location: Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Ind.
TV: NBC
Announcers: Cris Collinsworth, Mike Tirico, Michele Tafoya
Online Streaming: Sunday Ticket, NBC Sports
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