The Indianapolis Colts (5-3) endured a heartbreaking loss at the hands of the Pittsburgh Steelers (4-4) on Sunday at Heinz Field, losing on the final drive 26-24.
There were some ugly parts for the Colts while there were also some bright spots. Not one player or position can be totally blamed for the loss. It was a team effort that included some self-inflicted wounds on both sides of the ball.
Here is the stock up, stock down from the Week 9 loss:
Stock Up: WR Zach Pascal
Without T.Y. Hilton, the Colts needed someone to emerge as the leader in the wide receiver room. Pascal stepped up to the challenge yet again en route to recording five receptions on six targets for 76 yards and a touchdown.
It isn’t clear how many weeks Hilton will be out, but it is likely a few more. Pascal will continue his duties as the WR1 while the rest of the room tries to find ways to make an impact. Regardless of who is under center, Pascal proved he can produce in a big way.
Stock Down: Offensive line
There were bad plays from the entire unit on Sunday, and it is starting to become a trend. No one is doubting the talent the offensive line has and its impact every week. But they allowed five sacks and nine quarterback hits throughout the day on Sunday.
Whether it was left tackle Anthony Castonzo allowing Bud Dupree to run the arc right past him or left guard Quenton Nelson getting blocked into the knee of his quarterback, the Colts offensive line has struggled with consistency.
Stock Up: WR Parris Campbell
The rookie wide receiver finally got some extended playing time, and he had some solid touches that highlighted his ability to move after the catch. Though he did have two fumbles, Campbell caught all five of his targets for 53 yards while taking three carries for 27 yards.
Campbell’s speed was on full display on Sunday. He did suffer a hand injury late in the matchup so it remains to be seen if he will miss any time, but this was a promising outing for the Ohio State product.
Stock Down: DT Tyquan Lewis
The story behind Lewis continues to get more confusing. Despite being a full participant in practice all week, the former second-round pick was a healthy scratch on Sunday. Even though the Colts rave about his talent and fit in the scheme, Lewis hasn’t made an impact in the slightest since being drafted.
And now that he is a healthy scratch, he’s not even getting the chance to carve out a role in the defense. Lewis’ position flexibility is a part of his game that should make him active every week, but we have yet to see the second-year lineman make any type of impact since joining the team.
Stock Up: QB Brian Hoyer
Despite his two crucial turnovers, Hoyer showed Sunday that he can be a perfect fill-in if Jacoby Brissett’s knee injury has an extended timetable. In relief of the starter, Hoyer completed 17 of 26 passes for 168 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.
It was interesting to see Hoyer push the ball downfield a bit more than Brissett has. The veteran quarterback wasn’t afraid to target Zach Pascal on some deep routes and even made some throws we haven’t quite seen yet from Brissett. If Brissett can’t go for the Week 10 game, Hoyer will be perfectly fine.
