INDIANAPOLIS – A Thursday game at Lucas Oil Stadium?
The rarity of a mid-week home game for the Colts is here this week.
It's a rather big one falling on Thanksgiving night.
The Colts and Steelers, two teams in the thick of the AFC playoff picture, will get together in Week 12.
These Thursday night games have been handled extremely well by the Colts.
Since 2007, the Colts are 10-0 in Thursday night games, even though eight of those games have come on the road. The vast majority have been decided by one-possession or less.
While the Colts have had plenty of success on Thursday night, they can't say the same when the Steelers pop up on the schedule.
Pittsburgh has dominated Indianapolis the past two seasons.
In consecutive home victories over the Colts, the Steelers have outscored Indy 96-44.
Future Hall of Fame quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has been virtually untouched in those two losses.
Big Ben hasn't been sacked in 88 pass attempts, completing 72.7 percent of those for 886 yards, 10 touchdowns and 0 interceptions.
The Steelers got off to a great start this season (4-1 in the first five games) but defensive struggles have pushed them to the brink of the playoff race.
Pro Bowl weapons RB-Le'Veon Bell and WR-Antonio Brown continue to pace the offense.
Thursday's game will be the fourth time the Colts have played on Thanksgiving, but the first time they've been at home.
The Colts last played on Thanksgiving in 2007.
*2016 Record: *5-5, tied for 1st place in the AFC North.
*Head Coach: *Mike Tomlin, head coach (10th season as an NFL head coach, 97-57 overall regular season, 6-5 overall playoffs). *2016 NFL Rankings: *Offense – Overall, 12th (364.4); Rushing, 23rd (96.2); Passing, 7th (268.2). Defense – Overall, 22nd (363.6); Rushing, 9th (95.7); Passing, 26th (267.9).
2016 Leading Passer: Ben Roethlisberger (228-of-353 comp., 2,524 yards, 64.6 pct., 20 TDs, 7 INTs, 96.3 rating).
*2016 Leading Rusher: *Le'Veon Bell (128 carries, 579 yards, 2 TDs).
2016 Leading Receiver: *Antonio Brown (77 receptions, 907 yards, 7 TDs).2016 Leading Sacker:* Stephon Tuitt (3.5).
2016 Turnover Breakdown: Plus 2 (tied for 11th in the NFL).
2016 NFL Draft Results: Trying to rebuild the back end of their defense, the Steelers spent their first-round pick on Miami cornerback Artie Burns. The secondary spree continued into the second round with Maryland defensive back Sean Davis. Pittsburgh went to the trenches the next two rounds with South Carolina State DT-Javon Hargrave in Round Three and OT-LSU's Jerald Hawkins in Round Four.
2015 Review:In a season filled with adversity for the Steelers, they went on a flurry to close the season. Winning four of their final five games to end the year earned the Steelers a Wild Card berth. The Steelers went on the road and knocked off the Cincinnati Bengals to start the playoffs. A loss to the Denver Broncos in the Divisional Round of the Playoffs ended Mike Tomlin's sixth postseason appearance in nine years at the helm.
Last time in Playoffs: 2015 season. Lost to the Denver Broncos, 23-16, in the Divisional Round of the Playoffs.
*Last time in Super Bowl: *2010 season. Lost to the Green Bay Packers, 31-25, in Super Bowl XLV.
*Super Bowl Championships: *Six. 1974 (IX). 1975 (X). 1978 (XIII). 1979 (XIV). 2005 (XL). 2008 (XLIII).
2016 Pro Bowl Selections: WR-Antonio Brown. OG-David DeCastro. QB-Ben Roethlisberger.
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