Skip to content
Pro Football Mania Pro Football Mania

Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Indianapolis Colts: PFM Team Comparison

The Pittsburgh Steelers hold a clear overall advantage over the Indianapolis Colts in the current PFM ratings. Pittsburgh separates itself through the stronger coaching operation and the stronger defense.

Current PFM Team Scores

Clear edgePIT

Pittsburgh Steelers

78.4PFM Team Score#19 NFL
IND

Indianapolis Colts

75.2PFM Team Score#24 NFL
WEEK 5 MATCHUP Sunday, Oct. 11 1:00 PM ET
View on NFL Schedule
PFM CALL Locks October 11th at 1:00 PM EDT

Who wins Indianapolis Colts vs. Pittsburgh Steelers?

Week 5 matchup
AwayIND2-2
HomePIT2-2

Pick the winner.

Choose your Call
Swap Teams Clear Comparison
PFM JUDGMENT

Why PFM Rates the Pittsburgh Steelers Higher

The staff edge favors the Pittsburgh Steelers. Mike McCarthy gives the team steadier direction than Indianapolis has on the sideline. Indianapolis' strongest counterargument is QB Stability. Indianapolis has the better quarterback grade here. It is still not high enough to call the position a strength.

Pittsburgh also brings the stronger defense. Pittsburgh adds the deeper roster. The counterargument matters, but it does not erase Pittsburgh's clear overall advantage.

TEAM DNA COMPARISON

Pittsburgh vs. Indianapolis Across the Core Pillars

The farther a team reaches, the stronger the rating. Each category also calls out which team has the edge and the exact gap. Hover on desktop or tap on mobile to isolate one team.

PITPittsburgh Steelers
INDIndianapolis Colts
Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Indianapolis Colts Team DNA comparisonPFM category scores on a 0 to 100 scale. QB Stability: Pittsburgh Steelers 75.0, Indianapolis Colts 76.0, edge IND +1.0; Offense: Pittsburgh Steelers 77.6, Indianapolis Colts 76.4, edge PIT +1.2; Defense: Pittsburgh Steelers 83.4, Indianapolis Colts 74.9, edge PIT +8.5; Coaching Direction: Pittsburgh Steelers 83.2, Indianapolis Colts 73.7, edge PIT +9.5; Roster Depth: Pittsburgh Steelers 78.9, Indianapolis Colts 74.8, edge PIT +4.1. Hover on desktop or tap on mobile to isolate one team at a time.
Hover or tap a team to focus that profile. Use Show Both to bring the overlay back.
THE COUNTERARGUMENT

Indianapolis Colts’ Best Argument

The quarterback problem is less severe for the Indianapolis Colts, but the rating still warns against treating the position as settled. The QB Stability advantage is a real point in Indianapolis' favor, but it does not outweigh the rest of the higher-rated team’s advantages. The problem for Indianapolis is that Pittsburgh counters with the stronger coaching operation and the stronger defense.

COMPLETE COMPARISON

Where Each Team Has the Edge

PFM Team Score

PIT78.4
Pittsburgh Steelers 78.4
IND75.2
Indianapolis Colts 75.2
Clear Pittsburgh Steelers edge

Overall NFL Rank

PIT#19
Pittsburgh Steelers #19
IND#24
Indianapolis Colts #24
Pittsburgh Steelers ranks higher

QB Stability

PIT75.0
Pittsburgh Steelers 75.0
IND76.0
Indianapolis Colts 76.0
Slight Indianapolis Colts edge

Roster Strength

PIT78.9
Pittsburgh Steelers 78.9
IND74.8
Indianapolis Colts 74.8
Clear Pittsburgh Steelers edge

Coaching Direction

PIT83.2
Pittsburgh Steelers 83.2
IND73.7
Indianapolis Colts 73.7
Clear Pittsburgh Steelers edge

Recent Performance

PIT77.3
Pittsburgh Steelers 77.3
IND77.9
Indianapolis Colts 77.9
Slight Indianapolis Colts edge

Offense

PIT77.6
Pittsburgh Steelers 77.6
IND76.4
Indianapolis Colts 76.4
Slight Pittsburgh Steelers edge

Defense

PIT83.4
Pittsburgh Steelers 83.4
IND74.9
Indianapolis Colts 74.9
Clear Pittsburgh Steelers edge

Franchise Direction

PIT74.9
Pittsburgh Steelers 74.9
IND72.8
Indianapolis Colts 72.8
Clear Pittsburgh Steelers edge

Explosiveness

PIT74.8
Pittsburgh Steelers 74.8
IND71.5
Indianapolis Colts 71.5
Clear Pittsburgh Steelers edge

Conference Rank

PIT#10
Pittsburgh Steelers #10
IND#12
Indianapolis Colts #12
Pittsburgh Steelers ranks higher

Division Rank

PIT#3
Pittsburgh Steelers #3
IND#3
Indianapolis Colts #3
Even rank

Outlook

PITIn the Playoff MixINDPlayoff Long Shot
Stronger outlook: Pittsburgh Steelers
SCHEDULE CONTEXT

Which Team Has the Tougher Road?

Pittsburgh Steelers

Remaining schedule rank: #26

Toughest stretch: Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars

Strongest opponents: Jacksonville Jaguars, Denver Broncos, Baltimore Ravens

Next five difficulty: 75.8

View Pittsburgh Steelers Road Ahead

Indianapolis Colts

Remaining schedule rank: #29

Toughest stretch: Minnesota Vikings, Jacksonville Jaguars, Dallas Cowboys

Strongest opponents: Jacksonville Jaguars, Philadelphia Eagles, Cincinnati Bengals

Next five difficulty: 78.0

View Indianapolis Colts Road Ahead

Pittsburgh has the tougher Road Ahead at No. 26. The strongest opponents include Jacksonville Jaguars, Denver Broncos, and Baltimore Ravens. Indianapolis gains one meaningful schedule advantage, while Pittsburgh still owns the stronger football advantages elsewhere.

View the complete all-32 Road Ahead

Ratings and Schedule Freshness

PFM ratings updated October 6, 2026. Schedule data updated October 6, 2026.

How to Read This Comparison

PFM Team Score determines the overall order. The Team DNA comparison puts five core pillars on the same 0–100 scale, while the full rows show every current category.

PFM compares overall team strength rather than predicting one matchup. Road Ahead adds schedule context without changing PFM Team Score.

See the complete PFM NFL Team Rankings and methodology.

PFM ratings updated
How PFM grades NFL teams