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Indianapolis Colts vs. Pittsburgh Steelers: PFM Team Comparison

PFM rates the Pittsburgh Steelers higher than the Indianapolis Colts overall, with a clear advantage. The main reasons are the stronger coaching operation and the stronger defense.

Current PFM Team Scores

IND

Indianapolis Colts

75.2PFM Team Score#24 NFL
Clear edgePIT

Pittsburgh Steelers

78.4PFM Team Score#19 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

Mike McCarthy gives the Pittsburgh Steelers the stronger coaching operation. Preparation and in-game answers matter once the opening script no longer controls the game. Indianapolis' strongest counterargument is QB Stability. Quarterback is still a concern for both teams, but the Indianapolis Colts carry less uncertainty than the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Pittsburgh also brings the stronger defense. Pittsburgh adds the deeper roster. That is enough to keep the Pittsburgh Steelers ahead.

TEAM DNA COMPARISON

Indianapolis vs. Pittsburgh 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.

INDIndianapolis Colts
PITPittsburgh Steelers
Indianapolis Colts vs. Pittsburgh Steelers Team DNA comparisonPFM category scores on a 0 to 100 scale. QB Stability: Indianapolis Colts 76.0, Pittsburgh Steelers 75.0, edge IND +1.0; Offense: Indianapolis Colts 76.4, Pittsburgh Steelers 77.6, edge PIT +1.2; Defense: Indianapolis Colts 74.9, Pittsburgh Steelers 83.4, edge PIT +8.5; Coaching Direction: Indianapolis Colts 73.7, Pittsburgh Steelers 83.2, edge PIT +9.5; Roster Depth: Indianapolis Colts 74.8, Pittsburgh Steelers 78.9, 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

Indianapolis has the better quarterback grade here. It is still not high enough to call the position a strength. That is why the overall gap is smaller than the score first suggests. Pittsburgh still answers with the stronger coaching operation and the stronger defense, which keeps the overall judgment in place.

COMPLETE COMPARISON

Where Each Team Has the Edge

PFM Team Score

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

Overall NFL Rank

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

QB Stability

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

Roster Strength

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

Coaching Direction

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

Recent Performance

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

Offense

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

Defense

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

Franchise Direction

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

Explosiveness

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

Conference Rank

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

Division Rank

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

Outlook

INDPlayoff Long ShotPITIn the Playoff Mix
Stronger outlook: Pittsburgh Steelers
SCHEDULE CONTEXT

Which Team Has the Tougher Road?

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 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

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