2005 · DIV

Final

Steelers

Pittsburgh

QB Ben Roethlisberger

21·18

Colts

Indianapolis

QB Peyton Manning

RCA Dome · dome · fieldturf

Closing spread

IND -8.5

Total

46.5

Model margin

+2.8est.

IND perspective

Push chance

None

half-point line — cannot push

Win probability

  • Colts
  • Steelers

How each play moved the game.

Colts winsSteelers wins

Matchup

Where the edges are

Season-long league percentiles for both sides, mirrored. The saturated side of a lopsided row holds the edge.

Steelersedge mapColts
  • +0.057EPA / play+0.188
  • 43.9%Success rate51.2%
  • +0.202EPA / dropback+0.339
  • -0.067EPA / rush-0.007
  • 9.7%Explosive rate8.0%
  • 35.7%Third-down rate50.1%
  • 63.9%Red-zone TD rate63.1%
  • 1.99Points / drive2.60
  • 2.0%Turnover rate1.5%
  • -0.084EPA / play allowed-0.061

Bar length is league percentile, already oriented so longer is better. The saturated side of a lopsided row holds the edge; rows within ~12 points are washed as even.

The rivalry

PIT lead 11–4 since 1999

Meetings average 46.2 points. IND are 6-9 ATS in the series.

Previous meetings
SeasonMatchupScoreWinner
2025 · W9IND @ PIT2027PIT
2024 · W4PIT @ IND2427IND
2023 · W15PIT @ IND1330IND
2022 · W12PIT @ IND2417PIT
2020 · W16IND @ PIT2428PIT
2019 · W9IND @ PIT2426PIT
2017 · W10PIT @ IND2017PIT
2016 · W12PIT @ IND287PIT

Box score

Individual performances

Steelers

Passing

PlayerC/AttYdsTDINT
Ben Roethlisberger14/2419721

Rushing

PlayerCarYdsAvgTD
Willie Parker17593.50
Jerome Bettis17462.71
Ben Roethlisberger5-3-0.60

Colts

Passing

PlayerC/AttYdsTDINT
Peyton Manning22/3829010

Rushing

PlayerCarYdsAvgTD
Edgerrin James13564.31
Dominic Rhodes122.00

Where this game is likely to land

  • Model
  • Smooth (normal)
  • Betting line

Probability of each final margin. Football scoring clusters — the spikes at 3 and 7 are real, and a smooth model misses them.

line +8.52.6%6.9%7.5%3.1%4.8%3.0%2.7%

Positive margins favour Colts; negative favour Steelers.

Half-point at risk

1.21%

outcomes that flip if the line moves 0.5

Model home win

56.4%

Expected total

45.6est.

Model

Where the number comes from

Each component is additive, in points of expected margin.

  • Team ratings (opponent-adjusted EPA)-0.37
  • Home-field advantage+2.56
  • Quarterback adjustment0.00
  • Rest differential+0.56
  • Expected margin+2.75