Colts Get Good News On Injured Star, Status Still Uncertain
After taking a massive hit in the Indianapolis Colts’ 30-13 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 15 that sidelined him for the rest of the contest with a concussion, wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. has cleared the protocol. That leaves the door open for him to return to the field for the Atlanta Falcons matchup on Christmas Eve.
Pittman is still questionable for the game after being limited in Friday's practice with a shoulder injury, however.
Pittman left the contest with 4 catches for 78 yards on 5 targets from Colts quarterback Gardner Minshew. However, Steelers defensive back Damontae Kazee gave Pittman a concussion on a head-to-head collision while Pittman was diving for a pass, resulting in the veteran defensive back being suspended for the remainder of 2023 (playoffs included).
However, while Pittman doesn’t think Kazee meant to hurt him, what’s important is his return to Steichen’s offense against the Falcons.
"I do think that they were headhunting, but I don't think he meant to try to impose life-changing injury," Pittman said, per Colts.com. "I don't think that any player has that in them and you just never want to see guys lose games and lose that much money because I don't think he was trying to do that. He has a family too - I know that's a hefty fine. He's gonna miss out on a lot of money that he was probably counting on.
"It's unfortunate how it happened and I wish it never happened like for me and for him."
On the year, Pittman sits at 99 catches for 1,062 yards and 4 touchdowns. That's off of a career-high 143 targets, with a rock-solid 69.2% catch efficiency.
Pittman will be facing off against a stout Falcons defense with the likes of cornerbacks A.J. Terrell, Dee Alford, and Jeff Okudah as well as potential All-Pro safety Jessie Bates III, who is about as hot as any defender at forcing turnovers in the NFL. He currently leads the Falcons with 5 interceptions.
While this matchup might look simple on paper, the Falcons still have pride and a lot of talent. They just lost to the lowly Carolina Panthers, which means they’ll be fired up to beat Pittman and the Colts at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Christmas Eve.
Will Pittman get right back into the swing of things and dominate the receiving share per usual? Or, will the Falcons' defense be able to contain Pittman’s surging season and force Minshew to go elsewhere for pass-catching help?
It will be interesting to see if Pittman gets back on the field in another big game for the Colts. This contest, like several others in recent weeks, has AFC South and playoff implications for Indy.
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