When facing the Indianapolis Colts, you don't have to think long and hard about the opposing team's biggest objective: slow down All-Pro running back Jonathan Taylor. This was the Pittsburgh Steelers' plan as they hosted the Colts in Week 5.
But the Steelers didn't just slow down Taylor; they nearly shut him down completely.
From early in the game through the final whistle, Steelers defensive lineman powered through the point of attack to swallow up the rushing attack, while linebacker Payton Wilson bolted downhill to bring down Taylor at or near the line of scrimmage.
In the fourth quarter, Taylor finally busted off an explosive 20-yard run up the left sideline. But even with this late-game run with 12:35 remaining in the contest, the three-time Pro Bowl running back finished the game with just 45 rushing yards on 15 carries. This equated to a mere 3.0 yards per carry.
Four days before the game, I predicted on the Still Curtain podcast that the Steelers would win this game by two scores and that the key to victory would be shutting down Jonathan Taylor. Needless to say, they did exactly that.
The Pittsburgh Steelers' run defense deserves credit for a dominant showing in Week 5
Entering Week 5, Taylor had rushed for 353 yards and six touchdowns in just his first four games of the 2026 season—topping 90 rushing yards in three of four contests. But the Steelers' run defense made it feel like Taylor didn't even suit up for this game.
Historically, the Steelers have fared well when facing Taylor. In five regular-season games against the prolific running back, Taylor has averaged just 67.6 rushing yards and 0.8 touchdowns on 3.8 yards per attempt. Somehow, Pittsburgh's run 'D' outdid themselves in this game.
And that's notable—especially considering 2025 first-round pick Derrick Harmon was absent after recently landing on IR with a foot injury.
We can only assume that Harmon's presence would have helped. But when it came to stopping the run against the Colts, the Steelers didn't seem to need any more help than what they got. In Harmon's absence, sixth-round rookie Gabriel Rubio got the nod. While Rubio played just 14 snaps, he seemed to do quite well in run defense (at least on the broadcast tape).
Jaylen Ramsey also played a key role in run defense—logging four stops and nine total tackles. Meanwhile, Payton Wilson finished the contest with a whopping six run stops and 10 tackles, including a pair of tackles for a loss.
While Steelers running back Jaylen Warren stole the show in the 34-22 win (and rightfully so), the run defense casually had an awesome day against one of the best running backs in the NFL. The Steelers outpaced the Colts 127 yards to 66 yards on the ground while averaging 3.0 more yards per carry (5.8 to 2.8), per ESPN stats.
I'm not sure how likely it is that they will repeat this showing moving forward. But if Pittsburgh can run the ball as effectively as they did while shutting down opposing rushing attacks, they will have a chance to win just about every game they play this year.
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