Colts’ Matt Hasselbeck finally looked like a 40-year-old quarterback

Any doubts of the injury lingering were erased Sunday.

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Matt Hasselbeck (8) is helped by trainers after being shaken up on a play during the second half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015, in Pittsburgh.

“I got hit on the top of the head and kind of just got my head compressed into my neck, or into my, you know, whatever, ” Hasselbeck said after the game in describing the second hit. Wide receiver Antonio Brown caught eight passes for 118 yards and two touchdowns, while wide receiver Martavias Bryant added four receptions for 114 yards and a touchdown.

It is an offense that has been resilient through much of the season as it suffered losses at times that seemed insurmountable – All-Pros halfback Le’Veon Bell and center Maurkice Pouncey and left tackle Kelvin Beachum for the season and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger for five starts. Chuck Pagano feels his team needs to improve “We have to respond”.

The team falls to 6-6, but with a Houston Texans loss on Sunday as well, the Colts remain the No. 4 seed in the playoff picture atop the AFC South.

“We couldn’t get anything going offensively”, Pagano said.

“We want to score every time we get the ball, obviously”, Roethlisberger said.

Brown celebrated the touchdown by jumping on the padding that surrounds the goalpost and using it like a fire pole. Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander beat out Steelers running back “Fast” Willie Parker 236-225 with eventual Hall-of-Famer Jerome “The Bus” Bettis coming in 4th among post season running backs gaining180 yards after completing his final regular season as a player.

Ok, if we’re really honest, the real MVP of the game was Ben Roethlisberger. “Today we showed that”. The Steelers defense held and Adam Vinatieri kicked a 35-yard field goal for Indianapolis.

The Indianapolis Colts lead the AFC South but at 6-6 this season has been a struggle for them. The veteran mustered only 162 yards, was intercepted twice and led the Colts to only three points on three drives that began in Pittsburgh territory. “We’re not afraid to take shots”. “But I’m also trying to have fun it’s all part of the game”.

“He was at the doc and in the scanner when we met, so I haven’t had a conversation with him yet, ” Pagano said Monday.

“I’m very disappointed in how I played”, Hasselbeck said. Jacoby Jones supplied the bad with two fumbles.

Pagano cautioned it’s still early and there remains a chance Hasselbeck will not play. Gore scored the Colts’ lone touchdown on a 9-yard completion from QB Matt Hasselbeck that put his team ahead 10-6 in the first quarter. Before being removed from the game Hasselbeck was 16-26 passing with two interceptions. The Steelers’ 45-10 victory against Indianapolis was their eighth consecutive win in December, tied with Carolina for the longest current streak for the month in the NFL.