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As the Pittsburgh Steelers prepare for their Week 4 road game against the Indianapolis Colts, a majority of predictions from national media lean heavily in favor of Pittsburgh. A total of 12 experts have backed the Steelers, while only three believe the Colts will secure a win.

On The Pat McAfee Show, A.J. Hawk endorsed the Steelers, whereas Pat McAfee himself picked the Colts to triumph. This division in predictions reflects the broader media sentiment, with a notable preference for the Steelers to emerge victorious.

Historically, the Steelers have had the upper hand against the Colts, boasting an 8-1 record in their last nine regular-season meetings. However, the Colts did manage to break the trend last year with a 30-13 win over Pittsburgh. This Week 4 game marks the earliest in the season these two teams have met since their Week 3 encounter in 2011, which the Steelers won 23-20. Interestingly, Pittsburgh has a strong track record when facing the Colts in Week 4 or earlier, winning six out of seven such matchups, with the lone loss dating back to 1968.

The game will feature new quarterbacks for both teams compared to their previous meeting. The Colts will start Anthony Richardson, who steps in after Gardner Minshew started last year. For the Steelers, Justin Fields will be under center, taking over from Mitch Trubisky, who was replaced by Mason Rudolph in the last encounter.

Statistically, both teams present a contrasting profile. The Colts lead the NFL in first down offense, averaging 7.5 yards per play, while the Steelers lag far behind in 31st place with just 3.7 yards per play. Additionally, Richardson's current completion rate of 49.3 percent is the lowest in the league, while Fields stands out with an impressive 73.3 percent completion rate. Should Richardson end the season below 50 percent, he would join an exclusive list of quarterbacks, becoming the first since Tim Tebow in 2011 to have a sub-50 percent completion rate with at least 200 attempts.

This week's clash will undoubtedly be a crucial test for both teams, with media predictions heavily tipping the scales in favor of a Steelers victory.