While Pittman didn't play his best through struggling with a back ailment, Josh Downs and Alec Pierce stepped up to help the injured star in the passing game. Downs secured 72 catches for 803 receiving yards (11.2 average) and five touchdowns through 14 games, leading Indy in receptions and placing second in targets to Pittman (107).

Anyone who makes a living as a professional athlete is going to end up dealing with an injury at some point, and many of them will end up playing through

Pittman first injured the back during joint practices against Arizona, and the fracture was diagnosed in Week 3.