The Pittsburgh Steelers cruised past the Miami Dolphins 28-15 to lengthen their Monday Night Football home win streak to 23 and stay atop the AFC North with just three contests left in the NFL regular season.
In frigid 17-degree conditions in Steel City’s Acrisure Stadium, Pittsburgh quarterback Aaron Rodgers put forth a stellar showing, throwing 23-of-27 for 224 yards and two touchdowns.
Rodgers was aided by a host of offensive weapons with running backs Kenneth Gainwell and Jaylen Warren combining for 113 yards on the evening. Wideouts DK Metcalf and Marquez Valdes-Scantling each had a receiving TD as the Steelers moved to 8-6 on the season.
The Dolphins have become known for subpar showings in chilly weather, and that pattern persisted Monday night as Mike McDaniel’s squad registered just three points before the fourth quarter, thanks to a Riley Patterson field goal, which kicked off the scoring with 5:11 remaining in the first half.
But from there it was all Pittsburgh, which amassed 28 straight points.
The Steelers seized the lead for good late in the first half as tight end Connor Heyward received a direct snap and ‘tush pushed’ his way into the end zone from the 1-yard line to grant Pittsburgh a 7-3 advantage entering halftime.
Valdes-Scantling scored the Steelers’ second touchdown of the night early in the second half, catching a 19-yard pass from Rodgers to conclude a six-play, 71-yard drive.
Metcalf – who had three catches for 55 yards on the night – broadened Pittsburgh’s lead after shaking off multiple tackles and impressively sprinting into the end zone for a 28-yard touchdown with 5:06 remaining in the third quarter.
The former Seattle Seahawks receiver’s TD capped off a bleak quarter for the Dolphins, with Miami’s offense gaining -20 total yards. When the fourth quarter commenced, the Dolphins possessed just five total first downs on the night.
Things only worsened when Steelers tight end Jonnu Smith rushed 14 yards into the end zone, enlarging the lead to 28-3 and virtually ending the contest with 13 minutes left in the fourth quarter.
The Dolphins added two consolation scores late on, courtesy of a pair of touchdown throws from Tua Tagovailoa – who finished the evening 22-of-28 for 253 yards, the two TDs and an interception – to Darren Waller. But it was too little, too late for a Dolphins team that dropped to 6-8 and was officially removed from playoff consideration.
“It’s frustrating we didn’t attain the result we desired, and everything that occurs with the playoffs,” Tagovailoa stated afterwards. “When you commence the season the way we did, we made things difficult on ourselves.”
“It’s been a while since I’ve been involved in things such as this,” said Rodgers, who last reached the playoffs in 2021. “Nothing alters. It’s just, I feel very confident in this setting.”
“Man, we enjoy Monday Night Football, objective achieved,” expressed head coach Mike Tomlin, after extending the Steelers’ Monday win streak and two weeks removed from “fire Mike Tomlin” shouts emerging from some fans following Pittsburgh’s Week 13 defeat to the Buffalo Bills.
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