Previewing Monday’s Dolphins-Steelers Bout

Previewing Monday’s Dolphins-Steelers Bout

The Miami Dolphins (6-7) are set to soon take on the Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6) on Monday Night Football. Kickoff is scheduled for 8:15 p.m. ET, and it will be frigid – around 20 degrees, and the wind will make it feel even colder. The Dolphins have struggled to play in the cold in the past, but they may have found a formula to win those kinds of games with their recent road victory over the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium.

If Miami puts up a lot of points on Monday, it will likely do so through its running game. The Dolphins have led the NFL in rushing yards lately, as they’re averaging over 192.3 yards per game in their win streak. The expectation is that they will have running back De’Von Achane for the showdown as well, even though he recently suffered a rib injury. He has 1,100-plus rushing yards this season. A key battle will be Miami’s run attack against Pittsburgh’s run defense, which just gave up 217 yards on the ground to the Baltimore Ravens last week.

It’s also worth noting that the Steelers will be missing star pass rusher T.J. Watt, who just recently underwent surgery to treat a collapsed lung. Sans him, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa might not have to deal with an overwhelming amount of pressure on Monday night.

Then there’s the important matchup between Miami’s improving defense and Pittsburgh’s offense. The Dolphins’ defensive unit has done a great job at limiting points during the team’s winning streak, as no team has scored more than 17 points in a single game over the duration of their four-game streak.

A win for the Dolphins would put them at the .500 mark for the first time all season. It would make them 7-7 and keep their tiny playoff hopes alive. Conversely, a victory for the Steelers would keep them in first place in the AFC North with the season winding down.

Fans should expect a physical, low-scoring battle between the two teams in the cold December bout.