The Miami Dolphins‘ four-game win streak came to an emphatic end Monday with a 28-15 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
It was a defensive battle early with neither team scoring in the first quarter and the Steelers not getting on the board until the final seconds of the second quarter. But the game got out of hand after halftime when Pittsburgh breezed down the field for two third quarter touchdowns, while Miami finished that quarter with negative-20 yards.
With the loss, the Dolphins are 6-8 on the year and officially eliminated from the playoffs. Here are three instant takeaways from Miami’s Monday night loss:
One-dimensional Dolphins became easy to stop
Last week, Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel told reporters that the team was following the “formula to win games in December” by running the ball well and playing good defense. But an effective ground game can only take you so far.
It was Miami’s complete inability to push the ball downfield that kept its offense in neutral all night.
Tua Tagovailoa finished the first three quarters with a grand total of two throws that traveled more than 15 yards in the air. One found De’Von Achane for a 24-yard gain. The other floated into the waiting arms of Steelers cornerback Asante Samuel.
It wasn’t all Tagovailoa’s fault. Blitzes weren’t picked up and wide receivers weren’t getting open, but the struggles of the Dolphins’ quarterback were the biggest obstacle the team had to overcome.
It’s hard to beat an efficient, dialed-in quarterback
The Dolphins defense played pretty well, until it didn’t. They were hitting hard, forced the Steelers to punt on their first three drives, and held Pittsburgh scoreless until the final seconds of the first half.
Things fell apart because Aaron Rodgers put together a surgical third quarter. And sometimes, you just have to tip your cap.
Against a Dolphins defense that got increasingly tired no thanks to an offense that couldn’t stay on the field, Rodgers was firing balls into tight windows at a pace that didn’t allow the pass rush to get home. He finished with only four incompletions.
Jordyn Brooks, De’Von Achane continue to make extension cases
There’s no debate who has been the most valuable player on each side of the ball for the Dolphins this season. On offense, it’s been Achane and on defense, it’s been Brooks. That was the case once again Monday.
Achane recorded 61 rushing yards on 12 carries and 68 receiving yards on six receptions. It was his sixth straight game with at least 100 yards from scrimmage.
Brooks finished with a game-leading 13 tackles, one sack, two tackles for loss, and a pass deflection that was nearly an incredibly athletic interception.
Both players are set to become free agents in 2027. Neither should start to the 2026 season without a new contract.
This article originally appeared on Dolphins Wire: Steelers 28, Dolphins 15: Three takeaways to Miami’s MNF loss
