The Steelers’ under-the-radar weapon might be exactly what’s needed to rattle Tua and the Dolphins’ offense. DH
The Pittsburgh Steelers might have a secret weapon for this upcoming contest, and it has nothing to do with their roster or coaching staff.
The Pittsburgh Steelers created a bit of breathing room with their Week 14 victory over the Baltimore Ravens. Once again at the top of the AFC North, their path to the postseason has become a bit clearer. Still, they need to keep that winning momentum going when they welcome the Miami Dolphins to Acrisure Stadium for a Week 15 battle.
The Steelers might have a secret weapon for this upcoming contest, and it has nothing to do with their roster or coaching staff. The secret weapon for Pittsburgh is the weather.
The weather report for the Steelers-Dolphins matchup is brutal. Currently, the high temperature for the game is a brutal 18 degrees Fahrenheit. For the Steelers, that’s just par for the course in a late regular-season contest, but for their red-hot opponents, it could be what spells disaster.
With current starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa under center, the Dolphins have struggled in colder weather. According to Dolphins journalist Joe Schad, Tagovailoa is 0-5 in his career when playing in temperatures below 40 degrees. Schad shared his findings on his X account, and it paints a terrifying picture for Miami.
Steelers’ Advantage?
That stat line for Tagovailoa should strike fear into the hearts of the Dolphins and their fanbase. Miami is red-hot, rattling off four consecutive wins, With a 6-7 record, they are now in the hunt for a Wild Card spot in the AFC.
In order to stay in the hunt however, the Dolphins need to earn their fifth straight win.
That will be a much tougher challenge in the frigid Acrisure Stadium environment. Their star quarterback has consistently struggled when the temperature drops below freezing, and that’s exactly what he’s in store for in Week 15.
The one bit of hope for Tagovailoa and the Dolphins is that the left-handed quarterback has the upper-hand in the head-to-head matchup against Pittsburgh. The one previous time he’s played the Steelers, he completed 21 of 35 passes for 261 yards and a touchdown en route to a victory. The Dolphins are hoping that’s the version of Tua they get in Week 15.
Steelers Pass Rush vs. Tua
The Steelers are going to counter that hope with a potent pass rush and turnover-happy defense. The Steelers lead the NFL in forced fumbles with 12 so far this season, and they rank second in total takeaways through Week 14.
Leading that effort is their trio of pass rushers that terrorize the quarterback. With T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig forming one of the best groups of edge rushers in the NFL, they are going to lead the charge in creating turnovers and forcing Tua to take another cold weather loss.
