Pittsburgh will be without its standout rookie against the Dolphins, and the impact could be huge. DH
The Pittsburgh Steelers face the Miami Dolphins in a critical Week 15 matchup. The Steelers are in need of another win to keep their place as the top team in the AFC North, while the Dolphins have won four in a row to climb back in the playoff race.
For the Steelers, they will have to contend against the mighty rushing attack of the Dolphins. Led by breakout superstar De’Von Achane and his 1,100 rushing yards on the season, Miami is averaging 126.5 yards on the ground per game, the eighth-best mark in the NFL.
The Steelers’ defense is already vulnerable against the run. They are allowing an average of 125.3 rushing yards per game, the 12th-most in the NFL this season.
Making matters worse is the absence of rookie defensive tackle Derrick Harmon. The first-round draft pick is set to miss another contest for the Steelers, as he is inactive against the Dolphins due to a knee injury.
Harmon’s Loss Crushes Steelers’ Defense
Without Harmon, the Steelers’ run defense is at a major disadvantage. Already in the bottom 15 of the league in run defense with Harmon, without him, they are historically bad. In the four contests without their 22-year-old DT, the Steelers are allowing a dismal 191 rushing yards per game.
They were absolutely decimated by James Cook and the Buffalo Bills, giving up over 200 yards on the ground. The following week, they allowed over 200 yards once again against a struggling Baltimore Ravens offense.
Going up against Achane, the third-leading rusher in the NFL this year, is another brutal test for their defensive front sans Harmon.
Pressure on Heyward and Black
Last week against the Baltimore Ravens, it was up to veteran Cam Heyward and fellow rookie Yahya Black to lead the front seven. Black, a fifth-round draft pick out of Iowa, has been an extremely impressive first-year player, but he’s not quite the force along the line of scrimmage that Harmon is.
Heyward is looking for a bit more production as well. In the past two weeks, he’s recorded 13 total tackles, but just two quarterback hits and zero sacks.
He also hasn’t batted down a pass at the line of scrimmage since Week 10 against the Los Angeles Chargers. The veteran captain will need to have a disruptive game against the Dolphins to help mitigate the loss of Harmon once again.
