Dolphins 2022 Opponent Breakdown: Pittsburgh Steelers
Our series examining the Dolphins' 2022 regular season opponents continues with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Dolphins will face the Steelers in a Sunday night game in Week 7 (Oct. 23) matchup at Hard Rock Stadium.
PITTSBURGH STEELERS
2021 Record: 9-7-1, second in the AFC North (lost against Kansas City in wild-card round, 42-14)
Last Dolphins-Steelers Meeting: 2019 Week 8 at Pittsburgh - Steelers 27, Dolphins 14
Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard got things going on Monday Night Football, when he intercepted a Mason Rudolph pass on Pittsburgh’s first drive of the game. Four plays later Ryan Fitzpatrick threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to give the winless Dolphins a 7-0 lead. Pittsburgh ended its next possession, with a failed attempt on fourth-and-6 from Miami’s 37-yard-line. The Dolphins would again capitalize, as Allen Hurns took a pass and forced his way into the end zone to extend the lead to 14. A Ryan Fitzpatrick interception late in the half, the first of two thrown to former Dolphins safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, would begin a Miami downward spiral. The Steelers parlayed that into their first touchdown of the game with a 45-yard pass to Diontae Johnson on a third-and-20 that began with 26 seconds left in the half. After a kneel-down to end the first-half, all six of Miami’s remaining drives resulted in turnovers. Pittsburgh would take the lead in the third quarter with a 28-yard touchdown pass to JuJu Smith-Schuster. James Conner, who ran for 145-yards, would add one more Steelers touchdown early in the fourth quarter.
STEELERS 2021 SEASON IN REVIEW
A tough opening stretch resulted in a 1-3 start for the Steelers, with their lone victory coming in Week 1 on the road against the Buffalo Bills. They rebounded with four straight wins, before a Week 10 home game against Detroit ended in a tie. After two straight losses, the Steelers split their next four games before winning their final two. The Steelers earned a wild-card berth with a victory in their finale, but were blown out by the Kansas City Chiefs in the playoffs. Pittsburgh’s Week 18 overtime win in Baltimore extended head coach Mike Tomlin’s streak of having never recorded a losing season. T.J. Watt finished with 22.5 sacks (second-most in a season) en route to being named the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year. On Jan. 27, two-time Super-Bowl-winning quarterback Ben Roethlisberger announced his retirement after an 18-year career in Pittsburgh that included six Pro Bowl campaigns.
KEY STEELERS VETERAN ADDITIONS
LB Myles Jack, IDL Larry Ogunjobi, QB Mitchell Trubisky, CB Levi Wallace, G James Daniels, S Damontae Kazee, C Mason Cole
Trubisky will look to compete with Mason Rudolph and rookie first-round pick Kenny Pickett for the vacancy at quarterback. Myles Jack will look to be the answer at inside linebacker after Joe Schoebert failed to secure the spot after one season in Pittsburgh. The Steelers brought in James Daniels and Mason Cole to try to upgrade the offensive line, which ranked 30th in run-block win rate and 31st in pass-block win rate in 2021.
KEY STEELERS DEPARTURES
QB Ben Roethlisberger, CB Joe Haden, WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, G Trai Turner, LB Joe Schoebert, TE Eric Ebron
Roethlisberger, despite the decline in arm strength and lack of mobility he showed throughout the 2021 season, leaves big cleats to fill in Pittsburgh. Akhello Witherspoon and Cameron Sutton, along with newcomer Levi Wallace will lead the cornerback room, with Joe Haden (33 years old) departing after five seasons. JuJu Smith-Schuster signed a one-year deal to remain in Pittsburgh prior to the 2021 season, but a shoulder injury limited him to five regular season games. He was activated prior to their playoff loss in Kansas City. He’ll now play with Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City after signing a one-year deal with the Chiefs in free agency.
NOTABLE STEELERS 2022 DRAFT PICKS
QB Kenny Pickett, WR George Pickens, DL DeMarvin Leal, WR Calvin Austin III, TE/FB Connor Heyward
The Steelers drafted the only first-round quarterback in the 2022 NFL draft when they selected Pickett with the 20th pick. They hope the University of Pittsburgh graduate can continue his success in the Steel City as they look to find their next franchise quarterback. While Pickett may not start right away, the Steelers made sure to provide the quarterback room with plenty of assets. Wide receivers George Pickens, a downfield threat with elite-level ball skills, and Calvin Austin III, a small-but-speedy route runner, join Pro Bowl selection Diontae Johnson and Chase Claypool to give Pittsburgh a formidable group of pass catchers. Connor Heyward is the younger brother of Steelers All-Pro defensive-end Cameron Heyward.
EARLY STEELERS PROGNOSIS
Mike Tomlin enters his 16th season as Pittsburgh’s head coach, but his first without Big Ben. It’ll be quite the task for Tomlin, as he looks to extend his remarkable streak. The AFC North is a loaded division, home to the AFC championship Cincinnati Bengals. The Ravens look to rebound from an injury-depleted season in Lamar Jackson’s contract year, and the Browns welcome Deshaun Watson to Cleveland to lead a talented roster (pending a suspension decision for sexual assault allegations made against Watson). Recently fired Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores, who joined the Steelers as their new linebackers coach and senior defensive assistant, will return to Miami when the Steelers visit Oct. 23 in a Sunday night game.
