Steelers vs Dolphins Takeaways: There's Good That Came With The Bad
PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers fell to 2-5 after a 16-10 loss to the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium.
It was a game they wish they had back, but even if there was plenty of bad, there was good to take away from this outcome.
The Steelers got a glimpse of Kenny Pickett's final drive poise and saw some positive adjustments by their defense against a very explosive offense. Rookies made plays and the group feels like they grew in Miami.
There was plenty to take from the loss.
Noah Strackbein's Takeaways
How Are There Still Pre-Snap Penalities in Week 7?
The fact that the Steelers had more than one opportunity to put this game away and failed to do so, NOT because of missed throws or failed runs is unbelievable.
It's Week 7 and this unit remains a penalty machine.
There have been screams and hollers from Steelers fans to remove Matt Canada as offensive coordinator. There are moments when you believe people are being a bit harsh, but then there are times when it's 3rd and 1 on the 16-yard line and it ends up being 3rd and 16 resulting in an interception because your rookie quarterback is trying to make a play.
Illegal shifts are on the coaches.
Penalties will force an inexperienced QB to force the football because he feels like he needs to make a play. And it feels like Pickett is in for a lot of those situations this season.
George Pickens Arrives, Then Disappears
The biggest question of the third quarter was what happened to George Pickens?
The rookie caught his first career touchdown at the end of the first half and then didn't see another pass until 5:43 left in the fourth quarter.
At times, you didn't even see him on the field, which made no sense because the Steelers were trailing and trying to find the endzone to put this game in their favor.
He finished the game with six receptions for 61 yards and a score. The Dolphins' defensive backs struggled to contain the Steelers' wideouts despite the three interceptions. It kind of felt like a night Pickens could've went for 100-plus yards and helped Pickett put this game on their back.
Loss Isn't On Kenny Pickett
The final drive interception was on Pickett. A rookie is going to try and be a hero, and a lot of the time, that's going to result in a mistake. It happens. It's part of the NFL's learning process. But still, you can't just say it's okay and act like a loss is just fine.
That being said, this loss isn't on Pickett. And if you believe it is, you must have missed the above-mentioned pre-snap penalties/holding call that resulted in third-and-long or the three missed interceptions by the Steelers defense.
Pickett's performance wasn't great, but it did show some glimpse of positivity in the way he was able to stay poised. He can't throw that football to the front corner of the endzone, and he needs to get on the same page as Diontae Johnson on those drives.
The Steelers need to do better capitalizing on opportunities, though. And if they do, this game is theirs long before Pickett is forced with a two-minute drive starting at his own 13-yard line.
Can't put this one on Pickett. Some of it, yes, but that final throw isn't why the Steelers lost in Miami.
Stephen Thompson's Takeaways
Taking Pickett's Good with His Bad
Late in this game was the first time I've seen Pickett get sped up since taking over as a starter. Part of it was the situation he was in - the fourth quarter of a tight game in primetime with a loud, sold out crowd looking on - but that usually doesn't phase him. It did in Miami.
Pickett looked flustered and far from the unnaturally calm, collected rookie that he'd been during his first two appearances and it ended in two costly interceptions and a sub-200 yard night. That happens and it shouldn't be a cause for major concern. Embrace Pickett's struggles as an oppurtunity for this smart player to earn some experience and battle scars that will teach him how to thrive in this league down the road.
Credit Defensive Staff For Adjustments
Dolphins blitzed the Steelers in the first quarter and put them on their heels. It wasn't a massive deficit - just 13 points after the first quarter - but it felt massive given how the offense has struggled to put up points.
Mike Tomlin downplayed falling behind early, but it seemed like visitors were on the verge of getting blown out in a similar fashion to how they were in Buffalo a few weeks ago. Instead, the Steelers, a decidedly less talented unit than who stood across the line of scrimmage from them, buckled down and got creative with their coverages.
Against the mountains of speed the Dolphins had, Teryl Austin, Tomlin, Brian Flores and the rest of the defensive staff put their players in the right spots and gave the team a chance to win. Now if they could only catch a ball.
Dolphins Helped Give This Away
Miami was not particularly sharp and I'm hesitant to say they really earned this win. The difference was really how the Dolphins capitalized on mistakes and the Steelers didn't.
Miami made questionable decisions on fourth down - both whether to punt or go for it and what plays to run when they did decide to be more aggressive. In-game adjustments flustered their offense. The end of the first half featured odd clock management and boneheaded penalties that almost cost them points. The Dolphins handed the ball to the Steelers with a chance to create a game-winning drive twice and they are lucky their opponents came up short.
These two teams played hot potato with a victory and despite their best efforts, Miami ended up with one in their hands. What makes this loss sting so much is the fact that there isn't much separating the Steelers from the Dolphins, a team that many think can make a deep run in the playoffs when healthy.
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