Aaron Rodgers threw two touchdown passes and Kenneth Gainwell amassed 126 scrimmage yards to help the host Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Miami Dolphins 28-15 on Monday night.
The Steelers (8-6) won their second game in a row and maintained a one-game lead over the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC North. Pittsburgh won its 23rd consecutive home “Monday Night Football” game to extend a streak that began in 1992.
The Dolphins (6-8) were eliminated from playoff contention and had a four-game winning streak snapped. It is the second consecutive season that Miami will not make the postseason.
Gainwell ran for 80 yards on 13 carries and caught a team-high seven passes for 46 yards. Rodgers connected on 23 of 27 passes for 224 yards.
Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa was sacked four times, and he completed 22 of 28 passes for 253 yards and two touchdowns with one interception. Both of his scoring tosses went to Darren Waller, who finished with seven catches for 66 yards.
Dolphins running back De’Von Achane ran 12 times for 60 yards and made six receptions for 67 yards.
The Dolphins dueled the Steelers in a defensive stalemate early, and Miami led 3-0 after Riley Patterson’s 54-yard field goal with 5:11 left in the second quarter.
However, after a short kickoff put the ball on their own 40, the Steelers drove 60 yards on 12 plays and started a run of 28 consecutive points with a 1-yard dive by Connor Heyward.
Pittsburgh held the Dolphins to minus-20 yards of offense in the third quarter and to 93 total yards to that point.
Rodgers broke the game open with a 19-yard touchdown toss to Marquez Valdes-Scantling on the first possession of the second half. The Steelers got another TD when Rodgers threaded a pass to DK Metcalf, who bounced off a tackler and scored from 28 yards out to give Pittsburgh a 21-3 edge late in the third.
With 13:01 left in the fourth, Pittsburgh scored a touchdown on its fourth consecutive possession. Tight end Jonnu Smith lined up in the backfield and ran for a 14-yard score against his former team. It was Smith’s first rushing touchdown since 2020, when Smith played for the Tennessee Titans.
Miami safety Minkah Fitzpatrick left the game in the fourth quarter with a calf injury. Pittsburgh offensive lineman Isaac Seumalo sustained a triceps injury in the third quarter.
–Field Level Media
