Aaron Rodgers helps lead Steelers past Dolphins

PITTSBURGH — Fifteen days after booing “Renegade”, the defensive anthem of the Steelers faithful, a shivering crowd of more than 65,000 at Acrisure Stadium on Monday night raucously cheered and waved their Terrible Towels as the opening notes filled the stadium in the third quarter.

This time, the Steelers were firmly en route to their 23rd consecutive home “Monday Night Football” win after QB Aaron Rodgers threaded a ball to WR DK Metcalf in tight coverage, and Metcalf shook off Miami Dolphins defenders and muscled his way into the end zone to take a 21-3 lead.

The Steelers dominated the Dolphins nearly wire to wire as a short-handed defense slowed an explosive run game, and Rodgers led the Steelers’ offense on four consecutive touchdown drives. Rodgers also completed 85% of his passes (23-of-27), his highest in a game since 2014 Week 7 (86%). Rodgers even had a streak of 13 consecutive completions in the middle of the game. It was the kind of thoroughly dominant win that had eluded the 2025 Steelers until this point — and with the victory, Pittsburgh finally recorded two straight victories for the first time in over a month.

The win strengthened the Steelers’ bid to claim the AFC North, and it furthered their momentum entering Sunday’s game against a hard-nosed and desperate Detroit Lions team.

Here’s what to know from the Steelers and Dolphins after “Monday Night Football”:

Turning point: RB Kenneth Gainwell’s 38-yard run in the third quarter. It wasn’t a scoring play, but Gainwell’s long rush as he bounced out of a crowded line of scrimmage and to the sideline shifted momentum. Prior to Gainwell’s run, the Steelers’ run game averaged just 1.8 yards per carry. But Pittsburgh committed to running the ball on their opening possession of the third quarter with three carries by Jaylen Warren before Gainwell broke off. Two plays later, Rodgers slung a touchdown to Marquez Valdes-Scantling to give the Steelers a 14-3 lead.

Most surprising performance: The run defense. No better play illustrated the Steelers’ dominant run defense than ILB Patrick Queen shooting the gap to swallow up RB Ollie Gordon on third-and-1 late in the second quarter. Queen’s tackle cost the Dolphins 4 yards and held them to a field goal. Not only were the Steelers missing T.J. Watt (lung), they took the field without rookie first-round pick Derrick Harmon (knee) for the third straight week. Without Harmon in the lineup, Pittsburgh had given up nearly 100 more rushing yards per game. And yet, the run defense held De’Von Achane to 60 yards. The Steelers were especially stout in the third quarter, holding the Dolphins to minus-1 rushing yards.

Stat to know: The Steelers recorded four straight drives with a TD, tied for their longest streak over the past 25 years. It also marked the first time the Steelers had done so since Week 2 in 2018 versus the Kansas City Chiefs — a fitting call back with QB Ben Roethlisberger at Acrisure Stadium on Monday after being inducted into the Hall of Honor. — Brooke Pryor

Next game: at Detroit Lions (4:25 p.m. ET, Sunday)

Miami Dolphins

On the Dolphins’ second offensive drive, QB Tua Tagovailoa faked a handoff to RB De’Von Achane, looked off the Steelers’ safeties and hit WR Jaylen Waddle for a 10-yard gain that put Miami on the positive side of the 50-yard line.

On the next play, Tagovailoa floated a head-scratching interception that gave him sole possession of the league’s lead. His night didn’t get much better from there.

The Dolphins’ four-game win streak snapped abruptly Monday night — and their slim playoff hopes leaving with it. In cold weather conditions that they’ve been known to underwhelm in, the Dolphins did exactly that — astonishingly losing 20 yards in an abysmal third quarter that sealed their eighth loss of the season.

The remaining three weeks of the 2025 season will be about evaluation and pride; it’s still possible for Miami to claw its way back to .500 with a three-game win streak.

But the hopes of a miracle postseason run are over.

What to make of the QB performance: Tagovailoa cracked 200 passing yards for the first time since Week 9, but outside of some garbage time production failed to find soft spots in the Steelers’ defense. Monday’s game will do him no favors in his case against the cold weather allegations, as he’s yet to win a game in which temperatures drop below 40 degrees. In today’s NFL, his inability to stress defenses with his legs also places clear limitations on the Dolphins’ offense — like when he slid short of the sticks on third down, on a play where lowering his shoulder likely would have converted the first down. This has been the worst statistical stretch of Tagovailoa’s career, and with a new general manager possibly taking over this offseason, he needs to put better tape together over the next three weeks to avoid possibly losing his job in 2026.

Trend to watch: Until the Dolphins win in cold weather, it will continue to be a talking point. The Dolphins have lost all eight games under coach Mike McDaniel in which temperatures dropped below 40 degrees. This season’s team seemed equipped to break the drought, considering Miami led the league in rushing during its four-game win streak, but the Dolphins might have to wait until their Week 18 game against the Patriots to get their first cold-weather win.

Turning point: Immediately after setting a career high with a 54-yard field goal, Dolphins kicker Riley Patterson was penalized for leaving the ensuing kickoff short. Pittsburgh took advantage of the short field with a 12-play, 60-yard scoring drive that gave them the lead for good with 17 seconds left in the first half. McDaniel was clearly disappointed by the penalty, mentioning in his halftime interview that the Dolphins couldn’t afford to give their opponent a short field like that. That drive kicked off four consecutive scoring drives for the Steelers — who put the game away long before the final whistle. — Marcel Louis-Jacques

Next game: vs. Cincinnati Bengals (1 p.m. ET, Sunday)