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Darnell Washington could play a big part in Steelers matchup against Dolphins on MNF.
Week 15 of the NFL season is here, and with it comes an intriguing Monday Night Football matchup between the Miami Dolphins and Pittsburgh Steelers.
Both teams have had uneven stretches this season, yet each enters with momentum. Miami has won four straight to climb to 6-7. Pittsburgh, meanwhile, is coming off a statement win over the Baltimore Ravens in Week 14 and remains atop the AFC North at 7-6. With playoff implications on the line, the stakes are clear for both sides.
If the Dolphins lose, they’re eliminated from postseason contention. Pittsburgh’s path is different — the Steelers simply need to keep holding off the Ravens, whom they’ll face again in the regular-season finale. One way to do that could be continuing their recent offensive uptick, potentially through increased tight end involvement.
ESPN Predicts Darnell Washington To Have Significant Game Against Dolphins
ESPN’s Seth Walder believes Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith could exploit a specific weakness in Miami’s defense, and it involves tight end Darnell Washington.
“Steelers TE Darnell Washington will record at least four receptions. We know offensive coordinator Arthur Smith loves to utilize his TEs, and 25% of targets against the Dolphins go to TEs, the second-highest rate in the league,” Walder wrote.
With Aaron Rodgers under center, Washington is quietly enjoying the best season of his three-year career. He has already surpassed previous highs with 23 receptions for 288 yards and a touchdown. Still, his role has been limited at times, averaging just 1.76 receptions per game, with only two games this season featuring four catches.
That said, Rodgers’ primary tight end target has been Pat Freiermuth. Freiermuth ranks third on the team in receiving yards with 307 and is second in touchdowns with four.
If Walder’s prediction comes true, both tight ends could be in line for productive nights — especially if wide receiver DK Metcalf is limited. Metcalf left the Ravens game after an injury scare that resulted in a hospital visit and overnight stay in Baltimore. He received positive news on December 11, fully participating in practice, and is expected to start.
Should The Steelers Be Worried About The Dolphins?
The Steelers’ win over Baltimore was surprising on multiple levels. Few expected Pittsburgh to win on the road, and even fewer anticipated a 27-point outburst. It marked just the fifth time this season the Steelers scored that many points.
Can they repeat that against a Dolphins defense allowing just 13.2 points per game over its last four contests? Context matters, as that stretch came against the Commanders, Saints, and Jets — teams that rank no higher than 24th in scoring offense. Pittsburgh, by comparison, enters Week 15 with the NFL’s 14th-ranked scoring offense at 23.7 points per game.
Still, Miami has proven it can clamp down on elite quarterbacks. In Week 10, the Dolphins held Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills to just 13 points, fewer than 200 passing yards, and zero passing touchdowns. It was one of four games this season in which Miami did not allow a single touchdown through the air.
Rodgers, meanwhile, has thrown at least one touchdown pass in every game but one this season.
Shane Shoemaker Shane Shoemaker is a sports journalist covering college football and the NFL for Heavy.com. His work has also appeared in The Sporting News, Athlon Sports, USA TODAY, and ClutchPoints, along with high school sports coverage for the Marion Tribune. More about Shane Shoemaker
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