The Pittsburgh Steelers’ Week 15 contest against the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football has finally arrived, an exciting prime-time matchup that the Steel City brand of football can’t afford to lose.
From limiting the Dolphins‘ biggest weapon on offense to making their quarterback as uncomfortable as possible, here are three defensive keys to victory Pittsburgh should follow on Monday Night Football.
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Stop De’Von Achane
The odds of a Pittsburgh win in Week 15 may very well come down to one Dolphins playmaker — RB De’Von Achane. Producing an impressive 1,509 yards from scrimmage with a jaw-dropping 6.1 yards per touch, Achane could wreak havoc on the Steelers‘ struggling run defense, forcing HC Mike Tomlin and DC Teryl Austin to reach deep into their bags of tricks if they hope to walk out of Monday night with a victory.
Win third down battle
Miami is one of the worst offenses in the league in third-down conversion, but Pittsburgh’s defense is also just as bad at giving up these pivotal conversions — something’s got to give. To take full advantage of the Dolphins’ struggles, the Steelers need to get Miami into as many third-and-longs as possible, forcing them to lean on their struggling passing attack during these key moments.
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Put the pressure on Tua Tagovailoa
The Dolphins offense hasn’t looked great through 13 games this season, with a lot of the blame falling on sixth-year quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Tied for the most interceptions thrown with 14, Tagovailoa should be kept as uncomfortable as possible in Week 15, taking advantage of miscues whenever possible.
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This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers’ defensive keys to victory in Week 15 matchup vs. Dolphins