Dolphins @ Steelers Recap - Kenneth Gainwell is a GUY
Screenshot via Steelers Youtube.
I hate to be doing a recap this late into the week, but such is life with the holidays. I hope yinz are taking time to be with your loved ones during this time of year as I have - and to be doing so after a primetime Steelers dubya makes it even sweeter.
The Dolphins, who can’t win in cold weather, came to sub-20-degree Pittsburgh for a Monday Night game against the Steelers, who can’t win without TJ Watt (ruled out with a lung issue). Something had to give, and thankfully the Steelers were able to come away with a 28-15 win, and maintain their one-game-lead in the battle for the AFC North. The simplest path to the playoffs for the Steelers right now: beat the Ravens week 18 in Pittsburgh. That’s it. We could lose the other two games, but as long as we win that one, we’re in. Other scenarios exist as well, but if those work to our benefit, then we will have secured our playoff spot before week 18.
I’m not ready to crown Kenneth Gainwell (#14) as RB1 or anything like that - his two best games were against Cincinnati and Miami; not exactly the stiffest of competition. With that being said, he’s proven invaluable, and he’s made a believer out of me. Jaylen Warren’s first instinct is to get north/south, whereas Gainwell has a propensity to look for the cutback lane, to devastating effect might I add. Shahtaht to Adam Thielen (#16) for the underrated block on the play above. The Dolphins looked like the best tackling team in the league in the first half, but Gainwell forced this missed tackle on Ashtyn Davis and took this one 38 yards early in the third quarter, setting us up for a touchdown two plays later. I LOVE to see splash from the run game.
The Dolphins were pretty bad on third down, going 2/8 in this game. The Jalen Ramsey sack happened on third down in the third quarter, giving us the ball back for another touchdown drive. That third quarter was HUGE for us - we would score 28 unanswered points on four-straight touchdown drives from late in the second quarter to early in the fourth quarter. It was by far the best stretch of football this team has played so far this season. Yinz wanna know what the time of possession was? Drum roll please…..
MIA- 26:27 PIT- 33:33
Yes, you’re reading that correctly. We won time of possession.
We’ve all seen the DK Metcalf touchdown reception that brought the angry runs scepter back to the City of Steel for the second time this season, but I wanted to show it on this platform so I could shahtaht Calvin Austin III (#19). Metcalf kinda tosses former Steeler Minkah Fitzpatrick out of the play, but he comes back into the play and has another chance to make a stop, and that timely block from 19 makes life a lot easier for Metcalf. It hasn’t been a great year for Calvin Austin III, but I appreciate the effort that he plays with, and I love how often I find myself shouting him out for making key blocks despite his size.
I wanted to include this play, because we’ve been starved of great QB play for a while now, and this is some sick shit from Aaron Rodgers, in my opinion. It’s an RPO, and there’s nobody overtop Pat Freiermuth (#88), so as soon as that Dolphins EDGE steps up, Rodgers just rips that thing in there for a nice catch-and-run of 22-yards by Muth. Rodgers may not be in that “elite” category anymore, but he’s no scrub, especially when he’s playing confidently like he has been lately. The play above is a great example of that, to me: decisiveness, trust in his eyes and his guys, and the fastest release in NFL history. That shit is a thing of beauty. Assuming this season is all we’re gonna get from Aaron Rodgers, I am appreciative of him.
I’m glad we handled business on primetime, and this week’s challenge will be another unique one in Detroit. There’s pretty much nothing riding on this week’s game, but a win and a Ravens loss would make their lives a lot harder, and I would love that, personally.
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