Pittsburgh Steelers: Studs and duds vs. Dolphins in Week 8

After falling behind early, the Pittsburgh Steelers scored 27 straight points and advanced to 3-4 over the Miami Dolphins.

Pittsburgh Steelers fans dealt with mixed emotions heading into the team’s Week 8 matchup against the Miami Dolphins. On one hand, the Dolphins were winless and starting Ryan Fitzpatrick. Surely it would be an easy game for Pittsburgh. However, there was always the chance the Steelers gave Miami their first win in 2019, which would mark a new low in Pittsburgh’s struggling season.

The Steelers opened with a poor showing in the first quarter, falling behind 14-0. However, the team rallied before halftime and scored ten points. The Steelers scored 17 more points in the second half to close out a solid win but watching that first quarter was brutal.

While it looked like the Steelers might be without standouts and lose to Miami for most of the first half, the team had quite a few players make big plays in the second half. Pittsburgh won, though, and that’s all that matters at the end of the day. These were the studs and duds in the victory.

Stud: JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR

It’s been a long time coming, but JuJu Smith-Schuster finally crossed the 100-yard mark for the first time this season. The Pro Bowl wide receiver’s production has suffered for several reasons this season. First, not having Ben Roethlisberger has hit Smith-Schuster just as hard as the team in general. Second, Pittsburgh’s receiving corps isn’t nearly as deep as it was last season.

As the team’s only proven wide receiver, Smith-Schuster has been targeted by defenses all season. Even when he’s open, Mason Rudolph has struggled to find the young receiver. However, Smith-Schuster finally went off against the Dolphins.

The third-year receiver hauled in five receptions on nine targets for 103 yards and a touchdown. Rookie Diontae Johnson also had a solid night, catching five passes for 84 yards and a touchdown.

Dud: Mason Rudolph, QB

After being knocked out in Pittsburgh’s Week 5 matchup with the Baltimore Ravens, Rudolph returned to action against the Dolphins. The second-year quarterback threw an interception on Pittsburgh’s first possession, giving Miami an instant red zone opportunity that they capitalized on. Miami had one interception entering Week 8. Rudolph helped them double that total.

While Rudolph did complete 20 of his 36 pass attempts for 251 yards and two touchdowns, he also missed wide-open receivers several times. After this season ends, the Steelers will decide how to proceed with Roethlisberger’s supposed successor.