Steelers put their long home Monday night winning streak on the line when Dolphins visit

Miami (6-7) at Pittsburgh (7-6)

Monday, 8:15 p.m. EST, ESPN.

BetMGM NFL odds: Steelers by 3 1/2.

Against the spread: Dolphins 7-6, Steelers 6-7.

Series record: Steelers lead 15-14.

Last meeting: Dolphins beat Steelers 16-10 on Oct. 23, 2022, in Miami.

Last week: Dolphins beat Jets 34-10; Steelers beat Ravens 27-22.

Dolphins offense: overall (25), rush (8), pass (28), scoring (22).

Dolphins defense: overall (19), rush (25), pass (12), scoring (15).

Steelers offense: overall (27), rush (29), pass (23), scoring (14).

Steelers defense: overall (28), rush (21), pass (28), scoring (19).

Turnover differential: Dolphins minus-1; Steelers plus-9.

Dolphins player to watch

S Minkah Fitzpatrick. The former Steeler has been excellent in his first season back with the Dolphins team that drafted him in 2018. Fitzpatrick is third on the team in tackles (76 total, 54 solo) and has a sack and two fumble recoveries. Pro Football Focus has Fitzpatrick ranked third among all safeties this season, behind Houston’s Jalen Pitre and Baltimore’s Kyle Hamilton.

Steelers player to watch

S Jalen Ramsey. Ramsey, part of the deal in June that sent Fitzpatrick back to the Dolphins, has adapted well to a move to safety necessitated by injuries at the back end of the secondary. The seven-time Pro Bowler has been an emotional leader for a unit in need of leadership after DeShon Elliott was lost for the season. When Ramsey is active and noticeable, Pittsburgh’s defense is disruptive.

Key matchup

Miami edge rusher Bradley Chubb vs. whoever starts at left tackle for the Steelers. There’s a chance longtime practice squad player Dylan Cook could make his first NFL start Monday night against Chubb, thanks to a series of injuries that have forced Pittsburgh to go deep into the depth chart. Broderick Jones and Calvin Anderson are both on injured reserve and Andrus Peat spent the start of the week in the concussion protocol. Chubb has 6 1/2 sacks this season, including 2 1/2 during Miami’s four-game winning streak.

Key injuries

Dolphins: They head into Week 15 mostly healthy. LB Caleb Johnson (shoulder) is unlikely to play. … RB De’Von Achane is nursing a rib injury, but is expected to play.

Steelers: Outside LB T.J. Watt spent time in the hospital with a lung issue and his status is uncertain. … Rookie DT Derrick Harmon (knee) could play after sitting out each of the last two weeks. … Peat, TE Darnell Washington and LB Malik Harrison all began the week in concussion protocol. … Anderson, a reserve OT, is out with a knee injury. … WR DK Metcalf will play despite being briefly hospitalized last week in Baltimore due to an abdominal issue.

Series notes

The Dolphins have won three of the last five meetings, including a 34-28 victory on a wintry December day in 2013 that featured a gametime temperature of 25 degrees, followed by 3-plus hours of snow flurries. The forecast for Monday calls for temperatures in the teens at kickoff. … Pittsburgh holds a 9-4 advantage all-time in the Steel City (playoffs included). … The last time the teams met on Monday night, they played in a torrential downpour at then-Heinz Field, with the Steelers pulling out a 3-0 victory on a short field goal with 17 seconds remaining.

Stats and stuff

The Dolphins have won five of six since a 1-6 start, a surge that has stabilized — for now — coach Mike McDaniels’ job status. … The Steelers took control of the AFC North with a victory in Baltimore last weekend but they can ill afford a misstep at home. … The Dolphins are 45-45 all-time in Monday night games. … During their four-game winning streak, the Dolphins have allowed the fewest points per game in the league (13.3), while ranking second in takeaways (10) and third in third down defense (30.8 pct.). … CB Rasul Douglas, who signed with the Dolphins late in training camp, was selected the AFC Defensive Player of the Week after recording five passes defensed, two tackles and coming up with an interception for the second week in a row in Week 14 against the Jets. He’s the only defender in the AFC to record five passes defensed and an interception in a game this season and the first Dolphins player to do so since Eric Rowe in 2020. It’s the third time a Miami player earned the award this season after LB Jordyn Brooks earned it in both Weeks 8 and 11. The Dolphins are the only team in the NFL with three Defensive Player of the Week recognitions this year. … Achane, who reached 1,000 rushing yards for the first time in his career in Week 13, leads the NFL in rushing average (5.6) and ranks third in yards rushing (1,126). He’s also tied for second in TD receptions (four) and ranks fourth in catches (55) and yards receiving (383) among running backs. … The Steelers have won 23 straight home games on Monday nights, a streak that dates to 1991. They did lose to Washington on a Monday during the 2020 season, though that game was originally slated to be played on a Sunday before being pushed back due to scheduling changes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. … Pittsburgh QB Aaron Rodgers is 4-2 all-time against the Dolphins. He last faced Miami in the 2024 regular-season finale, when he passed for four touchdowns while playing for the New York Jets. … Steelers WR DK Metcalf posted season highs in receptions (seven) and yards (147) last week against the Ravens. … Pittsburgh DT Cameron Heyward will make his 190th start for the Steelers, tied with former WR Hines Ward for fourth in team history. Heyward’s 225 regular-season appearances are second in club history behind former QB Ben Roethlisberger. … The Steelers are tied for second in the NFL in takeaways (23). Pittsburgh is 6-3 this season when creating at least one turnover and is 6-0 this year in games when it has a positive turnover ratio.

Fantasy tip

The Steelers have struggled to stop teams committed to running and Achane is one of the hottest backs in the league. The 24-year-old is averaging 109 yards rushing per game during Miami’s recent surge, and his 5.8 yards per carry is tops in the NFL. If he plays, he could have a big day against a Pittsburgh defense that can’t seem to stop the run with any sort of consistency, even when the Steelers know it’s coming.

___

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl