Steelers vs. Dolphins: Keys To Keep the Steelers Atop the AFC

The Pittsburgh Steelers begin a vaunting three game road trip this week when they travel south to face the Miami Dolphins.

That may not be a bad thing for the Steelers.

Miami is currently 0-2 at home and Pittsburgh 2-0 on the road. Of course, it should be expected that there will be a large contingency of Steelers fans in the stadium Sunday as there are for every road game.

Pittsburgh will look to stop the dual running threat of Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams and put the game in the hands of quarterback Chad Henne.

Henne has had a decent season so far, but has thrown five interceptions his last three games and Pittsburgh will look to add to that total.

Last season, the Steelers cornerbacks made their first interception of the season against the Dolphins.

This will be an important game for the Steelers as they will attempt to remain as one of the top teams in the AFC while knocking a contender back.

Offense – Maintain Balance

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PITTSBURGH - OCTOBER 17: Rashard Mendenhall #34 of the Pittsburgh Steelers tries to get around the tackle of Sheldon Brown #24 of the Cleveland Browns on October 17, 2010 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

The Steelers offense stayed balanced in Ben Roethlisberger’s first week back and they will need to do the same this week.

Pittsburgh should be able to mix things up more on first downs with Roethlisberger feeling more comfortable with the speed of the game and this can really open up the ground game.

Rashard Mendenhall has been carrying a heavy load for the Steelers and he can expect to do so again this week. However, in the heat of Miami, Pittsburgh may look to Isaac Redman to provide relief for Mendenhall.

If the Steelers can keep the ground game going, Roethlisberger should have more opportunities to use the play action pass where Mike Wallace can exploit opposing defensive backs downfield.

Offense – Miller Time

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PITTSBURGH - OCTOBER 17: Heath Miller #83 of the Pittsburgh Steelers catches a pass for a touchdown in front of Sheldon Brown #24 of the Cleveland Browns during the game on October 17, 2010 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jared Wic

After setting tight end receiving records last season, Heath Miller has not been very involved this year.

Roethlisberger found Miller twice last week, including one touchdown, but he needs to become a more integral part of the offense this week.

Miller is a dangerous weapon down the middle of the field and also as a quick outlet when the team is facing a good pass rush.

Miami has 14 sacks this year, including six by Cameron Wake, and the Steelers will want to keep Roethlisberger upright.

Miller can go a long way in helping Pittsburgh achieving that by designing short to intermediate routes to go to him.

Pittsburgh should also be able to find space down the middle of the field with Wallace providing a deep threat on the outside.

It is time to get Miller more than a couple of receptions per game.

Offense – Lean on Ward

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MIAMI - JANUARY 03: Wide receiver Hines Ward #86 of the Pittsburgh Steelers avoids a tackle attempt by Akin Ayodele #51 of the Miami Dolphins at Land Shark Stadium on January 3, 2010 in Miami, Florida. The Steelers defeated the Dolphins 30-24. (Photo by

Every time the offense seems to stall it is almost certain that they have not looked for Hines Ward.

Ward had a good game in Roethlisberger’s return last week, making big plays when the team needed him to step up, including a short touchdown reception which he fought off defenders to dive into the endzone.

While he is not the biggest or fastest receiver in the league he is a crafty veteran who can get open in space and has a nose for the endzone.

The Steelers cannot ignore Ward for a large portion of the game and should look to get him another five to six receptions. He will keep the chains moving and step up to make the big play when needed.

Defense – Chase Chad

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MIAMI - JANUARY 03: Linebacker LaMarr Woodley #56 of the Pittsburgh Steelers tries to get into the backfield around running back Ricky Williams #34 of the Miami Dolphins at Land Shark Stadium on January 3, 2010 in Miami, Florida. The Steelers defeated th

The Dolphins will need Chad Henne to win on Sunday.

Pittsburgh’s defense is at the top of the league at stopping the run and while they will have a challenge in trying to shut down Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams, the chances are that the ground game will be contained.

That leaves Henne against a Steelers pass defense which has shown some signs of weakness over the last couple of weeks.

The defense will have to consistently need to be in the face of Henne and force him into mistakes.

Last week, the Steelers forced rookie Colt McCoy into two interceptions, but they’ll have to play much better against the more experienced Henne.

Henne can be susceptible to interceptions, with five in the past three weeks.

The defense should be extra motivated this week to hit the quarterback considering built up anger with the fine of James Harrison. He will be playing with a chip on his shoulder looking to take out his frustrations.

Defense – Put the Heat On

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PITTSBURGH - OCTOBER 03: James Harrison #92 of the Pittsburgh Steelers looks on during the game against the Baltimore Ravens on October 3, 2010 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

In order to force Henne into mistakes, Pittsburgh’s linebackers will need to apply a lot of pressure.

Harrison will lead the way and will be playing angry this week.

While cheap shots will not be expected, Harrison is going to want to make sure that his opponents feel his hits.

LaMarr Woodley will also look to get back on track after getting back in the sack column last week.

Then there is Lawrence Timmons who won the NFL Defensive Player of the Week last week for his 11 tackle effort against Cleveland.

If these three are flying around the field, Miami’s offense will struggle to be productive.

Defense – Man on Marshall

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MIAMI - SEPTEMBER 26: Receiver Brandon Marshall #19 of the Miami Dolphins shouts during a game against the New York Jets at Sun Life Stadium on September 26, 2010 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Marc Serota/Getty Images)

Though he only has one touchdown and is averaging only 12.6 yards per reception, Brandon Marshall already has 37 receptions and will be a main target for Henne again this week.

Opposing receivers have been able to find cracks in the Steelers pass defense and the productive Marshall will expect to do the same.

Pittsburgh’s defense cannot afford to allow Marshall to have a big game, helping them drive down the field.

If Miami has early success in the air, it can open up the ground game for their two runners.

Shutting down Marshall will be key for a Pittsburgh victory.

Spotlight Player – Offense

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PITTSBURGH - NOVEMBER 15: Heath Miller #83 of the Pittsburgh Steelers runs with the ball against the Cincinnati Bengals during their game at Heinz Field on November 15, 2009 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Bengals defeated the Steelers 18-12. (Photo by

Heath Miller has a favorable matchup against an average Dolphins defense this week.

This could finally be the week he puts up big reception numbers and also finds his way to the endzone again.

With all of the other weapons Pittsburgh has on offense, Miller may also be the forgotten man because of his slow start to the season.

Like Ward, Miller is another go-to guy when the offense needs a boost and he should be an outlet for Roethlisberger.

Spotlight Player – Defense

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PITTSBURGH - DECEMBER 06: James Harrison #92 of the Pittsburgh Steelers looks on during the game against the Oakland Raiders on December 6, 2009 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

James Harrison is coming off another good game and is playing near the level that he was when he was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year.

The aggressive linebacker will have built up frustration after being fined $75,000 for a tackle he made against the Browns.

Coach Mike Tomlin and Harrison both believe that the hit was legal. It was this reason that Harrison was so upset with the fine that he threw out the word “retire.”

Obviously Harrison is not going to retire and rather than sulk, he can use this past week as motivation to have a huge game in Miami.

Game Notes

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MIAMI - JANUARY 03: Head coach Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers watches from the sidelines after the Miami Dolphins pull to within three points in the fourth quarter at Land Shark Stadium on January 3, 2010 in Miami, Florida. The Steelers defeated

• Pittsburgh won at Miami this past January 30-24.
• The Steelers have won their last four games against the Dolphins.
• If the Steelers win, it will be their second 5-1 start in the last three seasons.
• With a reception, Hines Ward will move past Art Monk for consecutive games with a reception.
• Ward can eclipse 500 career points scored with a touchdown.

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