We should have 5 different starters from that first game on D. Harrison, Dupree, Shazier all in the front 7 and hargrave has gotten better since then
You shouldn't be worried about the Steelers run defense. Our D will spend all week focusing on that and that alone. Tuitt is playing and that's huge. I do think we'll be more vulnerable to the pass because of the emphasis on stopping Ajayi. If the Dolphins are smart, they will come out throwing. You don't win playoffs games by thinking you can just line up and run the ball down your opponent's throat (when the opponent is geared to stop that).
When we had a healthy Tuitt and Heyward, how did we do vs the run the last time? J. Ajayi had 204 YDS 2 TDs. You should be a little worried. Now they have game tape, and we have a thinner DL.
We are underpowered vs their OL and rushing attack. But they will need to throw some to score points.
My fear is it's going to be cold and snowy and that will play right into the Dolphins strengths. Yes, a Miami team is probably better in snowy cold weather. With Ajaiya he played at Boise, is a down hill runner, and if the conditions get bad he will be even harder to bring down. I am glad we have Bell and Ben because Bell is used to the crap playing at Michigan State and Ben grew up playing in this stuff.
With our entire defense loaded up to stop Ajayi (and more or less dare Matt Moore to beat us), the Dolphins are not going to be able to just line up and run the ball downhill on us. Won't happen.
We're not the best team in the world when favored by 8+ points....
History shows that under Tomlin.
This coming Sunday it will be former Steeler Kraig Urbik (remember him?).