Steelers-Dolphins Breakdown

Alllllllrighty then.....

So here we are, in the wake of Harrisongate it's easy to forget there is a game to play today. This all went down while I was moving, so I missed the chance to do a Neil style balls out rant, but here's the condensed version: the NFL has seemingly just now figured out that playing a game that sometimes causes you to take a hard shot to the dome can scramble your brain for later in life. Since the NFL has apparently decided that hitting anyone with the ball is grounds for a fine (but not necessarily a penalty), it should make for an interesting game. Of course all the talk of tackling fundamentals is bullshit, no one watches the game to see a proper wrap-up tackle. People watch football to see fools get lit the fuck up. Hell, when you see a WR break to the middle of the field, there's that part in every fan that goes "oh man, he's about to get knocked the fuck out" and to be honest you get a little disappointed if it doesn't happen.

See, there I go again, forgetting there's a game to play today. Then again, the Dolphins are probably the most forgettable team in the NFL. They haven't really been relevant much since Dan Marino retired, and they've spent most of the last few years battling Buffalo for last place in the division. After hitting rock bottom with a 1-15 season, they have actually been improving as of late. Chad Henne seems to be at least a serviceable QB, and they are primary responsible for the resurgance of the Wildcat formation in the NFL. I can only surmise one of the coaches went to a pee wee football game and saw the ball being snapped directly to a RB, and a cartoon-like light bulb went off over his head.

However all well and good that might be, they're playing the Steelers today. Not only that, their main defensive standout is pissed off over being fined. Harrison's a miserable bastard on a good day, today may end with him gnawing Chad Henne's femur at midfield. The Miami offense most likely would have had problems with the Steelers D anyway, but now it's going to be like going to the zoo and agitating the gorillas. They may look like they're just sitting there quietly, but they're plotting how to pull your stupid ass into their world and go to town on you.

It's possible that Miami might take advantage of all the controversy and sneak up on the Steelers, but even a distracted team shouldn't have too many problems here. The Dolphins just don't have enough to win, I say. An average QB, one breakout WR, and a gimmick run game everyone has figured out aren't going to cut it this week.

28-14 Steelers, and I'm only making it that close since I think Miami will probably get a garbage TD at the end of the game.