The Miami Dolphins aren’t quite out of the woods yet-but they’re fighting like a team that refuses to let the season slip away. After a brutal 2-7 start, Miami has strung together four straight wins to climb back to 6-7, keeping their postseason hopes alive-if only just. Every game from here on out feels like an elimination bout, and that was certainly the case in their latest matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Pittsburgh, for their part, continues to hold firm atop the AFC North, even as the division itself struggles to find consistency. At 7-6, the Steelers lead a tightly packed race that hasn’t exactly been a showcase of dominance. But standings are standings, and right now, Mike Tomlin’s squad controls its own destiny.
Even if the Steelers were to stumble and fall to 7-7, they’d still have the upper hand over the Baltimore Ravens thanks to last week’s head-to-head win. That tiebreaker could loom large down the stretch.
And a big reason Pittsburgh secured that crucial victory? DK Metcalf.
Metcalf delivered his most explosive performance since arriving in Pittsburgh, hauling in seven catches for 148 yards. It wasn’t just a good game-it was a statement. The kind of outing that reminds you what a physical mismatch he can be when he’s locked in and the game plan leans into his strengths.
For the Dolphins, the margin for error is razor-thin. But with momentum building and the defense tightening up, this team is starting to look more like the gritty, opportunistic group we expected earlier in the year. The road to the playoffs is still steep, but they’ve given themselves a chance-and in December, that’s all you can ask for.
Meanwhile, the Steelers might not be blowing teams out, but they’re finding ways to win. And in a division where no one’s running away with it, that resilience could be the difference between hosting a playoff game and watching from home.