Pittsburgh Steelers – Miami Dolphins
The Pittsburgh Steelers and the Miami Dolphins are two of the more storied franchises in the NFL, and it’s fitting that their rivalry is a close one. Since 1971, these two sides have matched up 28 times, with Pittsburgh leading the series 15-13.
These sides have also met four times in the playoffs, which is no surprise considering they’re both responsible for two of the better dynasties in NFL history. The playoff games are split 2-2, and let’s begin our look at this rivalry there.
Playoff parity
In the second ever meeting between these two teams, the stage was the 1972 AFC Championship game. Talk about high pressure. It was the Dolphins who came out on top, besting the Steelers 21-17 on their way to the first, and so far, only (sorry, New England) unbeaten season in the Super Bowl era. The Dolphins would repeat as Super Bowl champs the next season as well.
In 1979, the Steelers returned the favour, winning 34-14 in the AFC divisional playoff game. This legendary Pittsburgh team, featuring the likes of Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris, John Stallworth and THAT defense, would go on to win the Super Bowl that year, becoming the first team to win the whole thing, four times.
In 1985, it was another AFC Championship encounter, and sticking with the ‘let’s alternate wins’ vibe, it was Miami who came out on top, winning 45-28. Dan Marino threw for over 400 yards (side note, he was born in Pittsburgh), in only his second year in the league. The Dolphins came up short in Super Bowl XIX, losing to the San Francisco 49ers, and Joe Montana. This would remain Marino’s only Super Bowl appearance.
Lastly, in 2017, the AFC wildcard game was the stage, and it was Pittsburgh who put a beatdown on the Dolphins, winning 30-12, behind 2 touchdowns and 124 yards from Antonio Brown. The Steelers went on to beat the Kansas City Chiefs in the divisional round, before losing to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship game.
Snow Joke
These two sides have been involved in some epic clashes throughout the years, and their matchup in 2013 also lived up to expectations. Playing in snowy conditions, Miami eked out a win on the road, 34-28. The game is remembered for the famous last play, where Pittsburgh, facing a 4th down at their own 26, went lateral crazy, eventually finding Antonio Brown, who ran in for a 74-yard touchdown.
Replays showed that Brown had stepped out of bounds on the 11-yard line, negating what would have been one of the best finishes to a game in NFL history. Additional note, this game marked the last time legendary Steeler, Troy Polamalu, would return an interception for a touchdown.
What catches our eye
You have to go back to 2007 for the last time these two sides met, and less than 40 points were scored. A simple bet on the over could be the move, especially with the upcoming game being played in the warmer Florida climate. Come to think of it, after the 2022 10:16 Dolphins win and under.. Well, we still stick with OVER! :)