Losers:
First-half Mason Rudolph
Fans were calling for Duck Hodges on Twitter after an awful start by Mason Rudolph. He started the game 2 of 8 passing for 23 yards and an interception. Rudolph almost threw another pick on the sideline intended for James Washington, and he nearly fumbled the ball away to Miami. It was a very rough start for the second-year quarterback coming out of the bye.
James Washington
Washington had a nice 21-yard catch and a violent block on Diontae Johnson’s 45-yard touchdown before the half, but he was otherwise inefficient in this contest – catching just 1 of 6 targets. Washington shows flashes but he needs to be a more reliable option for his quarterback.
Maurkice Pouncey
I’m nitpicking a bit here because Pouncey wasn’t terrible in this contest. However, he did have a big penalty, and he gave up the pressure that resulted in Mason Rudolph’s first-quarter interception.
Devin Bush
After playing some of his best football as a rookie against the Chargers and Ravens before the bye, Devin Bush had a pretty quiet performance against Miami. It’s unfair to expect him to create a turnover every game, but he missed a few tackles and didn’t seem to have a very big impact on defense on Monday night.
The Steelers still have some work to do, and they face back-to-back difficult opponents in the Colts and Rams over the next two weeks. Let’s hope they ride this momentum into the second half of the season.