Every game matters in the NFL, but December games carry a different kind of weight. While fans search for last-minute gifts and holiday plans, Mike Tomlin and the Pittsburgh Steelers are hunting for something far more valuable—a playoff berth. On Monday night, they received unexpected help. For that, Steelers fans might want to start addressing a few thank-you cards to Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
This was a must-win matchup for both teams. The stakes were obvious. The stage was primetime. Yet if someone watched the game without context, they might not have realized how much Miami had to gain—or lose—based on the performance of their quarterback. Tagovailoa’s night was difficult to watch, and not because Pittsburgh overwhelmed him with perfection. It was because he never truly found his footing.
To be fair, the Steelers’ defense deserves credit.
They played relentlessly from the opening snap, flying to the football and forcing Miami into uncomfortable situations. But the Dolphins didn’t exactly make things difficult. It started early with a first-quarter interception that set the tone for what became a long, disjointed night for Tagovailoa. From that moment on, he looked unsettled, uncomfortable, and unprepared for the moment.
Under the primetime lights, the issues were magnified.
His timing was off. His confidence appeared shaken. And as the game wore on, it felt like Miami’s offense was shrinking rather than adjusting. Drives stalled before they could develop, and opportunities vanished almost as soon as they appeared. For a team still fighting to stay alive in the AFC picture, it was a stunning collapse at the most important position on the field.
The Pittsburgh Steelers' defense exposed how horrible Tua Tagovailoa has played this season
That reality played directly into Pittsburgh’s hands. Even though the Steelers didn’t dominate immediately, they slowly took control of the game. And that’s the key distinction.
Aaron Rodgers and the offense didn’t burst out of the gate either. They sputtered. They stalled. They left points on the field. But the difference between the two quarterbacks became crystal clear after halftime.
Rodgers, frustrated but composed, entered the locker room with the perspective only experience can provide. The 42-year-old returned with a fresh mindset and delivered when it mattered most, connecting on two second-half touchdown passes that widened the gap on the scoreboard. It wasn’t flawless football, but it was effective—and more importantly, it was steady.
That steadiness is what separated the two teams. Pittsburgh didn’t play perfectly. They faced adversity, endured stalled drives, and battled through their own mistakes. But when the moment demanded leadership, they had it. Miami didn’t.
Tagovailoa finished the night completing 22 of 28 passes for 254 yards (most of which came with the game well in hand) and two garbage-time touchdown passes. Those numbers made Rodgers’ 23 completions for 224 yards and two touchdowns look pristine, even if Steelers fans know it wasn’t. Context matters, and in this case, so does comparison.
So yes, thank you, Tua. Not sarcastically—honestly. Because of his performance, the Steelers are still standing. Still breathing. Still alive to fight another day. And in December football, that’s sometimes all you need.