Lolley’s 10 Thoughts – Miami Dolphins

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — There are continually mastering curves while you`re gambling a rookie quarterback.

The Steelers in some way prevented the pitfalls that go together with that during Ben Roethlisberger’s magical 2004 campaign. And in doing so, Roethlisberger and the Steelers may have spoiled their fans.

Most rookie quarterbacks do not pass thirteen-zero of their starts. They do not lead their group to a 15-1 record. They make mistakes. They throw interceptions.

And so it became right here Sunday night time for Pickett, who universal performed well, finishing 32 of forty four passes for 257 yards and a landing, at the same time as additionally scrambling 3 instances for 20 yards.

But 3 throws. That’s all it takes to smash a night time — in particular while the alternative group takes gain of them. And that is what occurred to Pickett. Miami had 4 byskip defenses on this sport, that means there had been 4 instances in which a Dolphins defender both were given his fingers on a byskip or knocked the ball from the fingers of a Steelers receiver.

Unfortunately for Pickett and the Steelers, now 2-5, 3 of these had been become interceptions in a 16-10 loss.

“There’s a few matters to construct on, however glaringly turnovers, they can not happen,” stated Pickett. “That value us the sport.”

Quarterbacks frequently get an excessive amount of credit score for a group’s fulfillment and an excessive amount of blame for a group’s failures, however on this case, whether or not they be miscommunications, errant throws or simply awful performs, the end result is the same. It’s but some other loss, the Steelers’ 5th in seven video games this season.

Three of these have come with the aid of using a landing or less. One of the others, in opposition to Cleveland, became a one-rating sport till the Browns scored on the sport’s very last play off a turnover with the Steelers looking to manufacture a miracle.

This group is near. But near is not proper sufficient. And in near video games, turnovers are magnified, in particular while come withinside the very last 4 mins deep in opposing territory.

“We’ll investigate this, study from it, and prepare a plan for the subsequent one,” stated Steelers head teach Mike Tomlin.

That will virtually be the case for Pickett and what continues to be a completely younger group offensively.

The Steelers are becoming higher offensively. It may not continually appear that manner — specifically after a sport wherein they rating 10 factors, however two times withinside the ultimate mins of this sport, they were given the ball deep of their very own territory and moved deep into Miami territory, best to be became away with the aid of using the turnovers.

“I sense like we are,” Tomlin stated while requested if his group is growing an offensive identification. “But we failed to make the vital splash performs nowadays to stable victory. But I virtually sense like we are.”

That identification needs to be a sport that does not beat itself. In this case, the Steelers felt like they did that.

“We’ve simply were given to parent it out, be vital and study from that,” stated tight cease Pat Freiermuth.

None might be greater vital of what occurred than Pickett.

“I concept he became exceedingly competitive,” stated Tomlin. “I concept he performed to win. I concept he made a few performs. Unfortunately, he and we failed to make sufficient.”

There’s that word — we. Football is the last group sport. And at the same time as the stat line will say Pickett threw 3 interceptions on this sport, often the ones are hardly ever all at the quarterback. There are greater matters at play.

But Pickett might be hard on himself after this one. He and the education team of workers might be vital searching at it. And he’s going to study.

The largest distinction among the rookie seasons of Pickett and Roethlisberger had been that the latter became gambling with a completely veteran group. Pickett would not have that to fall again on. He and the relaxation of this offense are in large part mastering at the job.

• After 3 Miami possessions, the Dolphins had outgained the Steelers, 165-thirteen. They led thirteen-zero.

And then the Steelers settled in and simply performed football — what have to had been prevailing football, permitting simply 3 factors over the very last 3 quarters.

Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle had six mixed catches for eighty five yards, with Waddle having 3 of these for sixty three yards. The duo completed with eleven mixed catches for a hundred and sixty yards. Considering they got here into this sport averaging a mixed 206 yards consistent with sport, it became a strong effort.

But greater so than that, the shielding backs had been disenchanted at having 4 probabilities for interceptions, with the aid of using Levi Wallace and one every with the aid of using Cam Sutton and Terrell Edmunds, that they didn’t come down with.

“They’ve performed proper in opposition to each group,” stated Wallace, who injured his shoulder past due in the sport on his 2nd dropped interception. “We knew we might need to take their punch. We took it after which went out and performed a wonderful 2nd half. We failed to get sufficient turnovers. That’s on me. I failed to capture the balls that got here to me.”

It’s a shame, due to the fact the protection performed wonderful keeping the Dolphins to simply 3 factors after the primary quarter.

“The protection stood on its head and made vital stops while we wished it,” Freiermuth stated. “As an offense, we can not hold setting the protection in that situation. We need to placed drives collectively and end them.”

• A turnover or might have helped, though.

The Steelers’ common power began out at their very own 22. Five in their eleven significant possessions started out at their very own 18 or worse.

When an offense is suffering at instances to transport the ball — or maintain drives — each little bit matters.

• This offense is near. But it additionally desires to begin setting the ball in the long run zone.

In of the beyond 3 video games, all Pickett starts, the Steelers have now published 341 yards in opposition to the Dolphins and 364 in opposition to the Bills. They’ve scored one landing and thirteen factors in the ones video games, their great yardage outputs of the season.

“We’ve were given to discover a manner to complete off drives,” stated left address Dan Moore. “The protection performed wonderful. They saved getting us the ball again. We’ve simply were given to capitalize.”

You get the sensation with this offense that after it in the end does begin to get it, it will