Miami Dolphins vs Pittsburgh Steelers Match Player Stats: Full Game Breakdown (December 15, 2025)
Miami Dolphins vs Pittsburgh Steelers Match Player Stats
| Stat | PIT | MIA |
|---|---|---|
| Total yards | 336 | 285 |
| Rushing yards | 135 | 63 |
| Passing yards | 224 | 253 |
| First downs | 22 | 16 |
| 3rd down efficiency | – | – |
| Turnovers | 0 | 1 |
| Avg yards/play | 5.4 | 5.9 |
| Penalties | 4 (25 yds) | 6 (31 yds) |
| Possession time | 33:33 | 26:27 |
The Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Miami Dolphins 28–15 on December 15, 2025, in a Monday Night Football matchup at Acrisure Stadium. The game told its story in quarters: a dominant Steelers surge across Q2 and Q3 that built an insurmountable 28–3 lead, followed by a late and futile Miami rally that couldn’t claw back the deficit.
Here is the complete breakdown of miami dolphins vs pittsburgh steelers match player stats, sourced from verified NFL data.
The Game in One Sentence
Pittsburgh controlled the line of scrimmage, ran the ball with purpose, and got two passing touchdowns from Aaron Rodgers, while Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa threw for 253 yards but was undone by a costly interception and a total absence of a running game.
Quarterback Duel: Rodgers vs. Tagovailoa
This is where the pittsburgh steelers vs miami dolphins stats diverge most sharply in quality, not just quantity.
Aaron Rodgers (PIT): Completed 23 of 27 passes (85.2% completion rate) for 224 yards, 2 touchdowns, 0 interceptions, and a passer rating of 125.9. He was sacked 3 times but consistently moved the chains on short and intermediate routes. His performance was methodical and near-error-free.
Tua Tagovailoa (MIA): Completed 22 of 28 passes (78.6%) for 253 yards and 2 touchdowns, but threw 1 interception and was sacked 4 times for 31 lost yards. Despite putting up bigger raw passing numbers, the lone turnover proved decisive.
Tua’s 2 late touchdown passes to Darren Waller (6 yards in Q4, then 13 yards with 2:38 remaining) came with both 2-point conversion attempts failing, leaving Miami unable to close the gap.
Running Game: The True Difference-Maker
When you look at the miami dolphins vs pittsburgh steelers stats side by side, the rushing disparity stands out as the game’s defining factor.
Pittsburgh ran the ball 32 times for 135 yards, averaging 4.2 yards per carry with 2 rushing touchdowns. Cameron Heyward punched in a 1-yard score at the end of Q2 to give the Steelers their first lead, and Jaylen Smith broke loose for a 14-yard touchdown run in the Q4 to effectively seal the game.
Miami, by contrast, ran just 16 times for 63 yards at a 3.9-yard average and scored zero rushing touchdowns. The Dolphins registered zero red-zone rushing attempts — a stat that tells you exactly why Miami never converted momentum into points in the first three quarters.
Pittsburgh also broke 8 tackles on the ground to Miami’s 1, and posted 82 yards after contact versus just 29 for Miami, showing superior physicality from the Steelers’ running backs.
Receiving Leaders
Pittsburgh’s passing attack succeeded through explosive single plays. DK Metcalf hauled in a 28-yard touchdown reception in Q3, and Marquez Valdes-Scantling caught a 19-yard touchdown earlier in the same quarter — two scores in a span of about 6 minutes that turned a 7–3 game into a 21–3 rout.
For Miami, Darren Waller was the receiving story. Despite the team trailing by 25 points in the fourth quarter, Waller caught two touchdown passes from Tagovailoa to at least make the final score respectable. Total receiving yards on the MIA side reached 253 yards, with 135 yards after the catch — suggesting short-to-intermediate routes against a Pittsburgh defense that had already locked in its lead.
Defensive Breakdown
Pittsburgh’s defense was the sharper unit where it counted most: in disruption plays.
The Steelers defense recorded 4 sacks, 1 interception, 7 tackles for loss, and 7 QB hurries while forcing 4 Miami three-and-outs. The interception of Tagovailoa was the defining play of the game — it extinguished a Miami drive and kept the Dolphins from getting back into it early.
Miami’s defense actually put up solid counting stats — 38 solo tackles, 3 sacks, 2 passes defended, and 4 three-and-outs forced — but missed a problematic 15 tackles compared to Pittsburgh’s 7. Those missed tackles contributed to Pittsburgh’s ability to convert on critical third downs and maintain long, clock-eating drives.
Possession and Game Flow
Pittsburgh controlled the ball for 33 minutes and 33 seconds to Miami’s 26:27. That 7-minute differential, combined with Pittsburgh running 62 plays to Miami’s 48, reflects a Steelers offense that continuously moved chains and kept Tua and the Miami offense off the field.
The scoreboard by quarter tells the real story:
- Q1: 0–0 (both defenses holding)
- Q2: PIT 7 – MIA 3 (Heyward TD, Patterson FG)
- Q3: PIT 14 – MIA 0 (Rodgers throws two TD passes; Miami blanked)
- Q4: PIT 7 – MIA 12 (garbage-time comeback attempt)
Miami failed to score a single point in Q3. All 12 of their fourth-quarter points came after the game’s outcome was already decided.
Key Stat That Defined the Game
Turnovers: PIT 0 — MIA 1
The Dolphins’ one interception in a game where Pittsburgh needed zero turnovers to win is the single number that encapsulates everything. Pittsburgh also had 0 fumbles. Miami’s lone interception wasn’t the only problem — it was a symptom of a broader pattern: undisciplined ball security, 4 sacks taken, 6 penalties, and two failed 2-point conversions. Pittsburgh played a cleaner game in every measurable way.
FAQs: Miami Dolphins vs Pittsburgh Steelers Stats
Q: What was the final score of the Dolphins vs Steelers game in December 2025?
The Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Miami Dolphins 28–15 on December 15, 2025, at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh.
Q: How did Aaron Rodgers perform against the Dolphins?
Rodgers was outstanding: 23/27 completions, 224 yards, 2 touchdowns, 0 interceptions, and a 125.9 passer rating. He also took 3 sacks but was otherwise decisive and accurate throughout.
Q: How many yards did Tua Tagovailoa throw for against Pittsburgh?
Tagovailoa completed 22 of 28 passes for 253 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception. His passer rating was 113.2. Despite strong passing numbers, the lone pick and 4 sacks cost Miami significantly.
Q: Which Miami Dolphins players scored touchdowns?
Darren Waller caught both Miami touchdown passes — a 6-yard reception in Q4 and a 13-yard reception late in Q4 — both from Tua Tagovailoa. Both 2-point conversion attempts after those scores failed.
Q: How many sacks did Pittsburgh get against Miami?
The Steelers sacked Tagovailoa 4 times for 31 yards lost, while Miami’s defense sacked Rodgers 3 times for 23 yards.
Q: What was Pittsburgh’s rushing performance?
Pittsburgh ran for 135 yards on 32 carries with 2 rushing touchdowns, averaging 4.2 yards per attempt. Cameron Heyward and Jaylen Smith scored the two rushing TDs.
Q: Did Miami have a chance to win this game?
The Dolphins led 3–0 after a Patterson field goal, but never led again. Pittsburgh’s 21 unanswered points across Q2 and Q3 made it effectively over. Miami’s late rally was too little, too late.
Q: Which Steelers receiver had the biggest game?
DK Metcalf caught a 28-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter — the longest scoring play of the game. Marquez Valdes-Scantling also scored on a 19-yarder in the same quarter.
Final Verdict
The Pittsburgh Steelers vs Miami Dolphins stats from December 15, 2025 paint the picture of a game Pittsburgh controlled for 50 of 60 minutes. The Steelers were the superior team across every meaningful category: ball security, time of possession, red-zone efficiency, and defensive disruption.
Pittsburgh’s win was built on Aaron Rodgers’ accuracy (85.2% completions), a dominant rushing attack that produced 135 yards and 2 ground scores, and a defense that forced a critical interception at the right moment. The Steelers’ zero turnovers versus Miami’s one was ultimately the cleanest summary of the game.
For the Dolphins, the lesson is familiar: Tua can throw for 250 yards and still lose decisively when the running game doesn’t show up, the offensive line gives up 4 sacks, and the defense misses 15 tackles. Miami needed a complete performance and delivered half of one.
Winner: Pittsburgh Steelers, 28–15. Decisively.
