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Steelers vs. Dolphins, Week 8: Knee-Jerk Reactions to the Steelers’ ugly 27-14 win over the Dolphins

One BTSC writer shares his real-time, initial thoughts of the Steelers home clash with the winless Dolphins.

NFL: Miami Dolphins at Pittsburgh Steelers Philip G. Pavely-USA TODAY Sports

Here we go! The Steelers had a pretty rough start to the the season by going 1-4, but a win in Los Angeles gave Steeler Nation a whole lot of hope that they can rebound and make a run. Miami is awful, but they have pride and are playing with house money. The Steelers can’t afford to look past this team. So again, this is really a must win. Let’s see if they can beat a team that they are supposed to.

Nonetheless, a simple reminder, a knee jerk reaction is an immediate and unthinking, emotional reaction. It’s basically shooting first and apologizing later. I can safely say that’s a true definition of your’s truly and a good lot of Steeler Nation. Here’s my real-time reactions during the Steelers’ quest for 3-4.


Quarter 1

  • Crowd seems fired up. They really need to put on a show for them tonight.
  • I love when they come out in the all black. Sleekness personified.
  • Is it me or does the whole ESPN presentation of Monday Night Football seem like cable access compared to NBC or MNF of the 80s and 90s?
  • Miami looks depleted. Maybe because they are.
  • Good first series. Cam with the hurry on the man with the hobo beard.
  • Mason needs to get going quickly.
  • He doesn’t seem to be too antsy due to the concussion.
  • That was ugly. McFarland made excuses that Pouncey was driven back into Rudolph, but that was an irresponsible throw.
  • Maybe the defense can hold.
  • No. No they can not.
  • Just like that, the Steelers are losing to Miami. Ugggggh!
  • Vintage Switzer on the non-return.
  • Great to see Rosie Nix back.
  • And he helped open the hole for that huge run by JC for 25.
  • Conner was lucky to not get a face mask on that stiff arm.
Miami Dolphins v Pittsburgh Steelers Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images
  • Mason doesn’t look right at all
  • Steelers got lucky with the illegal hands to the face. They would have been punting.
  • Nice effort by Snell. Gonna get negated though.
  • I don’t care if they got bailed out there by an out of bounds, Washington needs to catch that football. I know it wasn’t, but that’s like a pick in my book. The intent was there.
  • Washington with another drop. Time may be running out on No. 13.
  • Turnover on downs.
  • Big sack by Bud.
  • Can’t let them convert a third down. C’mon.
  • Excellent coverage by Steven Nelson.
  • Mark Barron just pushed Allen Hurns in the end zone.
  • 14-0 Phins. Whoa!
  • This is crazy.
  • Mason better do something here.
  • Great combat run for Conner.
  • JC is going to need to take over
  • End of one. Down by 14. Gotta be kidding me.

Quarter 2

  • Xavien Howard is pretty good.
  • I love them going deep. Just isn’t working.
  • I can’t believe Mason completed that ball to Conner.
  • Liking me some Bennie Snell Football.
  • Gotta convert this third down and extend this drive.
  • Feiler got beat and Mason held the ball way too long.
  • This is bad.
  • Fitzpatrick is tearing this team up.
  • Preston Williams is victimizing Joe Haden.
  • Hilton was interfered with. Could’ve been a pick-six.
  • I thought Hilton was offsides on that blitz. Wasn’t though.
  • Good stop.
  • Mason deep in his own end is scary,
  • That third-down pickup by Mason to DJ was huge.
  • Gotta do something with it.
  • Conner is really running well and getting holes too.
  • That was a big time throw to JuJu. 34 yards!
  • Johnson fell down there. That wasn’t on Mason. That’s a shame.
  • Well, at least the got points.
  • Cam Heyward has really stepped up and is having a nice night.
  • Dammit. T.J. with the bad timing for a neutral zone infraction.
  • Defense has to help out if there’s any hope.
  • Minkah! Timely pick.
  • As bad as he looks at times, he makes big throws on third down at times.
  • Big grab by JuJu.
  • Huge catch by Deonte Johnson. That was beautiful.
  • What? That doesn’t look like an offensive pass interference.
  • They aren’t going to reverse it. They should though.
  • This is tough to watch.
  • Just get in long FG range.
  • Holy Shiznit!!!!! What a play!!!!!
  • Diontae Johnson...that was amazing.
  • Rudolph with good vision to find DJ, a great block by JWash and great RAC from No. 18 all made that third-and-20 TD happen.
NFL: Miami Dolphins at Pittsburgh Steelers Philip G. Pavely-USA TODAY Sports

Quarter 3

  • The Steelers can really get the game back on this drive.
  • Conner needs to follow Rosie’s block.
  • I like the pass play to Vannett.
  • 17 for Conner. This is absolutely what we’ve been looking for.
  • BSF is battling for yards.
  • That was a goofy throw from Rudy.
  • Ramon Foster in concussion tent. That not good.
  • Mason needed to convert there. He’s throwing off of his back foot.
  • Boswell misses a 54-yarder. It was a low probability kick.
  • Nelson with honorable coverage on the deep ball.
  • TJW90 with some major league pressure there.
  • Huge third down.
  • Vinny Williams with a major disruption on Minkah’s second pick.
  • What an athletic grab for the centerfielder. Fitz giving Fitz fits.
  • Mason, deep in his own end, is not afraid.
  • That was a big conversion for MR to JJSS.
  • Dammit Vanimal. Can’t do that stuff.
  • Almost picked again.
  • JWash with the big first down. Was afraid he was gonna get pick-pocketed.
  • Love the way No. 30 is running tonight.
  • Don’t slide James.
  • Snell is running hard.
  • DJ is becoming clutch.
  • Wow! That was a beautiful and difficult TD catch for the Juje.
NFL: Miami Dolphins at Pittsburgh Steelers Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
  • End of three. 17-14...Steelers.

Quarter 4

  • Don’t think Tomlin is going to win this challenge, but I believe in it.
  • Steelers won their first regular or postseason challenge since the beginning of 2017.
  • This is technically in the third quarter, but I don’t care.
  • I love Deonte Johnson.
  • This is pretty vintage running from the Steelers.
  • Don’t like the BSJ knee injury. Not good.
  • Really need a TD here.
  • That’s PI. Good call.
  • Now make them pay.
  • That was some crazy trickery.
  • JuJu is a fighter.
  • No excuse for a delay of game.
  • Thats a true score. Conner running really well.
  • Defense needs to close it out.
  • Third and 13, and they convert. Not good.
  • Yesssss! Mike Hilton forced a big fumble and an aware Steven Nelson jumped on it.
  • Let’s run out this game.
  • Conner looks like Fitzpatrick. That’s a divot John Madden would have loved.
  • DJ was wide open. Can’t overthrow him like that.
  • Overthrew Washington too.
  • Defense needs to close it out.
  • Sack, fumble and recovery all by T.J. That was huge.
  • Boz comes up big. This game could be over. 27-14.
  • Big fourth down sack by Heyward.
  • Not a pretty win. But still a big win.

Once again, I just shot first and I’ll apologize later. All reactions were in real time. Basically, it is the equivalent of watching me do the highlights if I hadn’t been blacklisted by the major networks. Now time to watch it again and see what really happened. Make sure you get your voice heard in the comments below.