Stewart and the Steelers looking to 'Slash' Miami
Pro Player Stadium, Miami, Fla.,
Sunday, Sept. 20
As published in print Sept. 14
AT A GLANCE: The Steelers roll into Miami to face the Dolphins in a
battle of AFC unbeatens. Pay attention to the battle of wits between the Dolphins’
Jimmy Johnson and the Steelers’ Bill Cowher, two of the NFL’s best head coaches.
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It might be a little early to start talking playoffs,
but this Sunday’s game between the Steelers and Dolphins could prove to be an
important one with regard to playoff seeds in the AFC postseason. Both teams enter the
game with 2-0 records, and both appear to have enough offensive and defensive firepower to
be considered dangerous in the postseason.
The Steelers, coming off a 17-12 win over the Bears in Pittsburgh, have
yet to hit their stride despite their perfect record. The team is still adjusting to life
without WR Yancey Thigpen and OT John Jackson, talented players who signed with other
teams during the offseason.
The Dolphins, fresh from a 13-7 home win over the Bills, hope they are
finally starting to play up to the high standards set by their head coach, Jimmy Johnson.
The J.J. era may have gotten off to a slow start in Miami, but it’s starting to look
as if Johnson has built the sort of team that can make his system work.
Johnson certainly won’t be the only accomplished head coach
roaming the sidelines on Sunday. His counterpart, Bill Cowher, has led the Steelers to the
playoffs in each of his first six seasons in Pittsburgh. The chess match between Johnson
and Cowher is a prime reason this has the look of a four-star game.
WHEN THE STEELERS HAVE THE BALL:
Steeler QB Kordell Stewart is searching for his first big game of the
season. Stewart hasn’t been bad this season, but it’s safe to say he hasn’t
been playing up to his potential. Stewart may be having trouble adjusting to life without
Thigpen, a remarkably dependable receiver who helped make Stewart’s 1997 season such
an impressive one. |
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Steeler WR’s Charles Johnson and Courtney Hawkins have had
difficulty getting separation from defenders. They’ll be facing small-but-quick
Dolphin CB’s Terrell Buckley and Sam Madison. The Miami secondary will be without SS
Shawn Wooden, who injured knee ligaments last week. Wooden will be replaced by Calvin
Jackson, a capable backup.
Stewart’s considerable mobility will be an asset vs. a Dolphin
pass rush that has been ferocious this season. The Dolphins sacked Bill QB Rob Johnson
eight times last week, and DE’s Jason Taylor, Trace Armstrong and Lorenzo Bromell had
two sacks apiece. Steeler OLT Will Wolford, who has moved outside from guard, will be
tested by the lightning-quick Taylor. The Steelers should also be wary of Bromell, a
talented rookie who is being used as a pass-rush specialist.
After struggling vs. the Ravens in Week One, the Steeler running game
came to life vs. the Bears last week, when RB Jerome Bettis ran for 131 yards and a
touchdown. Dolphin MLB Zach Thomas is a first-rate run defender, but he’ll have to
contend with the Steelers’ All-Pro center, Dermontti Dawson.
WHEN THE DOLPHINS HAVE THE BALL:
The Dolphins’ fortunes are tied to their running game, which has
shown signs of improvement. RB Karim Abdul-Jabbar is a sturdy runner with a knack for
finding the endzone, and rookie RB John Avery is an undersized speedster capable of
breaking some long runs.
The Steeler defense hasn’t been as dominant vs. the run as it was
last year, when it led the league in rushing yards allowed, but remains capable of
shutting down an opponent’s ground attack.
Steeler NT Joel Steed, whose ability to occupy blockers frees up the
Pittsburgh linebackers, will provide quite a challenge for Dolphin C Tim Ruddy, the unsung
hero of the Miami offensive line. For the Dolphin running game to work, Ruddy and
OG’s Kevin Donnalley and Mark Dixon must neutralize ILB’s Levon Kirkland and
Earl Holmes — no easy feat.
Dolphin QB Dan Marino has looked sharp this season, and his offensive
line has done a good job of protecting him. The Steelers’ zone-blitz defense has made
a lot of quarterbacks look bad over the years, but Marino’s experience and quick
release give him an advantage few quarterbacks have. Dolphin ORT James Brown had better be
sharp, or else Steeler LOLB Jason Gildon will be in Marino’s face.
Dolphin WR’s O.J. McDuffie and Oronde Gadsden will face Steeler
CB’s Carnell Lake and Dewayne Washington. Lake is a proven blue-chip player, but
Washington has been known to give up some big plays.
Game preview and depth charts were compiled as of Sept. 13 |
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Steeler Depth Chart
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Offense
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| SE |
88 HAWKINS, 89 Blackwell, 83
Coleman |
| OLT |
77 WOLFORD, 78 Conrad* |
| OLG |
62 DUFFY, 65 Faneca* |
| C |
63 DAWSON, 66 Sweeney |
| ORG |
68 STAI, 65 Faneca |
| ORT |
73 STRZELCZYK, 67 Stephens |
| TE |
87 BRUENER, 85 Lyons, 84 Bishop |
| FL |
81 C. JOHNSON, 86 Ward*, 80
Arnold |
| QB |
10 STEWART, 18 Tomczak, 7
Gonzalez* |
| HB |
36 BETTIS, 33 Huntley, 45
Fuamatu- Ma’afala*, 25 McAfee |
| FB |
38 WITMAN, 33 Huntley, 35 King* |
Defense
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| DLE |
74 HARRISON, 97 Manuel, 94 Staat* |
| NT |
93 STEED, 98 Gibson |
| DRE |
76 HENRY, 71 Roye |
| LOLB |
92 GILDON, 96 Vrabel |
| LILB |
99 KIRKLAND, 57 Fiala |
| RILB |
50 HOLMES, 54 D. Jones |
| ROLB |
51 EMMONS, 96 Vrabel |
| LCB |
37 LAKE, 26 Townsend* |
| RCB |
20 WASHINGTON, 23 Simmons*, 29 Brown |
| SS |
41 FLOWERS, 21 Orlando |
| FS |
39 PERRY, 24 Oldham |
Specialists
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| P |
4 MILLER |
| K |
9 N. JOHNSON |
| H |
18 TOMCZAK |
| PR |
83 COLEMAN, 89 Blackwell, 80 Arnold |
| KOR |
89 BLACKWELL, 33 Huntley |
| KC |
60 RODENHAUSER, 62 Duffy |
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* Rookie |
Back to Handicapper's Corner |
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Dolphin Depth
Chart
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Offense
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| WR |
86 GADSDEN, 88 Jordan, 80 Dar Dar |
| OLT |
78 WEBB, 77 Buckey |
| OLG |
63 DIXON, 74 Smith |
| C |
61 RUDDY, 60 Bock |
| ORG |
65 DONNALLEY, 74 Smith |
| ORT |
76 BROWN, 68 Sheldon |
| TE |
84 DRAYTON, 89 Perry, 82 Wainright |
| WR |
81 McDUFFIE, 85 L. Thomas, 19 Jacquet |
| QB |
13 MARINO, 11 Huard, 7 Erickson |
| RB |
33 ABDUL-JABBAR, 20 Avery*, 30 Parmalee |
| FB |
36 PRITCHETT, 30 Parmalee |
Defense
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| DLE |
79 MIXON*, 93 Armstrong |
| DLT |
95 BOWENS, 72 Tanner |
| DRT |
92 GARDENER, 75 Burton |
| DRE |
99 TAYLOR, 96 Stubbs, 91 Bromell* |
| WLB |
59 RODGERS, 53 Izzo |
| MLB |
54 Z. THOMAS, 50 Hollier |
| SLB |
52 JONES, 51 Harris, 57 Brigance |
| LCB |
27 BUCKLEY, 23 Surtain* |
| RCB |
29 MADISON, 24 Wilson, 37 Ball |
| SS |
38 JACKSON, 22 Wooden |
| FS |
31 MARION, 45 Walker |
Specialists
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| P |
8 WILMSMEYER |
| K |
10 MARE |
| H |
8 WILMSMEYER |
| PR |
88 JORDAN, 27 Buckley, 81 McDuffie |
| KOR |
20 AVERY*, 31 Marion, 88 Jordan |
| KC |
82 WAINRIGHT, 89 Perry |
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* Rookie |
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