Why Gennaro picked the Steelers: A couple months ago, Mike McDaniel felt like a dead coach walking. But the Dolphins never stopped playing for him and now they suddenly boast a four-game winning streak. A week ago, Mike Tomlin fielded questions about Steelers fans calling for his firing. But Pittsburgh went to Baltimore and upset the rival Ravens, reclaiming sole possession of first place in the AFC North. Both coaches seemingly turned down the heat on their respective seats, but how will their squads respond to the cold freeze hitting Pittsburgh? The forecast calls for chilly weather — well below freezing — on Monday night. Naturally, this raises serious concerns about the visiting team from Miami, with the good folks at NFL Research supplying this juicy nugget: Tua Tagovailoa is 0-5 in his NFL career (postseason included) with a kickoff temperature below 40 degrees. To be fair, Miami’s hot streak hasn’t really relied on Tua’s play, as McDaniel has the ground game cooking. Since Week 10, the Dolphins lead the league with an average of 192.3 rushing yards per game. In related news, Pittsburgh has given up 466 rushing yards over the past two weeks. There’s a clear path to victory here for Miami, and it goes by the name of De’Von Achane. The explosive back has truly arrived as a star in Year 3, ranking third in total rushing yards (1,126) and first in yards per carry (5.8). So, what’s stopping me from picking the Fins? Well, I nearly did. But Achane left last Sunday’s blowout win over the Jets with a rib injury, and although he’s apparently highly motivated to suit up against Pittsburgh, he’s practicing on a limited basis at publishing. The Steelers aren’t without their own health concerns, though, as the team announced on Thursday that T.J. Watt was hospitalized for a lung issue, putting his status for this contest in question. On the plus side, Pittsburgh’s fresh off its best passing performance of the season, and Miami remains suspect in air defense. In what feels like a coin-flip game, give me the home team that’s far more familiar with the concept of winter.
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