Things to watch for: Dolphins at Steelers on Monday night

MIAMI GARDENS — The previously new-school Miami Dolphins are now winning in an old-school fashion — with the run game and defense. That’s a big departure from the big-play passing offense of recent years.

Ideally, the Dolphins (6-7) will keep it going when they visit Pittsburgh (7-6) on Monday night.

This is good, clean football. Coach Mike McDaniel and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa have traded in their splashy analytics and highlight reel throws for strong offensive line play, favorable turnover margin and few penalties.

Here are five things to look for in the game:

Run-first offense

Miami’s run-first offense is leading to victories. In the 2023-24 seasons the Dolphins were 8-11 (.421) when rushing for 100 or more yards. This season they’re 6-2 (.750). The difference is because the Dolphins were running as a change of pace in the 2023-24 seasons. This season they’re running, well, firstly, because wide receiver Tyreek Hill (knee) is out for the season.

But secondly because they now recognize a run-first philosophy fits their talent on the offensive line and in the backfield, and as a result it allows for more play-calling creativity, which makes the run game harder for a defense to stop. Running back De’Von Achane (1,126 yards rushing) is No. 3 in the league. Last Sunday against the New York Jets, backup running back Jaylen Wright had a career-best 107 yards rushing. Let’s see if the Dolphins’ success continues against a Pittsburgh defense (125.3 yards allowed per game/21st in NFL) that’s not regarded as a good run stopping crew.

Scoring defense thriving

Points allowed is the category that defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver values most. He’s a happy man right now. The Dolphins, who are tied for 15th in the league at 22.8 points allowed per game, haven’t allowed more than 17 points in a game during their four-game winning streak.

Also, they’ve only allowed more than 17 points once during this stretch of winning five of six games, and that was in their 28-6 loss to Baltimore. Pittsburgh is tied for 15th in the league in points scored at 23.7 ppg. The Steelers are 2-2 in their past four games but they’ve scored at least 27 points in three of those games. The Dolphins must be sharp defensively.

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Playing with the lead

Everyone knows it’s better to play with a lead than to play from behind. It’s fairly extreme in Miami’s past six games. The Dolphins, who have won five of their past six games, have scored first in all six games of this stretch. The Dolphins never trailed in four games — Atlanta, Buffalo, New Orleans and the New York Jets. That’s allowed them to stick to the running game and dictate the pace defensively. The Dolphins will try to do that against Pittsburgh.

Penalties/TO margin

The Dolphins have been good in penalties and turnover margin, the category McDaniel regards as the best indicator of wins and losses, during this six-game stretch. They’ve had fewer penalty yards than their opponents in each of the past six games with their worst showing being last Sunday’s five penalties for 54 yards against the Jets. For the season the Dolphins are tied for seventh-best in the league penalties (75) and No. 11 in fewest penalty yards (631).

Regarding turnover margin, the Dolphins are minus-1 for the season, which is tied for 16th in the league. The Dolphins’ 10 fumbles recovered is second in the league. By the way, Pittsburgh is No. 1 in the league with 12 fumbles recovered. And the Steelers are plus-9 in turnover margin, tied for No. 4 in the league.

Special teams

Special teams have been shaky all season, and especially so recently. Against the Jets, there was the 78-yard punt return touchdown allowed and the fake punt that went for a first down. Against New Orleans in the previous game, the Saints successfully executed a late-game onside kick. Earlier in the season there was running into the punter, roughing the punter, and a kickoff return touchdown allowed.

Kicker Riley Patterson and punter Jake Bailey have been solid. But the Dolphins have sprung leaks in many spots on special teams. The good news is that Pittsburgh is so-so, at best, on kickoff and punt returns.