NFL Playoff Picture 2017: Wild-Card Odds, Picks and Matchup Scenarios

How can the Miami Dolphins hope to match up with the powerful Pittsburgh Steelers?

The Dolphins have not officially ruled out Ryan Tannehill (knee sprain) for their playoff game in Pittsburgh, but he did not practice Wednesday. That makes it less likely he will play when the two teams square off Sunday.

Backup quarterback Matt Moore has done an adequate job in Tannehill’s absence, but he is a limited athlete who is not going to scare the Steelers with his ability to throw the ball downfield.

If Miami is going to win the game, it is going to have to depend on its offensive line to win the battle up front and open holes for running back Jay Ajayi. The Dolphins are also going to have to play perhaps their best defensive game of the year against the Steelers’ explosive offense.

Ajayi is a first-rate running back who proved himself this year with 1,272 rushing yards, eight touchdowns and three 200-yard games. The first of those came against Pittsburgh in Week 6, when Miami pulled off a 30-15 home victory.

Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin knows that Ajayi isn’t a fluke. 

“We are not going to pretend like Jay Ajayi’s 200-yard day was a lightning strike,” Tomlin told Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “No, it was very real. I don’t think it’s appropriate to take that approach. He ran for 200 yards twice against the Buffalo Bills this year. There is tangible evidence that we need to respect this preparation process.”

That game may actually end up hurting the Dolphins, because the Steelers know first-hand what Ajayi is capable of doing. Since Tannehill does not seem likely to play, and he won’t be 100 percent if he is in the lineup, the Steelers can focus their defense on stopping or slowing down Ajayi.

If they are successful, the Pittsburgh offense should be able to handle its assignment. The Steelers are led by the formidable trio of Ben Roethlisberger, Le’Veon Bell and Antonio Brown, and their talent level and versatility should be too much for the 29th-ranked Miami defense to handle.

The Steelers have won seven games in a row, and they are averaging 27.3 points per game in their last four wins.

The Steelers are 10-point favorites, according to …

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