De’Von Achane is active and is going to be a problem to deal with Monday night. The question now is how will the Pittsburgh Steelers defense deal with him?
That question feels even louder now as Achane prepares to return for a Dolphins team that is surging and facing a Pittsburgh defense missing its most important piece.
Miami is rolling. Achane is on fire. And the Steelers are about to face that challenge without T.J. Watt.
Achane has been the driving force behind Miami’s four game win streak. He is averaging 130 rushing yards per game during that stretch and delivered one of the season’s most explosive performances in Week 10 with 225 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns against Buffalo. That was not just a breakout. It was a blueprint.
The timing could not be worse for Pittsburgh. Star edge rusher T.J. Watt underwent surgery on a partially collapsed lung after a therapy session and was ruled out of immediate consideration. His absence removes the Steelers’ biggest defensive difference maker and forces the unit to rethink how it creates pressure and sets the edge. That is a dangerous adjustment to make against an offense built on speed and misdirection.
Why Achane is a nightmare matchup for Pittsburgh
Achane does not need much room. He turns hesitation into production and the Steelers have shown too much of it this season. Without Watt anchoring the edge, the Steelers lose their most reliable answer against outside runs and stretch concepts. That plays directly into Miami’s hands.
The Dolphins force defenses to declare early and punish poor angles. Achane thrives in space and he gets there quickly. When linebackers over pursue or defensive ends fail to contain, he breaks games open. Watt’s absence means fewer disruptions in the backfield and fewer moments where Miami has to adjust.
Buffalo could not slow Achane when Miami leaned into its run game. Pittsburgh now faces that same challenge without its best tone setter. That shifts the matchup from difficult to dangerous.
What this exposes about the Steelers defense
Achane’s return and Watt’s absence expose a bigger issue for Pittsburgh.
The run defense has been shaky even with Watt on the field ranked 21st in the league coming into this week. Without him, the margin for error shrinks dramatically.The Steelers have relied on splash plays to mask inconsistencies.
Watt was the engine behind that approach. He collapsed pockets, forced hurried decisions and set the edge with authority. Take him out and the defense becomes reactive instead of aggressive.
Miami will test that immediately. If Achane finds success early on in the game, the Steelers will be forced to abandon patience and chase plays. That is when missed tackles and blown assignments start to pile up.
If the Steelers cannot slow Achane, the conclusion will be hard to avoid. Their run defense is vulnerable and without Watt, it is exposed.