Howard's Struggles Continue As Dolphins Walk-Off Steelers With 53-Yard Field Goal
Will Howard threw four interceptions, three in the red zone and the last setting up the game winning field goal, bringing his season total to 13 as many begin to question how long Pittsburgh can stick with the former Buckeye.
| Team | Q | Time | Play | Pittsburgh | Miami |
 | 2nd | 7:27 | Noah Fant, 12 Yd Pass From Rayshon Davis | 0 | 7 |
 | 2nd | 5:00 | DK Metcalf, 12 Yd Pass From Will Howard | 7 | 7 |
| 2nd | 2:37 | Dyami Brown, 84 Yd Pass From Rayshon Davis | 7 | 14 |
| 2nd | 0:04 | Brandon Aubrey, 39 Yd FG | 10 | 14 |
| 3rd | 5:26 | Noah Fant, 10 Yd Pass From Rayshon Davis | 10 | 21 |
| 4th | 6:08 | Keaton Mitchell, 3 Yd Run (2PT) | 18 | 21 |
| 4th | 2:12 | Brandon Aubrey, 52 Yd FG | 21 | 21 |
| 4th | 0:00 | Ka'imi Fairbairn, 53 Yd FG | 21 | 24 |
Miami, FL. - The four game win streak is over. The patience with Will Howard may be running out.
Ka'imi Fairbairn drilled a 53-yard field goal as time expired to give the Miami Dolphins a 24-21 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers at Hard Rock Stadium Sunday afternoon, ending Pittsburgh's surprising run of victories in the most deflating way possible — on a drive set up by Howard's fourth interception of the game.
It was that kind of day.
Howard finished with four interceptions, running his season total to 13 against 10 touchdowns on the season, a ratio that has quietly become the defining tension of the Steelers' 2028 campaign. Three of Sunday's picks came in the red zone, turning what should have been touchdowns into momentum-killing turnovers that Miami converted with ruthless efficiency. The Steelers out-rushed the Dolphins, got strong contributions from Quinshon Judkins and Keaton Mitchell, and still lost, because their quarterback kept giving the ball away at the worst possible moments.
Miami rookie Rayshon Davis, by contrast, was everything the Steelers wished Howard could be on Sunday. The first-year signal caller was poised, precise, and explosive, finishing with 324 passing yards and three touchdowns in a performance that will generate significant Rookie of the Year conversation. His first big moment came early, connecting on a 67-yard post to Jaylen Waddle that set up Noah Fant's first touchdown of the afternoon and gave Miami an early lead.
Howard answered immediately, engineering a sharp response drive that featured a 40-yard screen pass to Judkins before DK Metcalf hauled in a 12-yard touchdown to level the score. For a brief moment it appeared the Steelers might be in for one of those days where everything clicks, until it simply didn't.
Jalen Ramsey gave Pittsburgh a golden opportunity when he leveled Waddle and recovered the forced fumble deep in Miami territory. Howard went straight back to Metcalf on a fade to the end zone — a pass that was flagged for offensive pass interference before Howard targeted Metcalf again on the very next play, this time finding a Dolphins defensive back instead. The interception swung the field position entirely, and Miami made Pittsburgh pay with an 84-yard strike to Dyami Brown that sent the teams into halftime with Miami leading 14-10.
The third quarter brought more damage. A third Howard interception led directly to Fant's second touchdown of the afternoon, pushing Miami's lead to 21-10 and threatening to turn a competitive game into a comfortable Dolphins victory.
Pittsburgh refused to fold. Judkins and Keaton Mitchell, who combined for 193 rushing yards on the afternoon, carried the Steelers on their backs through the fourth quarter, grinding out ten points to draw level at 21 and set up what appeared to be a chance for Howard to author a redemption story.
Instead he authored one more interception.
Targeting Ryan Williams on a crossing route with the game on the line, Howard never identified Drayk Bowen lurking in the zone underneath. The former Notre Dame linebacker stepped in front of the pass for his second interception in the contest and returned it to Pittsburgh territory, giving Fairbairn a makeable 53-yarder that he split cleanly down the middle as the clock hit zero.
In the postgame, Scheelhaase was asked directly whether Howard would remain the starter heading into next week. His answer was the most telling thing he has said about his quarterback all season.
"We're going to evaluate ourselves from top to bottom and put the players on the field we feel give us the best chance to win next week," Scheelhaase said carefully. "If that's Will, then we'll find out then."
At 4-3 with 13 interceptions and mounting questions at the most important position on the field, the clock on Will Howard's tenure as Pittsburgh's starting quarterback may be ticking louder than ever.
Pittsburgh travels to Cincinnati next week for a divisional showdown with the rival Bengals.
Will Howard | 14/38, 189 Yds, TD, 4 INT Rayshon Davis | 19/27, 324 Yds, 3 TD Quinshon Judkins | 12 Att, 105 Yds; 2 Rec, 42 Yds De'Von Achane | 13 Att, 29 Yds; 3 Rec, 22 Yds DK Metcalf | 3 Rec, 43 Yds, TD Dyami Brown | 3 Rec, 129 Yds, TD EDGE TJ Watt | 6 Tkl, 5 TFL, Sack DT Derrick Harmon | 6 Tkl, 2 TFL, 2 Sacks CB Jalen Ramsey | 6 Tkl, TFL, FF, FR MLB Drayk Bowen | 8 Tkl, 2 TFL, 2 INT EDGE Alex Highsmith | 8 Tkl, TFL, Sack, INT MLB Nick Bolton | 2 Tkl, INT
