The Pittsburgh Steelers were down to their fourth left tackle, Dylan Cook, in Week 15 against the Miami Dolphins. But Mike Tomlin and the Steelers couldn’t have asked for much more from Cook.
Tomlin sung his praises during his postgame press conference after the 28-15 victory against the Dolphins.
“I definitely thought he was above the line, but it was also our job to assist him systematically. Both things happened,” Tomlin told reporters. “But he’s another example of a guy upholding the standard.
“We’ve absorbed some attrition, to say the least, at that position. But he was apart of a winning effort tonight. He’s deserving of congratulations for that.”
According to Steelers Depot’s Josh Carney, the initial Pro Football Focus grades from Monday night’s contest ranked Cook the highest-graded Steelers offensive player in the game. On a scale to 100, Cook received an 86.3 overall grade.
Cook made his NFL debut in Week 14 on December 7. He replaced Andrus Peat, who left with a concussion against the Baltimore Ravens.
With Peat still in the concussion protocol Monday, Cook started his first NFL game.
Dylan Cook Stars for Mike Tomlin’s Steelers in Week 15 Win
Tomlin mentioned the Steelers developed a game plan to help Cook avoid major problems in his first NFL start. That’s not surprising given Cook’s lack of professional experience.
But at times, the Steelers also left Cook in one-on-one situations versus Dolphins edge rusher Bradley Chubb. The two-time Pro Bowl entered Week 15 with 2.5 sacks in the past four games.
But Cook more than held his own. According to Carney, Cook didn’t allow a pressure let alone a sack. The offensive lineman did that with 66 snaps on offense, including 32 drop backs.
If Cook plays again in Week 16, he will face an even bigger test in Aidan Hutchinson and the Detroit Lions next week. It’s possible, though, that Peat clears the concussion protocol and is able to return.
Should that happen, the question becomes whether the Steelers will trust Cook again after his strong first start or return to the veteran.
Steelers Dominate Dolphins on Monday Night Football
The Steelers yielded three sacks Monday night, but as previously stated, Cook wasn’t responsible for any of them.
Cook also helped the Steelers run for 135 yards on the ground. That ranks as the third-highest rushing yards total in a game for Pittsburgh this season.
Over the past two weeks with Peat starting at left tackle, the Steelers had 92 rushing yards total versus the Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens.
Beating the Dolphins, the Steelers improved to 8-6 and stayed a game ahead of the Ravens in the AFC North standings. Pittsburgh’s lead remains small, but Monday’s victory guarantees that the team will at least be playing for the AFC North title in Week 18.
The Steelers could clinch the division before that if they win one of their next two games, and the Ravens lose two consecutive contests. The Steelers would also win the AFC North with two victories and one Ravens defeat.
With the No. 2 seeds from the AFC (New England Patriots) and NFC (Green Bay Packers) up next, the Ravens have two tough opponents before Week 18. Over the next two weeks, the Steelers will play twice on the road against the Lions and Cleveland Browns.
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