Can Dolphins Finally End Losing Streak in Cold Weather? MNF Trends & Prediction vs. Steelers

The Miami Dolphins and their quarterback Tua Tagovailoa will be battling more than the Pittsburgh Steelers tonight, as history is very much against them when the weather turns frosty. They'll try to that betting trend this week on Monday Night Football, which kicks off at 8:15 p.m. (ESPN) in the chilly conditions at Acrisure Stadium.

Tagovailoa has never been part of a win when the temperature at kickoff is below 40 degrees. Can he change that tonight?

🥶 Dolphins' recent history in cold-weather games

The Dolphins are accustomed to sunny skies and palm trees while playing in Florida. Tagovailoa originally hails from Hawaii, too, making him that much more at home in the heat rather than a blustery environment that makes you reach for all the thermal outerwear available.

That's not ideal heading into tonight's Monday Night Football matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium, as the latest Dolphins vs. Steelers weather report calls for temperatures hovering around a bone-chilling 16 degrees throughout the game with harsh winds gusting up to 13 mph.

Those winds will often make it feel like 9 degrees, and as ESPN Insights notes, Miami has lost 13 straight games when the temperature is under 40 degrees. More recently, Tagovailoa is winless in the bitter cold, and the Dolphins have covered just once in five attempts with him under center. 

☃️ Will Dolphins' streak end tonight?

The 40-degree mark always tied to this trend is being generous, as any temperature around that would feel like a time to hit the beach next to tonight's conditions.

It will be a classic case of needing to beat both the opponent and the elements. The Dolphins' woes with the latter are immense since they play in a division that often requires them to travel north during the cold-weather months (Buffalo, New York, and New England).

The Dolphins' continuous face-planting in the snow is no doubt a significant factor in them entering tonight as a 3-point underdog, and that's partly why our Gary Pearson is favoring Pittsburgh in his Dolphins vs. Steelers prediction. It's also a major factor in the game total being so low, as it rests at 42.5 through the best NFL betting sites.

However, one element working in the Dolphins' favor is that the probability of snow is low while sitting at around 20%. It did snow recently in the area, which could lead to slipperiness. But visibility shouldn't be affected, meaning Tagovailoa should be able to make some headway in the passing game.

That alone could be significant, which is why I suspect the Dolphins can end the streak tonight, especially when going up against the Steelers and their 27th-ranked secondary (244 yards per game).

📺 How to watch Monday Night Football: Dolphins vs. Steelers

• Date: Monday, Dec. 15
• Kickoff: 8:15 p.m. ET
• Location: Acrisure Stadium (Pittsburgh)
• TV: ESPN

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