FIVE THINGS WE LEARNED:

Beat writer Omar Kelly’s and Steve Svekis’ five takeaways from Sunday’s playoff loss.

DOLPHINS ARE 0-FOR-AN-UGLY-4 IN THEIR PAST QUARTET OF PLAYOFF GAMES

After defeating Indianapolis in a 2000 wild-card game, Miami headed to Oakland and was walloped, 27-0. After the 2001 season, Baltimore rolled 20-3, and then again, 27-9, after the 2008 season. Combined with Sunday's result in Pittsburgh, that is 0-4, outscored 104-24 (26-6.0 average). According to ESPN the Dolphins are the first NFL team to have lost four consecutive playoff games by at least 14 points, with each loss by 17 or more.

MIAMI NEEDS TO BUILD ON THIS YEAR’S OFFENSIVE LINE, NOT START OVER

Miami’s offensive line got dominated by Pittsburgh giving up five sacks but most of its issues are fixable with a healthy Mike Pouncey. That means the Dolphins need to seriously consider re-signing Jermon Bushrod in the offseason, pay Branden Albert the $8.9 million he’s owed for 2017 and supplement the offensive line in the draft with an interior lineman who has some center experience.

VANCE JOSEPH’S INJURY-DEPLETED DEFENSE GOT EXPOSED

Miami’s defense had no answer for Pittsburgh's offense, which put up 367 yards against the Dolphins. Vance Joseph, a first-year defensive coordinator who is a candidate for numerous head coaching jobs, has to be disappointed by his unit’s showing in the season’s most important game despite all of the injuries on that side of the ball.

MIAMI’S SLOW STARTS CONTINUE

The Dolphins were the worst first-quarter team in the NFL this season, getting outscored 110-41 in the 16 regular-season games. That trend continued Sunday as Pittsburgh jumped out to a 14-3 lead in the first quarter. The Dolphins need to consider starting the game on offense in 2017, especially if the defense isn’t significantly improved.

IN FINAL THREE GAMES, DOLPHINS’ FOES’ PUNTERS PRETTY MUCH GOT GAME OFF

The Steelers’ first punt of the game came in the fourth quarter. Before that punt, Miami and its injury-ravaged defense had forced only four punts in 25 possessions since midway through the game against the Buffalo Bills on Dec. 24. Just an unsightly, unbelievable number for a playoff team.