The Pittsburgh Steelers have fielded one of the worst offenses in the NFL in 2022. After the retirement of longtime quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger, struggles were somewhat expected. The offense as a whole is one of the youngest ones in football, so it's obvious there would be growing pains. Offensive coordinator, Matt Canada hasn't done the youngsters any favors, either.
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Since the team's Week 9 bye though, there have been some glimpses of hope. That starts with the running game, as second-year running back, Najee Harris has rounded into form over the last month or so. It seemed his foot injury plagued him over the first month or two, but he looks much better now. While his YPC of 3.7 still leaves room for improvement, Harris needs 157 rushing yards in the final two contests to finish with another 1,000-yard season.
The offensive line has done a better job in their run blocking as well. Even when Harris and primary backup, Jaylen Warren, were banged up in Week 12 against the Indianapolis Colts, the Steelers were able to rack up 172 yards on the ground with the likes of Benny Snell Jr. and Anthony McFarland Jr. stepping in. The offense now ranks 18th in the NFL in rushing yards with 1,731. Via Chris Adamski of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Harris discussed the continued improvements when speaking to the media on Friday:
"Were doing good. You know, I think we've made a lot of improvements, made a big jump, so yeah I'm happy with it," Harris said via Adamski. "We're doing the right things, we're making the right adjustments from [the] bye."
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Establishing the run game has opened up the passing game for Pittsburgh as well. That has allowed rookie quarterback, Kenny Pickett to get into a better rhythm as of late, as he has been able to continue his maturation process. The recent progress has many hopeful this team can turn things around in 2023, led by Pickett and Harris.
Also on the plus side, Warren continues to prove to be a legitimate backup behind Harris. It's something that should help prolong Harris' professional career, which was a major concern after he touched the ball 381 times his rookie year. Hopefully over these next two weeks, the running game continues to show strides, which will help open things up for everyone else offensively.
What have been your thoughts on Najee Harris' performance this season? Do you think he's still the answer long-term at RB? What are your expectations for this offensive core in 2023? Share your thoughts in the comment section below, yinz!
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