Steelers Have 1 Unexpected Beneficiary Of Russell Wilson’s Emergence As Starting Quarterback

The Pittsburgh Steelers are in an ideal situation as the Week 9 bye begins. Not only is the team relatively healthy headed into the break, but also sits at 6-2, which leads a tough AFC North division. The defense has been dominant for the majority of the year, allowing just 14.9 points per game and overall, Mike Tomlin's group has a turnover margin of +10. It will only get tougher for the unit due to a brutal backend to the schedule, but the organization is set up nicely to make a run in January. The defense will be a pivotal piece, but the offense has started to come along as well.

Fans and media pundits questioned Tomlin's decision to start Russell Wilson in favor of Justin Fields after the younger of the two got the team off to a 4-2 start while Wilson nursed a injured calf. Those criticisms are no longer viable after the veteran put together two fantastic performances in Weeks 7 and 8. He has thrown for 542 yards and three touchdowns, making it clear that he will be the likely starter moving forward.

There's no doubt that George Pickens has benefited from the presence of Wilson, but another offensive player has also improved his game immensely and it shouldn't go unnoticed. While some may think that another wideout has improved his stock with the fan base, there's another player more deserving of the recognition. Running back Najee Harris has been terrific the last three weeks.

His strong run began with Fields in at quarterback in Week 6, but that set the foundation for what would be even more improvement from the fourth-year back. The reality is that defenses are more afraid of Wilson's arm than that of Fields, which causes more worries regarding the passing game. Wilson has run an efficient offense that includes a phenomenal rushing attack, as well as successful play-action passing.

Harris is on pace to have his fourth consecutive year of 1,000 rushing yards or more, but 2024 feels different. He is averaging a career-best 4.4 yards per carry and seems like a man hoping to earn a big contract when his first test of the free agency market occurs in 2025. It's no coincidence that his game began to elevate around the time Wilson took over at quarterback.

The offensive line has been in flux and dealing with injuries, but that hasn't stopped the running game from being the strength of the offense. In fact, the combination of strong defense, consistent offense, and opportunistic special teams play has led to the Steelers winning three games in a row by eight or more points for the first time since the 2016 campaign.

Harris has taken on much of the workload with Cordarrelle Patterson injured and Jaylen Warren still working his way back. Defenses are having a tough time stopping the run knowing that Wilson can win with the deep ball in any given moment. The veteran presence and abilities of Wilson have allowed Harris to really get going. If the trend continues, the Steelers are going to be an extremely tough team to beat down the stretch.

Steelers Have A Team Built For January Football

With an offense that has started to find its way, Pittsburgh is working towards hitting its stride at the right time. The bye week came during a favorable time of the season, and while the schedule moving forward may be tough, a clock-eating running game and stout defense could win more games than not. The top of the AFC is loaded with strong teams, but it's about time that the Steelers are mentioned as a contender moving forward.

Do you think that Harris is one of the biggest beneficiaries of Wilson starting? Let us know in the comments below!

#SteelerNation