The Pittsburgh Steelers running game is coming together slowly, but surely it seems. The Steelers questioned 2021 1st round selection RB Najee Harris has averaged 3.3 yard per attempt average, while his backup RB Jaylen Warren is averaging 5.3 yards per attempt. While that statistic is alarming; it doesn't tell the entire story of the Steelers running game.
Pittsburgh Steelers Running Back Jaylen Warren (30) during a regular season game against the Cleveland Browns on Thurs., Sept. 22 at Cleveland, OH. (Abigail/Pittsburgh Steelers)
A lot of Steeler fans are clamoring to start undrafted rookie free agent Warren ahead of 2021 1st-round selection Harris and it makes sense, every time you see Warren carry the football, you're screaming for HC Mike Tomlin and OC Matt Canada to start the undrafted rookie ahead of Harris!
Maybe, it's not the stats of who is running the football, but maybe it has more to do with WHEN the Steelers are utilizing each running back. In obvious running situations, the Steelers are using Harris in the majority of those situations and he's leading in that category via Brooke Pryor's Twitter account.
Here's some numbers that put Jaylen Warren and Najee Harris' production into context:
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) November 3, 2022
Steelers call designed runs on 42% of first downs, and Harris has carried the ball 65 times in that situation to Warren's 37. Harris is averaging 3.89 yards to Warren's 2.85 on first down. https://t.co/mYMfugWiCS
Obviously, the Steelers offense has become predictable and easy to read, with the run-run-pass scheme. Harris has been a victim of that scheme and has been viewed as a lesser running back due to that. I've got news for you, he's not the lesser running back. He's not the lesser of the two! If the Steelers didn't draft him in the first round, I guarantee he still would've been the first running back taken in the 2021 NFL Draft.
We're giving excuses of incompetent offensive play calling to each offensive playmaker besides Harris, but why? Simply, because he is a running back selected in the 1st round and it's not a position typically glowing of a 1st-round selection.
There's no lie told, when Harris has compared the Steelers offense to a baby's first steps! He's right, maybe it takes extreme patience and waiting for the right moment to see what is wanted to show its head!
MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 23: Jevon Holland #8 of the Miami Dolphins hands the ball to Najee Harris #22 during the third quarter against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium on October 23, 2022 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Eric Espada/Getty Images)
“With a baby, you got to take time for it to walk. It doesn’t just come out and start walking with its two feet, which is good. Give it its time, take its time. I’m not here to point fingers at all." Harris stated.“Obviously you guys want answers right now, but that’s just not how things work around here. Questions don’t get answered the next day. Things don’t get fixed the next day. It takes time. We understand that and that’s why we try to keep everybody together.”
Things are going to eventually come together like a good piece of artwork!
Pittsburgh Steelers running back, Najee Harris (#22) during a game at Acrisure Stadium against the New York Jets on Oct. 2, 2022 in Pittsburgh, PA. | Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers are an unsettling 2-6 at the bye week, and I don't know how much more patient this team and fanbase can get, but the Steelers offensive line and running game preaches more and more of it!
“Obviously things take time,” Harris continued. “... I'm in my eighth game of my second year. I don't have all the answers yet. Every year you try to get better at something. I'm still learning right now. But me being who I am, I get judged prematurely, which is cool. I'm not sitting here complaining about none of that at all.”
Aug 12, 2021; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers offensive guard Kevin Dotson (69) and offensive tackle Dan Moore Jr. (65) walk off the field against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
“We have the best material,” LG Kevin Dotson said. “We have the A1 paint. We have the best canvas, We have the best brushes, but it's just not looking how we want it.“When I'm painting and then something just is not coming out, I'll stop painting. Then I'll come back, get in front of the painting and like, oh, this would work better. Why was I thinking so hard? I'm hoping this is the same, that when we get back from this, everybody is rejuvenated. It probably won't be just like starting fresh, but we'll get out of that despair we’re feeling at the bottom.”
Should the Steelers start Najee Harris or Jaylen Warren at running back after the bye week? Let us know in the comment section below, or on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Instagram!
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