A lot has been made of the Pittsburgh Steelers offense this season. They have been among the least productive units in 2023, struggling to consistently move the ball down the field to score points.
But, one thing they have been able to do relatively well is run the football. Even when Matt Canada was offensive coordinator, the Steelers were finding some success on the ground. In Week 12 against the Cincinnati Bengals, the first without him calling plays, the offense exploded.
Throughout his tenure with the team, the Steelers failed to gain at least 400 yards in a game. In the first with Mike Sullivan calling the plays, they had 421 total yards. The ground game was efficient, as Najee Harris had a season-high 99 yards and Jaylen Warren chipped in 49.
NFL News & Rumors: Najee Harris, Jaylen Warren, Pittsburgh Steelers Updates
Harris is someone who has come under fire at times during his tenure in Pittsburgh. A first-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, he has been a consistent, albeit at times plodding, producer.
Coming into 2023, Harris was averaging under 4.0 yards per carry and showing some indecision with his running. Poor offensive line performance certainly played a part, but there were instances when a hole was open that Harris just didn’t see or hit quickly enough to gain yards.
While the offense has sputtered at times in 2023, Harris has found a way to put together the best season of his young career. While his yards per game average has dropped for a second straight year, he has been more efficient with the touches he has received.
The Alabama product is averaging 4.2 yards per carry, which would be a career-high. While that number may not seem overly impressive when taking into account the struggles of the offensive line, it is a strong number.
NFL News & Rumors: Najee Harris, Jaylen Warren, Pittsburgh Steelers Updates
His involvement in the passing game has taken a hit, but that is because the Steelers are effectively using Warren for a strong one-two punch. When taking a deeper dive into Harris’ production, it reveals just how efficient he has been this season.
As shared by Daniel Valente of The Score, Harris has been one of the best running backs in the NFL. At times ridiculed for his lack of explosion, Harris is tied for first in the NFL with rushes of 15+ yards and 20+ yards, accumulating 11 and seven, respectively. He is also tied for first with 2.2 yards after contact per carry.
His 312 total yards after contact are fourth in the NFL, as are the 19 tackles that he has broken. His 7.5 carries per broken tackle are second in the league, which shows that he has plenty of elusiveness and power despite what many fans and analysts may think.
With the offensive line gelling and coming together, Harris’ production could see an uptick in the final six weeks of the season. He is an integral part of the Steelers’ offensive attack as the power complement to Warren’s explosiveness.
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