What kind offense are the Pittsburgh Steelers going to be this year? That’s a different question from asking what kind offense they want to be. And really, that’s a question we don’t have to ask because they’ve been telling us all offseason. They’ve even told us to watch their actions because what they do speaks to what they want to be.
And that’s a tough, physical rushing offense. They’ve bolstered those efforts with veteran guard Isaac Seumalo, rookie first-round left tackle Broderick Jones, and big rookie tight end Darnell Washington. The question is, are they capable of being a top-10 rushing offense this year, and if so, what will that mean?
“That’s definitely the goal. That’s the way they want to play football”, Ray Fittipaldo told Ron Cook and Joe Starkey recently on 93.7 The Fan when asked for his thoughts on what the Steelers’ run game might be this year and if they can be in the top 10.
“With the additions you added, go out and make a few more yards every game, I definitely think that’s within reach”, he added. “And if they do that, they are a top-10 rushing team, I think they could be firmly in the playoffs, because that’s the way they want to play football”.
The Steelers have a pair of young running backs in Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren to lead the way, Harris already with a Pro Bowl and two 1,000-yard rushing seasons under his belt in his first two years. Warren came on as a college free agent last year and demanded playing time with his performance.
Provided they are healthier in the backfield this year—Harris dealt with a Lisfranc foot injury going back to the start of training camp and Warren got banged up in the second half of the year—on paper, they should be able to take the running game to another level in 2023. Fittipaldo believes they’ll have to.
“It’s gonna be sink or swim”, he said of the Steelers’ season riding on their ability to execute their run-heavy offensive plans. “I do think you can win in the NFL using that formula, but in the end, when you get to the playoffs, Kenny Pickett’s gonna have to perform. And I think this might be overlooked a little bit, the defense is gonna have to perform too”.
We can’t, of course, forget about Pickett, their young quarterback. They didn’t draft him in the first round to be a game manager, and he is already beyond that point. While his numbers last year didn’t wow you—they were extremely pedestrian more often than not, frankly—there’s no question he won them some games in the critical moments.
I very much agree with Fittipaldo in saying that the Steelers are capable of having a top-10 rushing offense. They finished 16th last year with 2,073 rushing yards, and from games nine through 17 rushed for 1,314 yards, seventh-most in the league during that same span (within 100 yards of third place, for that matter).
What I’m not sure I agree with is the idea that the Steelers will sink or swim with the effectiveness of their running game. Pickett might not have a second-year surge like Trevor Lawrence, but I don’t think Pittsburgh will need to be the Cleveland Browns with Nick Chubb to scratch off some wins. This passing game will win some as well and should be capable of shouldering the offense when the run game bogs down.
