Speed kills, or so they say. Not so much at the NFL level, however, if that’s all you bring to the table, according to Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. In praising the performances of two of his young offensive skill players in WR Calvin Austin III and RB Anthony McFarland Jr., he made sure to point out that their success tonight was about their growth in their positions.
“Everybody knows those guys can move and run and that’s why we’re excited about seeing what they’re capable of doing”, he said in his post-game press conference, via the team’s YouTube channel, “but it goes beyond just the flat-line speed. Those guys are developing skills relative to their position, know-how”.
Both McFarland and Austin put touchdowns on the board on the night, with the fourth-year back scoring from 14 yards out, finding the right edge in the middle of the second quarter. Austin did what he was brought in to do, beating his man one-on-one and striding into the end zone on a 67-yard snare in the middle of the third.
“At this level when it’s good on good, speed doesn’t win”, Tomlin stressed, however. “It’s speed in combination with know-how and skills relative to your position. Like the trajectory of both guys in that area”.
Yes, speed is a tremendous asset in a game of inches, but you have to know how and when to use it effectively. If you let yourself get jammed off the line, you’re not going to be able to use your speed. If you can’t find the hole in a zone run, you’re just going to be running laterally really fast.
Neither of these guys are rookies, even if they haven’t played much—or in Austin’s case, at all. He was a fourth-round pick out of Memphis a year ago but missed all of his rookie season due to a foot injury. While not on the field, however, he spent plenty of time learning.
Likewise, McFarland, a 2020 fourth-round pick, has spent the past few years maturing, especially in 2022 after finding himself demoted to the practice squad. At this point he seems to be a shoo-in to claim the third running back spot on the depth chart, barring an outside addition.
Speed and quickness were the defining traits that got these guys drafted where they were. It certainly wasn’t their size. And they’re both hungry young players who know they have a lot to prove. Tonight was an opportunity to give just a little taste of that in a season in which both can be meaningful contributors.
