The Pittsburgh Steelers offensive line and run game came on strong in the second half of last season, but it wasn’t the most productive group in the first half.
“We made an emphasis last year towards the end of the year,” Daniels said about Pittsburgh’s run game via Post-Gazette Sports on YouTube. “It’s harder to throw the ball in colder weather, and so last year, towards the end of last year, we made an emphasis to really establish the run. That just has carried over into the offseason, carried into OTAs and now in camp. That’s something that we need to do earlier in the season if we want to be a successful football team.”
Last year, Pittsburgh averaged over four yards per carry in five games after the bye week. While they had four games with an average yard per carry over four in the first half, two of those were at just 4.1 yards per carry in losses to the New England Patriots and Miami Dolphins.
The team came out of the bye strong, averaging five yards per carry in a win against the New Orleans Saints, and that momentum carried into the rest of the season, with Pittsburgh’s run game becoming one of its biggest strengths. The offensive line has since gotten stronger with Isaac Seumalo signed in free agency and Broderick Jones drafted in the first round. Both of those guys can be significant contributors as run blockers.
One of the reasons the Steelers’ run game struggled a little bit in the first half of last season was that starting RB Najee Harris was dealing with a Lisfranc injury in his foot, something he said affected him during the year. Harris is healthy now, which not only allows him to get better conditioned in the ramp-up to the season but also just makes him more comfortable. As he enters a critical third season, with the team needing to decide on his fifth-year option in the offseason, there’s a lot of motivation for Harris to have a strong year and look to improve on his efficiency.
Given the urgency for the Steelers to prove the second half of 2022 wasn’t a fluke, the improvements to the offensive line in the offseason, and Harris needing to show that he’s worthy of having his option picked up, I’m pretty optimistic about Pittsburgh’s run game. I think they’re going to bring it early in the season, with Harris healthy and able to show off the traits that got him drafted in the first round.
As Daniels said, running the ball well early is something the Steelers have to do for them to have a successful season. I’m ready to see them prove that they can.
