The Steelers got down early to the San Francisco 49ers last Sunday, causing them to abandon the running game in the second half. The fact of the matter though is that the Steelers failed to establish the running game from the get-go, coming out passing as they only ran the ball nine times total with RBs Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren.
Harris himself had a pedestrian performance as he totaled six carries for 31 yards, but that efficiency was greatly benefited by a 24-yard run. The third-year runner struggled to get anything going Sunday, and Warren also struggled against the stout San Francisco defense, mustering just six yards on three carries.
Ike Taylor and Mark Bergin spoke about the state of Pittsburgh’s running game on the Bleav in Steelers podcast as they previewed the team’s upcoming matchup against the Cleveland Browns. Taylor defended Harris and the notion that he should take a back seat to Warren in the backfield, stating that the Browns are a team that he should have a better day against should Pittsburgh prevent getting down early.
“I get right now that Jaylen is the fan favorite, but when you got a guy like Najee, you just gotta get him into a rhythm; you gotta feed him the ball,” Taylor said on the podcast, which aired on Mark Bergin’s YouTube channel. “Last week wasn’t the time to feed him the ball because we got so far behind, and we ran out of time so Najee couldn’t be Najee. This is going to be the game right here where it’s going to be [Nick] Chubb and Najee. So, we shall see who’s going to get the 100, who’s going to get that 100-plus and who’s going to have the most touchdowns rushing.”
Warren has become a hot name after his performance in the preseason, scoring two rushing touchdowns, one on a 62-yard scamper against the Buffalo Bills. He does bring an element of burst and explosiveness that Harris doesn’t have in his skill set, but Harris’ role in the offense is secure as the early-down runner that can carry the load and wear down opposing defenses as well as operate in the passing game as a skilled receiver out the backfield.
Pitting Harris against Chubb may come off as overly optimistic by Taylor, but the last several games have featured quite the battle between the two feature backs. Harris bested Chubb in Week 18 last season, totaling 80 yards and a touchdown to Chubb’s 77. Chubb ran away with the lead in Week 3 last year, posting 113 rushing yards and a score while Harris totaled 56 rushing yards and a touchdown. Harris did better than Chubb in both appearances in 2021, rushing for 91 yards and a score in the first matchup and 188 yards and the game-sealing score in Ben Roethlisberger’s final home game in Pittsburgh.
Heading into their first matchup of the 2023 season, Harris actually leads Chubb in total yardage, having bested him in three of four appearances against each other. Obviously, Warren should expect to get more work this time around, but it’s not a stretch to say that Harris can challenge Chubb yet again for a better performance on the ground. The Steelers need that from him and the rushing attack as they look to get back on track against Cleveland on Monday night, looking to stay more balanced as an offense and take pressure off QB Kenny Pickett by leaning into the ground-and-pound rushing attack with Harris leading that charge.
