The Pittsburgh Steelers managed to pull off the improbable Sunday, coming from behind to beat the visiting Baltimore Ravens, 17-10. It was one of those classic, ugly, low-scoring affairs it always seems to be with Steelers-Ravens. Pittsburgh struggled to do anything offensively for most of the game while the defense did a great job keeping the score down, giving the team hope even when the offense looked lifeless.
Two skill position players stuck out in a big way for Pittsburgh in the second half: WR George Pickens and RB Jaylen Warren. Warren specifically gave life to the offense both on the ground and through the air, carrying the ball nine times for 40 yards (4.4 YPC) and catching three passes for 39 yards.
When watching Warren play on Sunday, you saw a player who routinely broke arm tackles, fought for extra yardage after initially contacted, and displayed burst on his runs as well as out in space. It reminded me quite a bit of former NFL RB Doug Martin, nicknamed “The Muscle Hamster” whom I compared Martin to coming out of Oklahoma State. The running style paired with the frame and body type are nearly identical, and we got to see it on the field against Baltimore.
The Film
Warren made an impact both as a runner as well as a receiver out of the backfield against Baltimore. He’s served as Pittsburgh’s primary third-down back since the midpoint of last season, excelling in pass protection as well as catching the ball and getting yards after the catch. Here is a good example against the Ravens in the third quarter on third down. Warren catches the check down pass from QB Kenny Pickett in the flat and turns up field, picking up the first down as he runs through the arm tackle of a defender but steps out of bounds in the process.
Later in the fourth quarter, we see Warren make another clutch play in the passing game on third down as Pittsburgh is driving near midfield. Catching a pass in the flat as he turns up field, he evades CB Ronald Darby diving at his legs and manages to stay upright on a tackle attempt by LB Patrick Queen. Gathering himself by placing his left arm on the ground to keep his balance, he churns forward before being brought down by three defenders after picking up 23 yards.
The very next play, Warren gets it done as a runner, lining up as the left wing in Pittsburgh’s pony formation with RB Najee Harris in the backfield. Warren takes the handoff on the motion and picks up a good block from Pickens to get one-on-one Darby on the corner. Warren proceeds to hurdle the defender, clearing him with ease. Warren them immediately spins out of a tackle attempt by S Kyle Hamilton flying in from the secondary, stiff arming DE Tavius Robinson as he fights to get to the first-down marker.
Pittsburgh goes to Warren for a third consecutive play on the drive after picking up the first down, giving the handoff standing beside Pickett with a heavy line of scrimmage presence. Warren finds a crease between G Isaac Seumalo and Nate Herbig as C Mason Cole gets a good block on Queen in the box, clearing the way for Warren to get into the secondary. He runs through an arm tackle by Darby, dragging him for a couple yards until Queen comes in to clean up the play after a gain of 16 yards.
Warren had a chance at the end of the drive to punch it into the end zone for the go-ahead score, but Pittsburgh couldn’t get Baltimore’s defense properly blocked up. DL Travis Jones beat Seumalo to the inside and stopped Warren in the backfield, ending his impressive drive short of pay dirt.
Conclusion
Jaylen Warren helped Pittsburgh’s offense come alive in the second half, specifically in the fourth quarter when he amassed 49 scrimmage yards on three plays before getting stuffed in the red zone. He got it done on the ground and through the air, being a bowling ball that was difficult to tackle. He ran through defenders as well as got airborne and leaped over Darby for a highlight play that Warren should make into a poster and put on the wall of his room.
Many expected Najee Harris to be the one to have a big game after his strong performance last week against the Houston Texans, but it was Warren who was by far the more impressive back on the day. Pittsburgh’s backfield has truly turned into a 1-2 punch with Harris and Warren. The latter has earned the right to play nearly half of the snaps, adding that burst and explosiveness as a runner and receiver that Harris just doesn’t possess.
With the bye week coming up, both backs will have an opportunity to rest as they prepare for the long stretch that awaits them, knowing that Pittsburgh will heavily be leaning on both of them to keep this momentum going down the stretch.
