For a team that could be in first place in their division by the end of their next game, the tone surrounding the Pittsburgh Steelers lately has been pretty bleak. Even coming out of the locker room. Of course, for Pittsburgh, 2-2 with some blowout losses is not what they’re shooting for.
Up next on the schedule is the 3-1, division-leading Baltimore Ravens. The Steelers notched a thrilling comeback victory over them a year ago. RB Najee Harris believes they need to draw from that game in order to beat Baltimore—and the rest of their future opponents—again.
“The personality we need to play with is the mentality that we had last year against the Ravens”, he said this week, via Brooke Pryor for ESPN. “I think that mentality is where we need to be. We did not play with that mentality last week, truthfully, to be honest with you guys. I was frustrated about that, too. Just looking at the film, our mentality as an offense just wasn’t good at all”.
What exactly was that mentality? Well, they rushed for 198 yards in that game, their highest total of the season behind only a 217-yard effort against the New Orleans Saints. On 22 attempts, Harris had 111 yards in the game, which was his only 100-yard rushing game of the season. Jaylen Warren also added 76 rushing yards, a career high for him, on 12 attempts
Harris rushed for 111 yards on 22 attempts in that 2022 win, while Warren had 76 yards on 12 carries. Harris also had a receiving touchdown, while Warren had three catches for 22 yards. That was Harris’ lone 100-yard rushing game of the 2022 season and his second-highest yards per attempt average.
“We were dominating the box”, Harris said. “Whatever was in front of us, we dominated. We dominated the line of scrimmage. We dominated runs. We made plays. That needs to be our football. We have to be a dominant team. That’s just our mentality. We want to be that, and it just takes time, I guess”.
Of course, we are leaving out the key detail that QB Lamar Jackson did not play in that game. Tyler Huntley started the game, and they did get out to a 13-3 lead. The offense fell apart in the second half, however, their final three drives ending in punts followed by an interception. They went three and out twice as well.
That’s not the offense they are going to face this time around. Jackson is fully healthy, and he looks to have a full complement of wide receivers as well. RB J.K. Dobbins is already sidelined, but they can still move the football with Gus Edwards, and Jackson remains central to their running game, anyway.
As far as getting back to that dominating mentality in the trenches, well, we’re in wait and see mode. On paper, they should be able to do it, but there have been few instances so far this season where they have looked the part, and that has been mostly on trap runs.
