There’s something about the crisp fall air, Thanksgiving on the horizon, the mid-point of the NFL season that breathes life into the Pittsburgh Steelers’ rushing attack. This time a year ago, they found their footing and their ground game, turning the 2022 season around after their Week Nine bye and going on a 7-2 stretch run as one of football’s top running teams.
A similar story is playing out in 2023. After watching a run game slog and sputter, Pittsburgh’s been as good as anyone the last two weeks. In Week Nine, 166 yards against the Tennessee Titans. In Week 10, 205 to beat the Green Bay Packers, the first time Pittsburgh has run for 160-plus yards in consecutive games in more than a decade.
For analyst Greg Cosell, there’s two catalysts to that improvement – RB Jaylen Warren and OT Broderick Jones. Cosell joined Ross Tucker on his podcast to explain why.
“I bet people would be surprised that over the last two weeks, the team with the most 10-plus-yard runs by running backs are the Pittsburgh Steelers,” Cosell said. “They’ve been running the ball very, very well the last couple of weeks. Jaylen Warren is a real key to this. He’s a much juicer, more explosive, more elusive runner than Najee Harris.”
Because we’re nothing if not thorough, Cosell is correct. Over the last two weeks, Pittsburgh has 14 total runs of 10 or more yards. Excluding a Kenny Pickett scramble, 13 of those come from running backs. Warren leads the NFL with nine over that span while Harris has four.
Coming off a fine rookie season, Warren’s role in the offense has continued to expand. In Sunday’s win over Green Bay, the split between him and Harris was nearly identical. Harris carried the ball 16 times, Warren 15 times, and they each logged 33 offensive snaps. It was Warren who put up better numbers, his first NFL 100-yard rushing game, but both played key roles to victory.
As did Jones. Making his third career start and second at right tackle, it’s no coincidence that the Steelers’ run game has exploded since he was inserted into the lineup. He’s not the sole reason for their success, run blocking is team effort, but his athleticism is offering something the Steelers have been missing.
“Believe it or not, I think the insertion of the rookie tackle, Broderick Jones, at right tackle has helped their run game,” Cosell said. “He’s an athletic run blocker. He’s not very good in pass protection yet but he’s an athletic run blocker and I think that’s helped their run game.”
Jones started after veteran OT Chukwuma Okorafor reportedly criticized the Steelers’ offense. But given Jones and the run game’s success, he’s not heading back to the bench. As Tucker pointed out, the Steelers have been able to pull Jones as often as they have their guards, adding a run game wrinkle that’s paid off. These “dart” schemes (backside tackle pulling) highlight Jones’ athleticism and ability to get to his spot and up through the hole, shown here on the Steelers’ opening drive last week.
The running game is what the offense rode to victory during the stretch run last year. It’s what they’ll count on again. With an uneven passing game unable to find consistency, if Pittsburgh is going to advance to postseason play, it will have to do so on the backs of a playmaking defense and emerging ground game.
Check out the full segment below.
