Over the last two weeks, the Pittsburgh Steelers have played exactly how they were built to play this offseason: a dominant run game and a defense that takes the football away at a high rate, leading to low-scoring — sometimes ugly — wins.
For Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, the Steelers have shown over the last two weeks that they are working on the formula that has shown it wins in January, that being a consistent power rushing attack and a defense that creates turnovers.
Right now, there are a lot of questions about that style of football being sustainable in today’s NFL. The Steelers having a below-average passing attack, but their record says what the Steelers are: a 6-3 team in the middle of the AFC playoff picture.
Florio sees that formula working for the Steelers, and it’s one that historically works in January, making the Steelers a potentially dangerous team.
“As we’re getting closer to the playoffs, the Steelers are finding their identity and it’s Jaylen Warren for 101 yards, and Najee Harris for 82 yards. Use ’em both. Use ’em effectively,” Florio said on Pro Football Talk Live Wednesday, according to video via the NFL on NBC YouTube page. “Run, run, run, play good defense. And what do we always hear is the formula for winning in January? What’s the formula? It’s run the ball and play good defense.
“So even though they’re this team that keeps pulling rabbits outta their ass, they have the formula. They’re working on the formula to win in January. Run the ball and play good defense.”
Since inserting rookie Broderick Jones into the lineup at right tackle, the Steelers have leaned heavily into that formula and had a ton of success. That showed in a major way last Sunday against the Green Bay Packers. The Steelers rushed for 205 yards and two touchdowns with Warren finishing with 105 yards and a score and Harris rushing for 82 yards and a touchdown.
The Steelers were able to run all over the Packers despite a passing attack with Kenny Pickett registering just 126 passing yards.
If the Steelers can continue to run the football like they have the last two weeks and get back to how they played down the stretch in the second half of the 2022 season, going 7-2 in the second half, coupled with a defense that is taking the football away at a league-leading clip, there’s no telling what could happen come January.
They’d be a tough team to deal with, that’s for sure.
