Share the scepter!! If there was a week to declare Kyle Brandt’s Angry Run winner, or in this case, winners, it’s this one. RBs Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren ran as hard as you’ll ever see two backs run to boost Pittsburgh to a 30-23 must-have victory Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks.
Sure, it’s not like either guy surprised by running with power. Two physical, stout, downhill dudes who break as many tackles as anyone in football. But even by their lofty standards, this was ridiculous. This looked like the high school championship team taking the worst school in the conference out behind the woodshed. And this is the NFL. The top .01 percent.
The Steelers’ offense as a whole kicked butt up front. Credit to an offensive line that imposed its will. But Harris and Warren ran pissed off. Like someone talked about their mommas. And they took that anger out on a Seahawks defense that had no answer.
Let’s take a look.
Instead of this in-depth X’s and O’s breakdown, just enjoy the compilations of Harris and Warren. There isn’t a ton here to analyze. It’s just big and strong runners with will and determination keeping their feet, balance, and not quitting on a play. They wanted it more than the defense wanted to stop them.
By my count, there are five truly angry Harris runs. From ones early in the game, running through tackles and plowing ahead, to his tremendous effort on his first touchdown, to the unit’s group-effort on his second, to him dribbling CB Tariq Woolen’s head off the ground like he did to Atlanta’s Richie Grant last season (which won Angry Run of 2023).
Here’s the cut-up. Insane stuff.
Harris finished the day with 122 yards rushing and two touchdowns, his best game of 2023. After looking like a lofty goal, he now has a decent shot of reaching 1,000 yards rushing on the year, which would be his third-straight season and set some pretty impressive marks. He’ll need 77 yards against Baltimore in the final to hit that mark.
Warren didn’t get as many opportunities, 13 carries to Harris’ 27, but he made them count. He had arguably the hardest run of the day, a 23-yard “how-is-he-still-running” moment where he busted through four tackles on one play. He broke the tackle attempt of more than one-third of the Seahawks’ defense.
Here’s a look at his best runs.
The Seahawks couldn’t tackle either of them. They came into the game with missed tackle concerns, tied for fifth-most with 107 of them, and they added a whole lot to that list after Sunday.
Combined, Harris and Warren ran for 197 yards and three touchdowns on 40 carries, an average of 4.9 yards per carry. They, along with the line, set the tone, tempo, and physicality. And it was so much fun to watch.
Pittsburgh will count on them again in Week 18 against the Ravens. We’ll see what Baltimore’s plan to rest guys is; I wouldn’t expect someone like LB Roquan Smith to play and I imagine S Kyle Hamilton will be held out after missing Week 17 with an injury, allowing him three full weeks (including the Ravens’ first-round bye) to get healthy for Divisional weekend. Harris and Warren could literally muscle Pittsburgh into the postseason.
