With the type of angry and barreling performance RBs Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren had yesterday, it’s no surprise to see both receive high marks from Pro Football Focus. And for those who love them only when there are good things to say about their team, this is the time to embrace analytics.
Harris graded out as the NFL’s top-rated running back for his stellar Sunday performance. He received a total offensive grade of 87.4, edging out Baltimore’s Justice Hill’s 86.0. Warren had the fifth-best overall grade at 82.4, one spot ahead of Seattle’s Kenneth Walker III, who ran well in limited opportunities.
Curiously, neither Harris nor Warren received the league’s top running grade, the stat that focuses solely on carries. That went to Green Bay’s Aaron Jones and his 84.4 grade. Harris finished second in that category (83.7) while Warren took the bronze medal (83.4). From there, there was a steep drop-off to the next player.
Combined, Harris and Warren carried the ball 40 times and ran for 197 yards and three touchdowns as Pittsburgh used its ground game early and often as the catalyst to victory. The Steelers controlled the ball as well as they have all season long, out-snapping Seattle, 71-49, and racking up over 37 minutes time of possession.
Not only did their scoring help out a Steelers defense that had its hands full with the Seahawks’ offense, but they also limited the number of chances for Seattle. Walker and Co. ran well, averaging nearly six yards per carry as a team, but because of their limited snaps, the Seahawks only ran the ball 15 total times. Just 12 of them came from their running backs. Meaning they didn’t have the chance to control the game because Pittsburgh’s offense was always on the field.
For Harris, his overall offensive grade was his best one of the season. It was also the second-best grade he’s received in his career, only surpassed by his 88.3 mark against the Atlanta Falcons last season. For Warren, it was just his third-best after 90-plus grades against the Cleveland Browns and Tennessee Titans earlier in the season.
Regardless of grades, rankings, and ratings, Harris and Warren were critical in the win. Credit to the offensive line, which didn’t receive much love from PFF (none of the Steelers’ starting five ranked inside the top 40, even for run blocking), but Harris and Warren played their own version of bully ball against a hapless Seahawks defense.
