The Pittsburgh Steelers didn’t dominate the New York Giants like some people thought they would, but they still won the game, 26-18. Najee Harris deserves a lot of credit for that. Harris ran for 114 yards on 19 carries, being the engine of the Steelers’ offense. He didn’t score this week, but he did put up his third straight 100-yard game. Dan Moore Jr. stated that the players can feel just how locked in Harris is.
“I feel like he just has the utmost confidence right now in himself,” Moore said after the Steelers improved to 6-2 via the team’s YouTube channel. “I think we’ve been doing a great job on offense, executing, giving him some space and it just feels like he’s just having fun out there. He’s in the zone and we feed off of that as an offensive line.”
Saying Harris has been in the zone would be an understatement. Over the past three weeks, Harris has rushed for 322 yards and two touchdowns. He’s been an absolute force of nature, battering through opposing defenses. Harris had put in a few disappointing performances this year, but recently, he’s been playing like a man possessed.
It’s important to note how much of this Harris is doing with a makeshift offensive line in front of him. The Steelers are missing several key starters up front. Against the Giants, they didn’t have their starting center, right guard, or right tackle. Continuity has been hard to come by for the Steelers’ offensive line. However, Harris is continuing to truck along.
Moore has been only source of consistency along the Steelers’ offensive line, playing in every game so far this year. He’s also been with the team the longest, being drafted by the Steelers in 2021. Therefore, he’s seen the best and the worst of Harris. Maybe no one on offense is more qualified to speak on how Harris is playing.
This is exactly the kind of offense the Steelers want to have too. When they hired Arthur Smith, it was a sign that they were committed to running the football. Halfway through the year, Harris is making that goal much easier to accomplish.
Harris is also playing on the last year of his contract. He might be having fun, but he also wants to get paid. If he continues to play like this, the Steelers, or some other team, are going to give him a hefty payday. Harris has always been talented, but in Smith’s scheme, it looks like he’s able to spread his wings more.
