The Pittsburgh Steelers’ run game really got going in the team’s 32-13 Week 6 win over the Las Vegas Raiders, with RB Najee Harris running 14 times for 106 yards and a touchdown. As a whole, the Steelers ran for 183 yards and averaged 5.2 yards per carry. QB Justin Fields praised Harris after the game for his success on the ground.
“Najee, I don’t know what he ate last night, I don’t know what he did, but he sure did ball out today. So whatever he did this week, hopefully he comes out and does the same thing next week,” Fields said via the team’s YouTube channel.
Fields also explained how Harris’ success helped open things up for him on the ground. Fields finished with 11 carries for 59 yards and 2 touchdowns.
“I think my second rushing touchdown, Najee scored on a toss, so they were probably thinking we were gonna do the same thing. You fake the toss, keep the boot, and there’s only one or two guys over there, so just like I said, it starts with the o-line up front and then it starts with the run game, and everything kind of works off that,” Fields said. “Najee and the o-line did a great job executing.”
Harris had taken a toss play 36 yards to the house for a touchdown in the third quarter, and for Pittsburgh’s final score which came after a turnover, the Steelers broke out a fake pitch to Harris, which opened things up on the left side of the field for Fields. He scored untouched with Isaac Seumalo leading the way blocking in front of him.
An offense that runs the ball well is an offense that usually has success. And even though the Steelers didn’t do a whole lot through the air – only throwing for 145 yards – they put up 32 points because they were able to move the ball on the ground and their defense forced three turnovers. For the Steelers, one of the keys this season has been winning the time of possession battle, and they had the ball for over 3 more minutes than Las Vegas today.
Harris’ big game just made things easier for the offense and gave the Raiders defense something and someone else to think about. As Fields said, the defense was worried about the toss on the final touchdown, as you can see a number of defenders rotate over with the fake. It negated some of the attention on Fields as a runner, and that allowed him to have an efficient and productive game on the ground and find the end zone twice.
Hopefully, it’s a sign of things to come for Harris, who had a decent start to the season but is coming off two games that could’ve certainly gone better. He entered today with 27 carries for 61 yards in his last two games. He nearly doubled that output on less than half the carries today. The version of Harris that Pittsburgh got today is one that can make this offense tick if he keeps it up for the rest of the season.
