The Pittsburgh Steelers’ offensive identity looked firmly at risk after a two-game losing streak in which they rushed for 214 yards on 57 carries (3.8 ypc). Especially considering the Indianapolis Colts and the Dallas Cowboys were two of the worst rushing defenses entering their games against the Steelers. The run game finally broke out and got back on track against the Las Vegas Raiders. Najee Harris was a big part of that success.
He rushed for 106 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries for a 7.6 average. That was his first performance of the season over 100 yards rushing, and by far his best yards per carry average of his career.
Harris was asked after the Steelers’ 32-13 win what led to the run-game success.
“Really, it was how the offensive line, receivers, tight ends, all of ’em came together and realized that for us to be efficient in the run game, it takes all of us,” Harris said in a video on the Steelers’ YouTube channel. “I do what I do in pressing, but I can only do so much. At the same time, this is a team sport, so for the big plays to happen, for the splash plays that everyone wants to see…it takes all 11 of us.
“So downfield blocking was a big thing that we tried to get better, and that’s the thing I think we did today.”
Just a couple weeks ago, the entire offense was on the same page of saying the metaphorical dam was close to breaking for the run game. It was just a matter of people holding onto their blocks a second longer or things happening out on the perimeter with the wide receivers and tight ends.
Harris thinks they executed on that assignment today, which led to one of the best rushing performances of his career.
Head coach Mike Tomlin was also asked what led to the success, including the big 36-yard touchdown run for Harris.
“I just thought it was a collective effort. Not only the bigs, but the perimeter people and obviously Najee and everyone else,” Tomlin said in a video on the Steelers’ YouTube channel. “That breakout run, I think [Pat Freiermuth] sealed the corner and it allowed him to go. When I look at it, I just felt the collective energy and effort that was necessary.”
Harris summed it up best: there’s a “dirty part of everybody’s game.” For him, it is picking up the blitz in pass protection. For receivers, it is blocking out on the perimeter.
A wide receiver blocking out on the perimeter can be the difference between a five-yard gain and a 20-yard gain. In this case, Harris would have been tackled for an eight-yard gain, but he instead went 36 yards for a touchdown to help the Steelers pull away from the Raiders late in the third quarter.
As a team, the Steelers rushed for 183 yards and three total touchdowns on 35 carries. There were multiple explosive running plays that have been sorely missing from the offense. This is the type of performance they can use to get their identity back on track, and one step closer to that proverbial dam breaking.
