The Pittsburgh Steelers have made an encouraging begin to their floor sport in current weeks, coming off a really robust 205-yard sport in opposition to the Inexperienced Bay Packers, who have been stable in opposition to the run coming into the Week 10 sport (thirteenth in yards per carry) .
It is refreshing to see the bully mentality come to life, beginning with improved o-line play, as they put together for 2 robust divisional video games, and can hopefully proceed to be an essential device in piling up key wins for play- off possibilities in case of violation.
Whereas RB Jaylen Warren has made stable contributions this season, he’s coming off his first 100-yard dashing efficiency in Week 10. Together with Najee Harris (82 rush yards), he had far more room to roam, with the o-line having the second-most yards earlier than contact over the previous three seasons, impressively.
One other issue that’s encouraging, particularly for Warren, is how usually he has pressured missed tackles. To spotlight this, here’s a graphic of operating backs with no less than 55 rush makes an attempt, and their pressured missed tackles as rushers and receivers:
Right here we see that Warren is nicely above league common in each instances, tied for first in pressured missed tackles as a receiver with 17. He has additionally shot as much as seventh within the run sport with 27, because of main the league. 9 pressured missed tackles in Week 10, three greater than every other operating again. Spectacular. He additionally delivered 5 within the earlier week 9 match, which was his second-best results of the season and tied for second within the league.
As Warren has proven within the receiving sport for a lot of the season, he can use his bowling ball model with the ball in house. It is no coincidence that it is beginning to present up within the operating sport these days, with the O-line permitting him to spice up and maximize this ability. The purpose sizes additionally spotlight Warren’s efficiency with fewer makes an attempt (71), which places him second out of 41 qualifiers, and the way spectacular he has been in that function regardless of restricted alternatives.
Harris can also be encouragingly above common in each, simply barely as a rusher with 21 pressured missed tackles (T-18th), on 116 makes an attempt (twenty first, 45 greater than Warren). Certainly one of many examples that shed extra context on Warren’s achievements. Optimistically, Harris’ ability/construct may result in extra manufacturing sooner or later if he’s extra selective on hurdles, for instance. Harris’ 9 pressured missed tackles as a receiver rank ninth-best, with the Steelers duo each impressively within the prime ten.
All issues thought-about, issues are trying vivid for the run sport if the Steelers can maintain these current tendencies going. The following step could also be one of many hardest assessments potential, in opposition to a powerful Cleveland Browns protection that ranks close to the highest in lots of statistical classes. This features a first rank in dashing success allowed for operating backs. Cleveland’s protection held the Ravens to their lowest dashing yards of 2023 (106) final week.
Hopefully Pittsburgh’s run sport can rise to the problem, with the o-line and robust one-two punch within the backfield in current weeks can maintain issues shifting, which might be enormous because the Steelers look to proceed their two-game profitable streak strengthen with an essential division victory.
