The Pittsburgh Steelers have clinched a playoff berth and are looking to end the season on a high note. They are coming off two tough losses against the Philadelphia Eagles and the Baltimore Ravens. These games have shown a noticeable concern at a key position on the team. The performance of Najee Harris in both of these games was not excellent. It also led to people wondering if Jaylen Warren could step in as the starting running back on this team. Tough showings against playoff teams have led to questions about the running backs for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Questions About The Running Backs for The Pittsburgh Steelers
Najee Harris This Season
Najee Harris has shown that he can be positively consistent. There was a three-week span earlier in the season where he put up at least 100 yards on the ground. These weeks came against the Raiders, Jets, and the Giants. The schedule for the Pittsburgh Steelers became more tough after their bye week. Not only were there tough opponents, but weather conditions became brutal as well. In a snowy matchup against the Browns, Harris was only able to rush for 41 yards on the ground.
The past two weeks were not easy for Harris as two solid defenses shut him down. Harris only rushed for 14 yards against the Eagles and even had a costly fumble. He was not able to gain any momentum the following week against a division rival. Harris rushed the ball nine times for 42 yards against the Ravens the week after. Harris has gone over 65 yards rushing once in his last seven matchups. Some of his performances after the bye week have not been ideal especially if he wants to cash in on a big contract after the season.
Steelers declined the fifth-year option on RB Najee Harris, giving him the ability to become an unrestricted free agent after this season.
Steelers are not ruling out a deal later on. pic.twitter.com/EFNi7nHzW6
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 2, 2024
What Jaylen Warren Brings To The Table
Jaylen Warren is the backup running back behind Najee Harris. There have been times throughout the season when he looked more elusive out on the field. While his performances have been limited because of his backup role, there are times when he can still stand out. This past week against the Ravens was solid for someone in a backup role. Even though he only rushed for 48 yards, he still brought in five catches for 55 yards. These types of performances have left people wondering what more Warren could do if he was given a starting role on this team.
Closing Out The Season
Big performances at the running back position are crucial for the Steelers in many different ways. It is important to see if this duo is able to be exceptional against tough teams that are bound for the playoffs. This did not take place against the Eagles and the Ravens. This duo also needs to come up big whenever a key player on offense goes down. The Steelers were without top wide receiver George Pickens in those two big matchups against the Eagles and Ravens. Harris and Warren did not take advantage of this opportunity of having a bigger role on offense. If this duo starts to bring in solid performances weekly, the Steelers offense will be running more smoothly as they head into the playoffs.
Maon Image:Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images
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