By means of two weeks, Steelers’ halfback Najee Harris has recorded simply 72 dashing yards on 25 makes an attempt. In the meantime, Bengals’ quarterback Joe Burrow has been sacked 13 occasions for a complete lack of 73 yards. Harris has been so inefficient (3.47 yards per carry) that he’s recorded fewer yards on the bottom than the Bengals have misplaced through sacks. That’s not a great signal for both group, however whereas I consider the Bengals and their reworked offensive line will determine it out, I’m not so positive the identical might be mentioned about Najee Harris.
Thursday night time ought to see Harris’s struggles proceed. The Browns are clearly a strong protection with a terrific entrance seven. They’re solely permitting 3.8 yards per carry, the eighth-lowest mark of 2022 up to now, all whereas dealing with Carolina’s Christian McCaffrey, then Breece Corridor and Michael Carter of the Jets, of their first two video games. These aren’t pushovers. New York’s and the Panthers’ offensive strains definitely are, however the backs themselves are usually not.
That development will proceed with Harris and the Steelers. Certain, Jadeveon Clowney received’t be taking part in tonight, however Clowney’s strengths have by no means lied in his means to cease the run. In actual fact, his probably alternative, third-round rookie Alex Wright was heralded for his measurement, however by no means his pass-rushing capabilities. Though Wright had a bent to drop his head towards the run, that’s probably one thing that the Browns labored with him on this offseason. Other than that one adverse, Wright’s strengths out of faculty have nearly solely come as a run defender sealing off the sting. There could also be a drop-off in rush protection from Cleveland, but it surely shouldn’t be as large an issue as Clowney’s absence makes it appear.
Because the begin of the season, there is just one starter on the Steelers’ offensive line — Chukwuma Okorafor — with a run-blocking grade larger than 65, which isn’t that top a grade. In actual fact, it’s mainly alternative stage. But 4 of the Steelers’ 5 starters can’t even handle that. That’s not one thing that’s going to drastically enhance by the tip of the season, and for his or her matchup towards Cleveland tonight, it spells catastrophe.
The Cleveland entrance seven has been spectacular towards the run in clutch conditions. Solely 20.5 p.c of opponent dashing makes an attempt have gone for first downs. That’s the eighth-best mark within the league. Contemplating that the Pittsburgh offensive line at present ranks twenty third in adjusted line yards (3.88), Harris most likely received’t get into the second stage fairly often. That mentioned, the Steelers’ offensive line is mediocre in relation to stuff charge (share of runs the place the operating again is met by a defender at or earlier than the road of scrimmage), that means that Harris may see persistently constructive yardage, even when there wouldn’t be a lot acquire. It will be sloppy, however that’s how Harris may have an effect on the bottom, by placing the Steelers into Third-and-short-to-manageable conditions. Clearly, he may have a a lot larger influence by way of the air, however after two weeks, Harris has solely seen eight targets. Plus, in his two profession video games towards Cleveland, he’s solely seen a complete of six targets. Though, with the addition of George Pickens to the broad receiver corps and the emergence of Pat Freiermuth as an efficient short-yardage passing possibility, I discover it unlikely Harris will get extra motion within the passing recreation tonight.
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Moreover, of the 23 operating backs ever to report lower than 4 yards a carry whereas toting the rock a minimum of 300 occasions at 25 or youthful, solely seven went on to have over 1,000 yards dashing the next season, and solely two have finished it because the begin of the twenty first century (LaDainian Tomlinson and Clinton Portis, each in 2005). Let’s be clear, it’s nonetheless too early to inform, however Najee Harris doesn’t fairly look like on the extent of both of these males I simply listed.
Harris is clearly an enormously-talented particular person, however and not using a first rate run-blocking offensive line and a quarterback that’s averaging 5.1 yards per cross try (useless final amongst QBs with a minimum of 30 cross makes an attempt this yr), his influence in video games through the bottom assault will likely be minimal. All this mentioned, I do know I’ve talked unhealthy in regards to the Steelers’ offensive line loads, however they had been capable of produce a 1,000-yard rusher in 2021 whereas recording an adjusted line yard charge of three.75. They’re doing higher than that up to now this yr, so so long as the Steelers’ protection can hold that inefficient offense in video games, then maybe there’s hope for Harris to return to type. It simply (most likely) received’t occur this week.
