Steelers running game dominates New Orleans in victory

Published November 13, 6:31 EDT
by Bo Marchionte

Pittsburgh – It only took nine games, but the Steelers finally looked like a complete team offensively against the New Orleans Saints, in Pittsburgh’s 20-10 win.

“If we were playing that way (today),” offensive lineman Kevin Doston said. “This record would be a lot better.”

Pittsburgh avoided their third straight loss with the win putting them at 3-6 in the AFC North. The victory today was vintage Steelers football.

A dominating ground game fed off the defense making plays.

“The offensive line played their asses off, but they do every week,” Najee Harris after the team’s best rushing performance of the year. The Steelers more than doubled their 94.8 average over the first eight games with an outstanding 217 yards via their potent rushing attack.

“We’re finishing a lot more,” Harris said. But it all starts with them. The line did the best so far this year.”

Harris benefited with his best game of the season. He reached 20 carries for the time this season to go along with 99 yards rushing. His 36-yard run in the first half, helped set the tone for what Pittsburgh wanted to do offensively.

The Steelers are 7-1-1 when Harris receives 20 or more carries or more.

“This is just a day when stuff was clicking,” Dotson said. “Everything came together like we planned it and that is really what we been looking for all year. Those are the type plays we needed all year.”

It was the perfect combination of the Steelers defense keeping the Saints offense under wraps while the ground game churned out the yards needed to keep the defense fresh. Two interceptions and some key plays forced New Orleans into awkward down and distances.

“I thought we did a good job of either getting off the field by turnover or just those fourth down stops were huge,” Cameron Heyward after the win.

Pittsburgh ran (no pun intended) 79 offensive plays. In their previous eight games the team averaged 63.2 plays per game. Against the Saints, the team managed nearly 16 more plays (15.8) and walked away with a much-needed win.

“I think the best defense is the defense on the sideline,” Heyward said. “When the offense can sustain drives and continue to keep pounding them it’s huge.

“We love seeing their defenders tired. Seeing that they are kind of annoyed they must keep going out there. I will be the happiest guy if I only play 20 snaps in a game. Hasn’t happen yet but I’m looking forward to.”

When Harris was catching a breather, undrafted Jaylen Warren was doing his part in keeping the run game on point. Warren along with Harris, Kenny Pickett, and George Pickens all registered runs of 20-yards or longer.

“We’ve been talking about it,” Tomlin said of the committee approach in the backfield. “Jaylen has been playing well and deserving more reps, and what transpired today was reflective of that.”

Warren joked with the media afterwards at his locker about his hurdle late in the game that helped seal the game. It was reminiscent of the giants leaps Harris does over defenders.

“He said I finally got a hurdle,” Warren laughed in regard to what Najee told him after play.

Warren acknowledged that the way Harris exploits opponents with his jumps is something that he isn’t on par with.

“That’s him man,” Warren said awe. “I can’t do that stuff, but it happened. I actually went up to Najee and asked – Do I look like you, bro? I was trying to put on my Najee (Harris) shoes.”

Pittsburgh dormant offense came to life finally.

“We had a good feeling about today with our run game,” center Mason Cole said. “We had some explosive runs in the first half that set us up more in the second half.”

Cole he could feel the momentum coming out of halftime that what Pittsburgh was doing could help keep the Saints on their back foot.

“Awe, think going into the second half. You start to get a feel for what their adjustments are,” Cole said.

“You start to wear them down a little bit. We put together some long drives. You know when you’re in the kitchen and you know when you’re not.”

The Steelers were cooking with oil this afternoon. It’s the recipe for success that the organization has thrived on for decades.

Only time will tell if they plan to eat off the same menu moving forward.  

 

Photo Credit Frank Hyatt