PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – It’s really something that has been building over the course of the season. Now the Steelers really trying to ride the wave of their running back to what would be the AFC upset of the Wild Card weekend.
Over the first seven weeks, the Steelers rushed for over 100 yards in two games. Since then, all but two games (New England, Indianapolis), the Steelers have cracked triple digits. Twice they’ve gone over 200 yards including at Seattle and then another 155 in the pouring rain in Baltimore.
Najee Harris said it’s not just him, even though he’s the lead back with a third straight season over 1,000 yards, including 100-yard games in each of the last two wins. Although let’s start with Harris, who has seemed to be more decisive and forceful in his runs recently.
“That's who he is,” said Steelers offensive coordinator Eddie Faulkner. “This late in the season, that kind of body, that's what you want. That was the purpose of why Najee is here. I'm not surprised by it. We've been fortunate where he's been able to stay healthy throughout his career and get to this point late in the season, so that part has been awesome.”
“But I think we can all see kind of how that pile has been moving forward and just the war of attrition that he brings to the defense. You know, we love it.”
It starts on the offensive line and you could see the curve starting upwards after rookie Broderick Jones was put in the starting lineup.
“With the conditions that we’ve been put in, running the ball is a big emphasis for us,” Jones said. “We continue to try and build on that and grow on that. At the end of the day, Najee, Jaylen, all those guys to a great job of running the ball, taking care of it. Us up front, we are just trying to do what we can keeping the holes open, blocking downfield, pushing the pile. All the things that make us great.”
“I think it’s everybody,” said tackle Dan Moore. “I think it’s receivers blocking on the edge. I think they are challenging each other. I think there is a more team comradery.”
“I think there is a confidence boost, you win three games, two on the road. You see that you can do it, that makes you want to go out and do it every week. We understand we have the guys and have the talent, now it’s about doing it.”
Faulkner said he thinks the line has just bought in. Jones agrees with that, saying it’s been the emphasis of meetings since Faulkner took over for Matt Canada before the first Cincinnati game. He said Faulkner and offensive line coach Pat Meyer do a great job of running meetings. They also provide all kinds of looks at practice, including those they weren’t expecting. Just so there are no surprises on game day.
Weather will most likely dictate they run the ball on MOnday. Buffalo knows it’s coming. How do they continue to have success?
“(Mike) Tomlin has been saying for the past few weeks ‘run it anyway’,” Moore said. “With it being this late in the season, obviously a game of attrition, defenses wearing out. You got to be able to rely on your run game. I think we are getting hot just at the right time.”
“By scheme, but also by everybody doing their job,” said Steelers TE Connor Heyward. “Everybody winning their one-on-one, if you are double-teamed winning that double-team up to the backer.”
“It is going to be a dirty game. A game where your mental toughness is tested. It’s a game that will be won in the trenches.”
Diontae Johnson said if the game comes down to the trenches, the Steelers will win. He believes in the offensive line that much. Harris says they’ve seen some tendencies in the Bills defense they can exploit.
Can this offense that rushed for 96 yards total in the first two games continue to dominate to the tune of 357 yards in the last two.
“I could see us dominating up front,” Jones said. If that’s the case, Sunday will be a lot closer than the point spread indicates.