PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – On the surface it seems simple, you would play someone averaging five yards a carry over someone averaging 3.2. It's not always that easy, as Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin said today about playing Jaylen Warren more in the run game owning the better stats.
"We've been playing Jaylen increasingly anyway and I think that's going to continue," Tomlin said Tuesday. "I think he's proven that he's a capable varsity player."
The undrafted free agent has handled most situations well, he has 94 rushing yards on 19 carries compared to 222 yards on 69 carries for Najee Harris. The 2021 first-round pick has 13 receptions for 64 yards, to Warren's seven for 46 yards. The stats tell a pretty one-sided story.
What's happened to the player the Steelers were going to build a new offense around? Harris rushed for a Steelers rookie record 1,200 yards last year and had the most touches of anyone in the NFL.
"He missed some time in team development and that may be a component of him finding or not finding rhythm," Tomlin said noting Harris couldn't practice for most of training camp with what Harris said was a lizfranc (foot) injury. Other than a few glimpses against the Browns and Jets, Harris has struggled (11 carries for 20 yards against the Bills).
"Probably it's reflective of where we are," Tomlin added. "It's tough to analyze individual components of something when things unfolded Sunday the way they unfolded from a collective perspective."
We've heard the players discuss needing an identity and now with a rookie quarterback, really with any quarterback, a healthy run-game would speed up the process of growth. The admission of the need to get Warren on the field more speaks to where Tomlin's mind is now.
Earlier in the year, the easy blame was the offensive line. You hardly ever hear about that now with multiple games showing holes which Harris admitted he needs to do a better job of finding.
"We need plays from all parties involved," Tomlin said. "That has transpired and will continue to transpire. If you talk about touches and rhythm and things of that nature, you win weighty downs. You win possession downs, that creates opportunities for everyone-whether it's the run game, targets from a receiving standpoint, running back rhythm. The winning of possession downs aids all of those discussions because it produces more downs."
You'll see more opportunities for the rookie tailback, but Tomlin said there is more that goes into run-game production than just a different ball carrier.
