Will the Steelers lean on the run game after last week’s struggles without DK Metcalf?
The Steelers are playing for the division title and are without, by far, their top receiver; will they run the ball instead? That’s what they supposedly designed the offense to do all year long, and they have Isaac Seumalo back. Broderick Jones is out, of course, and now they’ve also lost Darnell Washington, which significantly complicates the run game, too.
The Ravens’ run defense is—solid, not exceptional, certainly not something the Steelers should fear. They have allowed 1,713 yards on 410 attempts, averaging 4.2 yards per carry with 16 touchdowns. Most of those numbers rank near the top 10, either just inside or just outside.
Then again, most of the Steelers’ better efforts in the run game came against run defenses ranked toward the bottom. The Bengals and Bears, for example, or the Dolphins and Lions. But this is a team that claims to want to run the ball and to be able to run it even when the defense knows you’re going to run it.
And based on last week’s performance, the Steelers should probably want to lean on the run game. Aaron Rodgers had little rapport with his receivers, especially Marquez Valdes-Scantling. Despite their history together, they went 3-for-9 against the Browns, replete with miscommunications.
As for the Steelers, their run game, by the numbers, has not been very impressive this year. That’s partly because they have the sixth-fewest rushing attempts in the NFL, translating to the seventh-fewest yards. But they rank 19th in rushing touchdowns and 16th in yards per carry. Considering they get little yardage from running quarterbacks, that’s not too shabby at 4.3 yards per clip.
This season, Jaylen Warren has rushed for 892 yards on 197 attempts, or 4.5 yards per carry. Kenneth Gainwell has 527 yards on 109 attempts, or 4.8 yards per carry. That is, of course, the core of the Steelers’ standard run game, so when their actual running backs are running the ball, things have tended to work out fairly well. Between the two, they also have about a 55-percent run success rate. But can they ride the run game to success on Sunday—and to a division title?
After another disappointing season and months of retooling, the Steelers are set to try it all again in 2025. Though they limped into the playoffs, they once again embarrassed themselves therein.
Just like last year, the biggest question hanging over the Steelers is the quarterback question. They settled in on Aaron Rodgers, but we still have a lot to learn about him. The 2025 NFL Draft class could play a big role, but veteran additions like Jalen Ramsey will be paramount.
Now we are in the regular season. From Rodgers to George Pickens to Minkah Fitzpatrick and Ramsey, we’ve seen the Steelers make some big changes. Now it’s about evaluating the roster in place and figuring out how it all works out.
