3 ways RB Najee Harris has helped improve Steelers' running game
Najee Harris has been impressive as of late. Even though the NFL has transitioned into a more pass-heavy style of play, having a reliable running back can change the offensive makeup of any team. That's exactly what the Steelers were hoping for when they drafted Harris from Alabama.
The rookie running back has impressed thus far, earning him the NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Month honors for October. Harris is a three-down back that changes the offensive prowess of a team that sorely needs it. With Roethlisberger slowly losing his elite QB status, Harris is there to pick up the pace.
Here are three ways Najee Harris has improved the rushing game for the Steelers.
How impactful is Najee Harris?
Reliable scorer
Believe it or not, touchdowns matter. Crazy, right? Should a team march their way down the field and only end up with a field goal or less, it could mean they will not be able to keep up with the pace of their opponents.
He scored a touchdown in every game in October 💪
@ohthatsNajee22 has been named the NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Month.
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Teams that continuously find a way to score touchdowns usually end up winning. That designation may sound simplistic, but successful trips to the red zone make all the difference in the world. That is the case for Najee Harris, who has scored in every single game in October.
That reliable scoring means the game will lean in the favor of the Steelers. Should Big Ben not complete a pass for a touchdown, then Harris can come in and punch the ball into the end zone. It's as simple as that. Score a touchdown and win the game. Harris was capable of doing that every single week. That is impressive.
Move the chains
Another important element in any game is the ability to score first downs. Moving the chains helps to keep scoring drives alive, and is a great way to eat up the clock so that teams' opponents don't have their own time to score. Time management is a huge aspect of an NFL game.
Throughout October, Harris was able to achieve at least 4.0 yards per carry. That's a massive number in the grand scheme of things. Every ten yards is a first down, and Harris was able to achieve half of that with every carry. That was a huge help when marching down the field. Especially with Big Ben's arm coming into question.
With a proper run game, the Steelers can turn their attention to using a more quick and efficient type of passing game and a reliable run game to clean things up.
Offensive look
A running game is needed when trying to showcase different offensive looks. Should a team have a poor running game, then the opposing defense will know that they must pass the ball with almost every play. That one-sided offensive game can quickly be sniffed out and adjusted for.
Najee Harris up the middle! @ohthatsNajee22 #HereWeGo
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All opposing teams would have to do is watch the film, see what type of offense their opponents look like, and make sure they use coverage to stop their pass attempts. Being that they have no running game to complement their offensive look.
Harris, being such an important and useful tool to help break up the monotony of the passing game, helps the Steelers create many different looks on offense that will have opposing defenses guessing what to do next.