The Pittsburgh Steelers know the statistic that keeps getting thrown around about being out-gained in every game during the 2023 season, and after a 2023 Week 10 victory over the Green Bay Packers, that trend continued. Despite that fact, the running game seemed to have found its footing for the second consecutive game, and a major factor of that improvement has been the play of Jaylen Warren. Sitting at 6-3 and right in the thick of the AFC playoff race, Kenny Pickett spoke on how much much he appreciates Warren and what he brings to Pittsburgh's offense.
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Pittsburgh Steelers Running Back Jaylen Warren is an excellent compliment in 2023 to the bruising running style of Najee Harris
Steelers' Warren Has A Bond With Pickett
Warren and Pickett come from two different ends of the football spectrum, with Warren signed an undrafted free agent by Pittsburgh following the 2022 NFL Draft, and Pickett being taken with the 20th overall pick in 2022. Despite the difference in how they came into the league, Pickett considers Warren to be among the best teammates he has had in his football career. After Pittsburgh's nail-biting 23-19 win in their 2023 Week 10 matchup with the Packers, Pickett told the media exactly how much his friendship and bond with Warren means to him.
"I think just as a teammate, the way he goes about his business, how hard he plays, the way he practices, the way he goes about his business, you know, one of the best teammates I'd probably say I've had in career - football playing career. So, can't say enough great things about 30 [Warren] and what he does for us."
Warren may be a humble person, but there is no denying the impact that he has had on the Steelers' offense during the past two weeks. In Pittsburgh's 2023 Week 9 victory over the Tennessee Titans, Warren put together an 88-yard performance and followed that up with his first 100-yard game of the season by rushing for 101 yards and a touchdown against the Packers in their Week 10 win. With that kind of production, it's easy to see why Warren got the complimentary words that he did from his quarterback.
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Pittsburgh Steelers Running Back Najee Harris has benefited from Jaylen Warren's differing style in 2023
Steelers Riding Warren To Success
The noise from the media regarding the situation in Pittsburgh's backfield made much more of the competition between Warren and Najee Harris than there actually was. Behind the scenes were two hardworking young men who were aiming to help their team string together victories, no matter who got the touches or yards.
Every NFL team would take the challenge of having two talented, driven running backs to divide touches between, and Pittsburgh needs to be aware of how lucky they are to be in that position. While Harris may have been drafted to turn the running game around in Pittsburgh, the team has found even more success by leaning into a two-back system rather than seeking to run the wheels off of Harris.
The triggers from the Le'Veon Bell situation have left the Steelers wary of star running backs, but with Warren in the mix, this can become a true two-headed monster rather than a distracting battle in the backfield.
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Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren is the speedy spark that the 2023 Steelers rushing attack desperately needed
Through weeks nine and ten of the 2023 season, Pittsburgh has put together their two best rushing performances of the campaign. They tallied 166 yards rushing against the Titans in Week 9 and then upped that by racking up 205 yards on the ground in their Week 10 win over the Packers. The 2023 Steelers have made winning close games into an art form, but it appears the struggling Pittsburgh offense might be putting something together that resembles stability and balance. The offensive line opened up holes that allowed Warren and Harris to consistently earn chunk plays that were few and far between in the previous weeks.
With plenty of football left to be played in the 2023 season, seeing the Steelers start to find some form of identity may have been the hope that Steelers fans were looking for. Whether it was Matt Canada on the sidelines or simply an offense finally figuring things out, no one would mind seeing more of the same as 2023 progresses.
How many yards will Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren combine in the 2023 season?
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