Following the departure of former Pittsburgh Steelers running back, Le'Veon Bell, there were doubts about the team's backfield. The franchise selected James Conner in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft, and he replaced the three-time Pro Bowler quite well. While Conner never eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards in his four seasons in Pittsburgh, he was very productive. Injuries caught up to him, and the team let him walk in free agency in 2021.
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Former Steelers running back, Le'Veon Bell excelled during his time in Pittsburgh, but contract disputes ended in an ugly breakup.
To this day, fans and coaches still remain appreciative of his efforts. He's now in his third season with the Arizona Cardinals and this weekend, he returns to Pittsburgh for the first time since his departure. As always, Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin previewed the team's upcoming opponent in his weekly press conference on Tuesday. In the running game, he highlighted his former player ahead of the Week 13 matchup.
"We can't allow James Conner to do what James does. Know and love and got a lot of respect for James. He is a legitimate tough guy, a big time competitor. Expecting nothing but his absolute best coming back into Pittsburgh because I know him... When he gets into the secondary, he's tough to deal with. He's a combative runner. He has a nose for the line to gain in the goal line, he has his entire career. He's always been a touchdown scorer," Tomlin said about Conner.
Conner has appeared in eight games in 2023, as injuries have plagued him once again. When he's been healthy though, he's been effective. That's been the story of his career, including in his tenure in Arizona thus far. He's missed nine games with the Cardinals since signing with them in 2021. Anyways, in 2023, he has 526 rushing yards on 104 carries and two touchdowns. As Tomlin mentioned, he has a knack for the end zone too.
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Former Steelers running back, James Conner will return to Pittsburgh in Week 13 for the first time since leaving back in 2021.
Back in 2021, Conner finished with a total of 18 touchdowns in 15 games for the Cardinals. The Steelers run defense has been better over the past two weeks against division rivals, as they've allowed a combined 121 rushing yards. They have faced backup quarterbacks in each contest though, which has definitely allowed them to stack the box a bit. As a result, they have evened out in terms of ranks across the NFL.
Will The Steelers Defense Be Able To Slow Down Conner In Week 13?
At this point in the season, Pittsburgh has only allowed the 13th-most rushing yards (1,302). In addition to Conner's tough running, the defense will have to worry about quarterback Kyler Murray's abilities this weekend, as highlighted by Tomlin. Activated off the IR just a few weeks ago, Murray has ran for 86 yards on 14 attempts in his first three games. Additionally, he's scored a rushing touchdown in each of his three starts.
The Steelers haven't faced many running quarterbacks in 2023, although Lamar Jackson did have 45 rushing yards on just six attempts back in Week 5. Murray has faced the Steelers just once in his career, which was back in 2019. The defense was able to get three interceptions off the Cardinals quarterback, a day in which Devlin "Duck" Hodges was Pittsburgh's starter on the other side. In that contest, Murray ran the ball six times for just two yards.
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The Steelers defense will have their hands full in Week 13 with trying to bring down the elusive Cardinals quarterback, Kyler Murray.
A lot has changed since then, but the Steelers have the blueprint to slow him down. They've done well in defending Lamar Jackson over the years, which should help them in their preparation for Murray. Between Conner and Murray though, the defense will have their hands full in stopping the run in Week 13. Conner has averaged over five yards per carry in 2023, so he still has plenty of gas left in the tank.
What were your favorite memories of Conner in a Steelers uniform? What are the keys to victory against the Cardinals in Week 13? Are you confident that the defense can slow down both Conner and Murray in the running game? Share your thoughts in the comment section below, yinz!
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