Steelers' Aaron Rodgers Gets Eye-Opening Advice To Take A Backseat To Jaylen Warren

The Pittsburgh Steelers might have a better offense if their future Hall of Fame quarterback spent a little less time throwing the football. It's a strange conversation to have about someone who has won four NFL MVP awards, especially with Pittsburgh sitting at 6-2. However, one national analyst believes the Steelers are making life unnecessarily difficult for themselves, and the numbers suggest he has a pretty compelling argument.

NFL analyst Steve Palazzolo wants Aaron Rodgers to spend more time handing the football to Jaylen Warren. Pittsburgh has developed arguably the most efficient rushing attack in football, but its play distribution doesn't necessarily reflect that strength.

During a recent appearance, Palazzolo highlighted the considerable difference between Pittsburgh's rushing and passing efficiency.

“The run game, plus .12 EPA per play, which is outstanding. That's like a solid pass game. That's an outstanding run game. And the pass game is negative .11, which is pretty bad. They still have one of the most 'passy' offenses in the league,” Palazzolo said.

Expected points added (EPA) measures how much a play improves or worsens an offense's scoring prospects based on its situation. Pittsburgh ranks first in rushing EPA per play, while its passing efficiency sits near the bottom of the league. Despite that discrepancy, the Steelers have passed on approximately 62% of their offensive plays, according to Football Savant.

The most convincing argument for changing that distribution is Warren himself. Through eight games, the former undrafted running back has rushed for 704 yards on 119 carries, averaging a league-leading 5.9 yards per attempt among players with at least 50 carries. He's also added 294 receiving yards, putting him just two yards shy of 1,000 yards from scrimmage.

That's an outrageous amount of production for somebody averaging fewer than 15 carries per game.

“I will continue to pound the table if you're a Steelers fan, and I think you want to see more of Jaylen Warren. Not necessarily more of Rico Dowdle, but you can mix him in. Jaylen Warren though is a star and playing like a star every time he touches the ball,” Palazzolo said.

Rico Dowdle has been a useful addition to Pittsburgh's backfield, particularly since returning from a toe injury. He carried the ball 15 times for 56 yards against the Cleveland Browns on November 1. Warren needed just two more carries to produce 143 yards. Pittsburgh should continue using both backs, but there's little reason to treat their opportunities as interchangeable.

Rodgers' performance against Cleveland illustrated Palazzolo's point. The veteran completed 13 of 25 passes for 172 yards, no touchdowns and an interception. Pittsburgh still won 27-6 because its rushing attack produced 200 yards and three touchdowns. The Steelers didn't need Rodgers to put together a vintage performance, and that's a luxury the quarterback should embrace.

Palazzolo offered a particularly direct assessment of where Rodgers stands at this stage of his career.

“Rodgers hasn't played great football for the last few years. He's managing it all right this year, but also isn't at the same time. He needs to hand it off a little bit more to Jaylen Warren,” Palazzolo said.

Rodgers has thrown for 1,871 yards, 13 touchdowns and six interceptions this season, completing 60.8% of his passes. Those numbers aren't disastrous, but his 86.2 passer rating is hardly reminiscent of the quarterback who terrorized defenses during his prime.

Pittsburgh's red-zone decision-making has already generated considerable scrutiny, particularly regarding Rodgers' freedom to change plays at the line of scrimmage. Head Coach Mike McCarthy and Offensive Coordinator Brian Angelichio share responsibility for establishing an approach that takes advantage of Warren's breakout season.

That doesn't mean Rodgers should blindly hand the football off against every defensive alignment. His ability to recognize an overloaded box and exploit favorable coverage remains valuable. Pittsburgh simply needs to make opponents prove they can stop Warren before voluntarily moving away from him.

Steelers Have Already Seen What Warren Can Do Against Cincinnati

Sunday night's matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals presents an excellent opportunity to embrace that philosophy. Warren rushed for 127 yards on 17 carries in Pittsburgh's September victory over Cincinnati, adding another 49 yards through the air.

With Joe Burrow operating one of the NFL's most productive offenses, Pittsburgh would benefit from sustaining possessions and keeping Cincinnati's offense on the sideline. Warren's ability to create explosive gains also means the Steelers don't have to sacrifice scoring potential to accomplish that.

McCarthy has publicly acknowledged that Warren deserves the football as often as possible. Now it's about putting that belief into practice. Rodgers came to Pittsburgh to help the Steelers win meaningful football games. At this point in his career, recognizing when someone else gives the offense its best chance to succeed might be one of the most valuable things he can do.

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