Are the Steelers running backs as bad as they looked last season?
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There was a time when the running back position was coveted in the NFL. But with the proliferation of the passing offense, the value of the running back position has seen a steady decline.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have four promising backs on the roster but no one looks at this group and sees a feature back among them. And last season, when the quarterback position fell apart, the run game followed.
ESPN ranked every positional unit in the NFL and the have the Steelers checking in at No. 31 among running backs. The only backfield that ranked lower is the Chicago Bears.
Pittsburgh doesn’t have a running back on the roster with a 1,000-yard season and last season no running back rushed for more than 465 yards. This is probably the last chance for Conner to impress and earn a new contract and given the attitude of head coach Mike Tomlin we won’t get much of a look at the rest of the depth chart including Benny Snell Jr., Jaylen Samuels or Anthony McFarland Jr. unless Conner gets hurt again.
Once training camp gets underway, the running back unit will need a lot of work.
Though training camp is expected to start on time, what it will look like is anybody’s guess. When they do get back to work, among the groups that need the most attention are the running backs.
Looking back at 2019
One word for the RB unit: Ouch.
Out of necessity, the Steelers relied on a mish-mash of running backs after starter James Conner dealt with varying injuries over six games last season. Backups Benny Snell and Jaylen Samuels both had knee surgery and also missed a total of five weeks.
Conner was in and out of 10 games and ran for 464 yards, eclipsing the 100-mark in only one game. He was able to add 251 yards receiving and seven all-purpose touchdowns.
Snell appeared in 13 games (two starts) and rushed for 426 and two scores. Samuels was primarily used in the passing game (305 yards receiving) and managed just 175 yards on 66 attempts.
Unfortunately, the offensive line didn’t offer much help in the run blocking department. In 2018, they were ranked 15 in run blocking and regressed to 30th last season.
Looking ahead at 2020
The return of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will speak volumes for establishing the run game. As we witnessed in 2019, it’s a difficult feat to get yards gained on the ground without an air attack.
Signing fullback Derek Watt may signal an intent to utilize the position more to create running lanes. If the Steelers are truly looking to get Conner and company back on track, Watt should see a fair amount of offensive snaps.
Overall
We won’t know until the feet hit the field, but it appears as if head coach Mike Tomlin intends to use Conner for the bulk of the carries this season. He has long dismissed the running backs sharing workloads approach that many teams have adhered to for the past decade.
If Conner can stay healthy for 16 games — which he hasn’t been able to do yet — it could bode well for the team.
Cast your vote to tell us who you think will have the best season of the sophomore players on offense.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have two offensive players heading into their sophomore seasons who can potentially have a big impact in 2020: Wide receiver Diontae Johnson and running back Benny Snell, Jr.
In his rookie season, Johnson contributed 680 yards and five touchdowns. Despite James Conner missing six games in 2019 and getting his chance to shine, Snell and the run game never took off. Snell finished the season with 426 rushing yards and two TDs.
Both positions are loaded and it’s unknown how the depth chart will play out, but who do you think will have the best season when it’s all said and done?
Even though quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will have a plethora of receiving options this season, I still think Johnson will have the most productive season of the two sophomores. Snell might see the field to spell Conner, but unless head coach Mike Tomlin goes back on his decision to stick with one RB, I don’t think Snell will be putting up anything special.
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said he wants to use James Conner as the solo feature runner.
Barring injury, it appears that Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin plans to go with what he knows.
During a live, interactive call with the Steelers Nation Unite fan group on Thursday, Tomlin responded to a question about whether he was planning to deploy a running-back-by-committee approach this season.
“I’m a feature runner type guy by mentality,” Tomlin said. “I think that if you have a featured runner it gives them an opportunity to drop a stake in the ground and allows others to rally around him. It gives you a set of core phase run plays that he specializes in and you find a rhythm in that way. But no question in today’s game that a feature runner needs to be supplemented and supplemented by guys who are capable of doing similar things in case he misses time, but also supplemented by guys who are capable of doing different things to maybe challenge the defense in different ways and I think that’s just the makeup of our group right now.”
“James is a feature runner and a proven guy when healthy and we’re excited about him getting back to health and displaying that in 2020. Benny Snell is a guy who plays with a physical style in a similar manner as James and might be capable of being a James-type guy if James is unavailable. As you mentioned we’re excited about McFarland, who brings a different component. He’s got catch quickness and is quick to speed and is capable of producing big plays in open spaces. We like the collection of guys we have in the group.
The Steelers currently have six running backs on their roster: Conner, Snell, Jaylen Samuels, Kerrith Whyte, Trey Edmunds, and rookie Anthony McFarland.
Conner missed six games in 2019, but still managed to lead the team in rushing with 464 yards. In his absence, Snell got the majority of the carries for 426 yards on 108 attempts. Samuels, Whyte, Edmunds played sparingly, with Samuels being used more as a receiver.
“No question in today’s game, a featured runner needs to be supplemented and supplemented by guys who are capable of doing similar things in case he misses time and some that are capable of doing different things and challenging defenses in different ways,” Tomlin said.
When breaking down the group, Tomlin didn’t mention Samuels, Edmunds, or Whyte but hinted that fullback Derek Watt, signed to the team in March, may see some time in the backfield.
“I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the addition of Derek Watt at the fullback position. We’re excited about him. We’re excited about what the group is going to do largely, but usually, when it’s doing well, it’s because you have a lead dog out front, and that guy is the featured runner.”
“We’re excited about what the group is going to do largely,” Tomlin said. “Usually, when it’s going well, it’s because you have a lead dog out front, and that guy is the featured runner.”
Tomlin had better have a more solid backup plan (pun intended) than he did last season in case Conner misses any amount of time.
The draft selection of running back Anthony McFarland, Jr. could mean a change in the approach to running back use in Pittsburgh.
Drafting Anthony McFarland, Jr., who is more a change-of-pace back at No. 124, instead of workhorse J.K. Dobbins at No. 102, could mean the Steelers are planning for a running-back-by-committee approach in 2020.
Dating back to former head coach Bill Cowher, the Steelers have always been a team to ride a feature back — be it Jerome Bettis, Willie Parker, Le’Veon Bell or James Conner. Even as other teams slowly transitioned to rotating backs in recent years, head coach Mike Tomlin did not budge.
Last season, we saw a mix of Benny Snell and Jaylen Samuels mainly out of necessity due to Conner being sidelined with injuries. The experiment failed miserably, and the Steelers landed in the bottom five in rushing. It was a domino effect after quarterbacks Ben Roethlisberger, and Mason Rudolph went down — the passing game took a hit, the offensive line struggled, and the run game was unsuccessful.
Utilizing multiple backs would be a smart move with a healthy Roethlisberger and an improved offensive line. Limiting Conner’s touches would actually get the most out of him. There’s still plenty of work ahead to determine how best to shuffle Conner, Snell, Samuels, and McFarland.
The best backfields feature different skill sets to exploit mismatches, and the Steelers stable seems prepared to do just that. Conner and Snell run with power and intensity, barreling into defenders in an attempt to gain extra yards. Samuels shows a more patient style, reading the blocks of his offensive line to create holes, and McFarland relies on his vision, explosiveness, and breakaway speed.
RB coach Eddie Faulkner seems to allude to McFarland being more of a complementary back and not expected to carry the load.
“[McFarland] is really explosive,” said Faulkner. “He sees a crease, he has the ability to hit the crease. He gets from zero to 60 really quick. Quickness, speed and has shown the ability to hit the long ball.”
“That is a little bit of a change from what we have. We have those people who are capable of doing it, but when you compare him to the likes of [James] Conner and Benny [Snell], he is a little different as a runner which I think makes us more valuable as a group.”
Faulkner seems to especially value that McFarland comes to the Steelers with little tread on the tires.
“That is definitely a positive,” Faulkner said. “When you are going through the process and speaking about each individual running back, you are speaking about their pros and cons. That was a pro in his regard. I think it doesn’t hurt him. I think he could be the beneficiary of it.”
Like many of the Steelers 2020 draft class, McFarland will need development. He declared for the NFL as a sophomore, with just 23 games under his belt.
Do the Steelers need to draft a quarterback this year?
Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
With just days to go until the 2020 NFL draft, we are going to go through all of the Steelers positional units to review the current state of the roster, gauge draft needs, and talk about some approaches to addressing the need.
Next up, we have the running backs.
Roster
The Steelers currently have four running backs on their roster. James Conner is the most well-known name among the group. Fans love him because he’s a hometown guy, and his victorious battle with cancer is an inspirational backstory everyone admires him for. Who wouldn’t want to see him succeed? When healthy, Conner is a dynamic runner with the versatility to excel as a pass-catcher.
The backups on the roster are Benny Snell, Jr., Jaylen Samuels, and Kerrith Whyte. The overall offense was dreadful in 2019, including one of the worst seasons the offensive line has experienced in recent years. However, a great running back can adjust and still grind out yards. In Conner’s absence, none of the reserves really shined.
The running back class is deep this year, but here’s why the Pittsburgh Steelers shouldn’t wait.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have been lacking a running back capable of carrying the load since Le’Veon Bell left. This is why I believe the team needs to select a running back early in this year’s draft. Drafting is a crapshoot no matter how you look at it — but the deeper the draft goes, especially at the skill position, the more questions there are about talent and durability.
The Steelers have taken an RB over the last three drafts. They were selected the third round (James Conner, 2017), the fifth round (Jaylen Samuels, 2018), and the sixth round (Benny Snell, Jr., 2019). Of the three — injuries notwithstanding — Conner has the most complete game.
On a conference call with Pittsburgh press last week, general manager Kevin Colbert had this to say about their running back position: “It’s our job to make sure we have options and alternatives and competition. That will be what we’ll be working on.”
This comment leads me to believe that the alternatives and competition Pittsburgh wants doesn’t currently exist on the roster.
If I had to guess, the Steelers will show Conner the door in 2021. Before that happens, they’ll want to have some new, young blood who can immediately make an impact.
Some mock drafts have shown Florida State’s Cam Akers still available at No. 102. Should that happen, I say pull the trigger. With 3,361 all-purpose yards and 34 total touchdowns, Akers had a history-making career with the Seminoles. He declared early, so there are only three seasons of tread on those tires and also has a clean slate injury-wise.
Five-star running back Cam Akers was highly-recruited out of Mississippi’s Clinton High School and the top RB in the nation in 2017.
When Akers came to FSU, he had big shoes to fill — those of Dalvin Cook, who went on to be drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the 2017 draft. Akers may not have lived up to Cook’s numbers, due in part to a porous offensive line and overall team performance, but he did break his predecessor’s freshman rushing record with 1,024 yards and seven touchdowns.
The multi-talented RB finished his Seminoles career with 2,875 yards rushing on 586 attempts for 4.9 yards per carry and 27 TDs. He tacked onto that 486 yards receiving and seven scores.
The Steelers need to address the running back position in the 2020 draft. James Conner is in the final season of his contract and one injury away from not getting an extension. The fact that he hasn’t played a full season since being drafted does not bode well for him.
Jaylen Samuels nor Benny Snell, Jr., have shown they have what it takes to be “the guy”. Akers has just the body of work to lead the run attack and, in certain situations, can be used in special plays as a passer to throw off the opposition.
Akers is being projected as the No. 4 RB in the draft meaning the Steelers would have to take him with their first pick (49).
Buffalo Bills opponent information on the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. Credit: Joe Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
The Bills find themselves in a wonderful predicament, but could be all for naught if they can’t find a win over the next three weeks. The 9-4 Buffalo Bills meet the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday Night Football, their first appearance in that primetime slot in some time. Major playoff implications are at stake here, as a Bills loss can knock them back a spot in the Wild Card Race, though still in by a hair.
This is easily the biggest Bills-Steelers match up in some time, so let’s get into their history, statistics and more:
The Bills and Steelers first met on Oct. 11, 1970, in Pittsburgh, with the Steelers winning 23-10.
They met in the 1974 postseason, with Pittsburgh taking a 32-14 win in that game.
The Bills won five straight games against Pittsburgh, from Nov. 9, 1986 to their 1992 AFC Divisional Round Game on Jan. 9, 1993.
Buffalo and Pittsburgh also met in the 1995 AFC Divisional Playoff Game, with the Steelers winning 40-21.
The Bills have not defeated the Steelers in the 21st Century, with their last victory over them on Oct. 10, 1999, in a 24-21 victory.
Buffalo had an opportunity to make the post-season in the 2004-05 season. In a “win and your in” scenario. The Bills starters failed to defeat the Steelers backups, who were 14-1 heading into the final game of the season. Pittsburgh beat Buffalo 29-24, in Buffalo.
Their most recent encounter was a 27-20 win for Pittsburgh, in Buffalo.
Pittsburgh leads the all-time series, 16-9, including playoffs.
2019 So Far
In what has been a challenging year for the Steelers, including their fallout with Antonio Brown, losing Le’Veon Bell, and Ben Roethlisberger succumbing to season-ending injury in Week 2, somehow, the Steelers are still in the playoff picture, and have some favorable circumstances going for them. This season has been a massive testament to Head Coach Mike Tomlin’s ability to lead men on a football field, and is certainly a candidate for Coach of the Year.
Pittsburgh began the season with a blowout loss to the Patriots in the opening Sunday Night Football game for 2019. A 33-3 loss on primetime was no way to start the season, especially with many questioning how Pittsburgh would be effected by the losses of Bell and Brown. From there on, two more losses, a close one against Seattle, 26-28, their last game with Big Ben under center for this year, as well as a 20-24 loss to the 49ers. All three quality teams, and playoff teams at that, right now, in Week 15. Not too shabby for a team of backups despite the losses.
They earned their first win on Monday Night Football in Week 4 against the Bengals, a dominant win against a team that only has one win to it’s credit so far this season. This is also when the Steelers traded for safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, a trade that turned around their defense.
However, since that Bengals win, Pittsburgh has only lost twice. To the Baltimore Ravens, a 23-26 loss in overtime, and to the Cleveland Browns in Week 11, a 21-7 loss that ended in a chaotic situation.
Pittsburgh has defeated the Chargers, Dolphins, Colts, Rams, Bengals again, Browns and Cardinals, and face a relatively favorable schedule these last three weeks. They hold criteria over a few teams that are breathing down their neck, and a win over the Bills would nearly secure their playoff aspirations.
Currently, Pittsburgh is the 29th ranked offense, with 3,771 yards of total offense. They are 31st in passing, with 2,541 pass yards and 25th in rushing with 1,230 yards on the ground.
It’s truly impressive how successful that Pittsburgh has been, especially with their personnel under center. Three quarterbacks have taken snaps for the Steelers in 2019. Ben Roethlisberger, Mason Rudolph, and most recently and successfully, Devlin Hodges. The Bills had four last season and their season was not a success.
Rudolph’s tenure as starting QB was enough for him to be at 31st in the NFL in passing yards with 1,636 passing yards, 12 passing touchdowns and nine interceptions. He had a 5-3 record as a starter. In three starts, Hodges is 3-0, and 39th in passing yards with 682 passing yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions. Roethlisberger had 351 passing yards, zero touchdowns and one interception in his tenure.
It hasn’t been a great year for last year’s emerging rush sensation, James Conner. Conner was a certified stud in 2018, filling in seamlessly for the boycotting Bell. This year has been drastically different, with injuries. James Conner is currently ranked 44th in the NFL amongst rushers, leading Pittsburgh with 390 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns. Benny Snell is next up in rushing leaders for Pittsburgh with 320 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown. Snell is ranked 49th in rushing.
Pittsburgh’s highest ranked receiver in yardage, is James Washington, who is currently ranked 50th in the NFL. He has accrued 611 yards receiving on the year, Next in line, Ju-Ju Smith Schuster, who is ranked 63rd in receiving yards, with 524 yards. Schuster has dealt with injuries all year, and has not been able to handle the workload of being a No. 1 WR with Brown leaving, and it has harmed him statistically.
One aspect that is keeping the Steelers alive and well in the playoff race is their defense, which is star studded. They are the fifth ranked defense in the NFL, allowing 4,042 yards of offense against them. Pittsburgh is also the fifth ranked passing defense, allowing 2,727 yards by air, and they are eighth in rush defense with 1,315 yards allowed.
Their defense is led by talents of T.J. Watt, Joe Haden, Bud Dupree, Cameron Hayward, Fitzpatrick, and many others.
My observations and reactions to the Pittsburgh Steelers week 14 win against the Arizona Cardinals.
Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
The Steelers took care of business against a competitive Arizona Cardinals team in week 14. The defense continued to roll holding their fifth straight opponent to 21 or fewer points. Devlin Hodges turned in an efficient performance and became the first rookie undrafted free-agent quarterback to win his first three starts. The Steelers have won seven of their last eight games and control their playoff destiny. Here are my gut reactions:
Beating the Odds
It was good to see the Steelers actually get to play with a lead. The offensive game plan was still conservative, Hodges finished with 16 completions and a touchdown on 19 attempts, but that was good enough for a win. Just as important as Hodges 152 passing yards was the fact that he didn’t turn the ball over.
Hodges’ contributions as a rusher shouldn’t be overlooked either. He scrambled five times for 34 yards and ironically outrushed counterpart Kyler Murray. Hodges an undrafted free agent beat the first overall draft pick at his own game, but his solid performance was overshadowed by Dionte Johnson’s breakout day.
