Steelers lean on Najee Harris, running game in win at Ravens

BALTIMORE — In week the leading up to Saturday’s regular-season finale, Najee Harris said, the Pittsburgh Steelers expected to lean on the running game.

One way a reporter put it after the game was the Steelers put their offense on Harris’ shoulders.

“It’s not the first time that’s happened,” Harris said, matter-of-factly, after he starred during a 17-10 win.

Technically, that’s not true. Harris over his three-year career had never had more than 30 touches in a game. He had 31 — 26 carries and five receptions — in amassing 133 yards from scrimmage to lead all players in the game.

Only twice has Harris had more carries in an NFL game — and one of those occasions came last week, when he ran 27 times for 122 yards in a 30-23 victory at the Seattle Seahawks. Harris set new a career high for carries over a two-game span (53), and he has had the second-most rushing yards he’s ever posted over a two-game span as a pro (234).

“We knew that going into the game, we knew the weather report, we knew exactly what type if game it was going to be: physical,” Harris said, alluding to the steady rain and cold wind the teams played in all evening Saturday.

Though Baltimore rested many regulars, most of its starting front seven played significant snaps. Still, the Steelers’ 155 rushing yards were the second-most allowed all season by a Ravens defense that came in ranked a respectable 12th in the league allowing an average of 106.6 rushing yards.

“We wanted to play so physical that if they did play their (starters), we wanted (Ravens coach John Harbaugh) to say, ‘We gotta get them out of there’ because of how physical we were playing,” Harris said. “And I think we did that today.”

Related:

• Steelers hold on against Ravens, hope for help to reach playoffs
• Feats of strength: Mason Rudolph, Diontae Johnson help Steelers outlast Ravens
• 'It's not up to us': Steelers' playoff fate in hands of AFC foes on final day of regular season

Harris has 312 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns in the three games since Mason Rudolph took over as starting quarterback.

Over the past 10 games the Steelers are averaging 145.2 rushing yards, a figure that would rank third in the league over the course of the season.

“Very special,” Rudolph said of the Steelers’ running game. “(Offensive line coach) Pat Meyer and the offensive line have done a tremendous job of just controlling the ball and making my job easier, making our offensive job easier. When you can run the ball like that, especially in these conditions, it makes life a lot easier.”

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