The Pittsburgh Steelers’ running game, at times, has been mediocre through the first three weeks of the 2020 season.
But, on Sunday, they made it 3-for-3 when it comes to being great when it was most needed.
For the third consecutive game, the Steelers got a strong rushing effort during the fourth quarter that played a significant part of closing out a victory. This time, it was James Conner’s seven carries for 65 yards during the final quarter of a 28-21 win against the Houston Texans.
“It’s been critical because all these games are close,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. “Everything in the National Football League is a one-score game, so your ability in the waning moments to possess the ball and not put your defense back in harm’s way (is important), to win the critical possession downs (is important), be it a run or run-like action.”
Against Houston, Conner handled the bulk of the running portion of that equation, just like he did last week in closing out a win against the Denver Broncos. Connor’s five fourth-quarter carries for 72 yards, including a key 59-yard run, against the Broncos put Conner over 100 yards in that game.
The same thing happened Sunday.
Conner ended with 109 yards on 18 carries for consecutive 100-yard rushing games for the first time since he had four in a row in 2018. Conner had 100 or more rushing yards in two straight games for the fourth time in his career.
“I trust the play call. I trust the line, fullbacks, and tight ends,” Conner said. “If we’re calling the play in the huddle to the outside, I trust it because I know they’re seeing that. You’ve just got to be … ready at all times. We’re professionals.”
Benny Snell Jr. proved as much in the season-opening win at the New York Giants when he replaced an injured Conner during the second quarter and had a career-high 113 yards on 19 carries.
In the fourth quarter of that game, Snell had nine carries for 48 yards with the Steelers protecting a lead.
“We just got a lead, which is huge, at the end of the game like that,” veteran guard David DeCastro said of the Steelers’ late-game rushing success. “It’s exactly what you like to do, close out a game when you run the ball like that, which was great.”
After the game, Tomlin once again emphasized Conner is the Steelers’ featured runner. Earlier this month, he called Conner the Steelers’ “bell cow,” but too often in recent years, the cow has gone out to pasture before the game was finished. Before the past two games, Conner either missed or was injured during 17 of the Steelers’ prior 21 games dating to December 2018.
He’s made it through two consecutive games unscathed, and his strong running late in those contests showed why Tomlin is enamored with Conner as his No. 1 back.
“I feel good going into every game,” Conner said. “I prepare myself real hard in the offseason and week in and week out. It’s been nice to have the depth, though.”
Snell also contributed during the fourth quarter Sunday and rookie Anthony McFarland had six carries for 42 yards during his NFL debut.
Most important for the running game to the Steelers, though, was it was effective when Houston knew it was coming late in the game, with the Steelers protecting a one-score lead.
“This is three weeks in a row with our four-minute offense (working),” quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said. ”I know it was outside four minutes, but you’re driving and need to run the ball out. That’s impressive.”
Chris Adamski is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Chris by email at cadamski@triblive.com or via Twitter .
Categories: Sports | Steelers/NFL
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Behind James Conner, Steelers run game again produces when most needed - TribLIVE
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