Najee Harris says Steelers teammates shouldn't blame coaches for offensive woes
Steelers running back Najee Harris said it’s time for his teammates to be accountable for how the season is unfolding.
In other words, quit blaming the coaches. And that probably means check yourself before deciding it’s all the fault of offensive coordinator Matt Canada.
“We can’t just keep pointing fingers,” Harris said. “We’ve got to point at ourselves. It’s the man in the mirror, really. This is the NFL. Everybody runs the same damn plays. Everyone disguises them differently. It’s how we play it. Honestly, I don’t think we’re playing with that edge right now.”
It’s a month into the season, and the Steelers definitely aren’t where they thought they’d be. The team is coming off a 30-6 road loss to the Houston Texans. In two of the four games, the Steelers offense didn’t crack double digits in scoring. Pittsburgh’s first win of the season was a 26-22 victory over the Browns. Yet the defense scored two of the team’s touchdowns. The offense managed only one TD with a pair of field goals. And in each of the first four games, the offense hasn’t scored on either the first or second offensive series.
Najee Harris not carrying ball as many times in games
Najee Harris declined to speak to the media on Sunday after the Steelers lost to the Texans. Houston had been one of the worst teams in the league last season. However, the Texans now are relying on rookie quarterback CJ Stroud, a second-year running back and very young receivers.
By Wednesday, Najee Harris wanted to talk. He said he would like to see the Steelers call more tougher running plays. Harris has gained 1,000 yards or more in each of his first two seasons. In four games this season, Harris averaged about 12 carries and 52 yards a contest In contrast, he averaged four more carries a game during his rookie season.
Harris had gained 55 yards against the Texans as he fought for some tough real estate. Yet it all kind of fell apart when the Texans sacked Kenny Pickett in the third quarter on a fourth-and-one. Before the sack, Harris was trying to set a tone for the rest of his teammates.
“Me as a person who wants to spark offense, sometimes I don’t like saying it, I like showing it,” Harris said. “I try to be that guy and show it. In that game, I wanted to emphasize that right now, we’re just playing soft. We’re not firing off. We’re not making plays.”
“I’m trying to be the guy they’re feeding off. For this game, it’s a challenge to see who else is going to be that person. It just can’t keep being one person. It has to be more people.”
The Steelers likely will rely on Najee Harris even more Sunday against the Ravens. Quarterback Kenny Pickett suffered a bruised knee against the Texans and is wearing a thick brace in practice. He could be limited against Baltimore.