While the Pittsburgh Steelers continue to refine their passing attack and search for consistency, former franchise cornerstones James Harrison and Joe Haden agree on one undeniable truth. The key to winning football games in Black and Gold remains a bone-jarring ground game led by Jaylen Warren.
On the latest episode of the “Deebo and Joe” podcast, Harrison and Haden broke down Pittsburgh's recent victory over the New Orleans Saints. The Pro Bowlers praised the offense for establishing physical dominance up front. Behind Warren’s 101-yard rushing effort, supported by backfield partner Rico Dowdle’s 41 yards, the Steelers churned out 148 total rushing yards.
"What did I say we had to do, man?" Harrison reflected. "We got to control the line of scrimmage on both sides. Jaylen Warren went out there said, 'Let me get 101 of them right now.' Rico Dowdle said, 'Hey, let me get what was it? Nine carries, I'll get you 41.' We had a total of 148 rushing."
For Harrison, that physical brand of football isn't just effective; it's a security blanket for the entire offense. Haden noted how Warren’s vision, decisive one-cut style, and explosive burst down the field repeatedly put Pittsburgh in short-yardage, high-probability situations.
"When you running third-and-4 and you just handing it off to Warren for the first down, that's comfortable," Haden emphasized. "That's what we got to do, hand it off."
Despite the successful outing, Harrison insisted the Steelers shouldn't take their foot off the gas, arguing that Mike McCarthy's offense should lean even more heavily into their running backs rather than forcing risky throws downfield.
"We could have had more," Harrison added. "I think we should have ran them more. That's just me. I want to put them hands on."
As the Steelers push through the heart of their schedule, maintaining this punishing ground identity will remain essential for dictating tempo, wearing down opposing defenses, and securing wins.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Jaylen Warren's dominance proves why Steelers must commit to the run