Stock Up/Stock Down Pittsburgh Week 18
Jan 6, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris (22) rushes as Baltimore Ravens cornerback Brandon Stephens (21) defends during the second half at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
In near unthinkable conditions, the Pittsburgh Steelers went to Baltimore and pounded out a tough 10th win of the season. Even with the Ravens sitting several starters, they still presented a formidable challenge for a Steelers team that seems to be clicking at the right time.
Baltimore is never an easy place to play. To be able to come out with a victory in dire weather conditions in a must-win game is a testament to how mentally tough this team has become over the final three weeks of the season.
Head coach Mike Tomlin understood the task at hand and had the Steelers ready for a four-quarter fight. Games against the Ravens always come down to the wire regardless of the circumstances. And that gutsy play was rewarded when the rest of the dominos fell in such a way that Pittsburgh has officially secured a Wild Card spot.
Here is what is trending up and trending down after a Week 18 victory.
Stock Up
Once again, Najee Harris ran hard and with purpose. On a day that weather was a huge factor in the game plan, Pittsburgh leaned on Harris, who delivered with a 26-carry, 112-yard performance. Throw in a rushing touchdown and another 21 yards receiving, the third-year back out of Alabama made his presence felt.
Midway through the season, Many questioned whether Harris should even be the starting running back. Since Matt Canada was fired, it seems Harris has benefitted the most from a change in play-calling philosophy.
Against the Ravens, he thrived while running between the tackles with his usual bruising style. Never one to go down on first contact, Harris bulldozed Baltimore defenders and kept Pittsburgh ahead of the sticks, which led to the Black and Gold dominating time of possession.
Mike Tomlin
A lot has been made of Tomlin’s streak of non-losing seasons. Whether you believe it’s relevant or not, you can’t question how hard his teams play when their backs are against the wall. This was another case where the Steelers played excellent team football in the face of adversity.
With so many defensive players out due to injury, Pittsburgh was able to put together a defensive game plan that limited the Ravens to 224 total yards. Tomlin always has his fingerprints all over a Pittsburgh defense.
Against their AFC North rival they again limited their rushing attack and forced them to throw the ball. That led to four sacks and two fumbles, both of which were recovered by the Steelers.
Stock Down
Many fans thought Warren should be the starter midway through the season. The last four games, Harris has re-established himself as the clear starter while Warren has taken a backseat. Against Bsltimore, Warren hit rock bottom.
In nine carries Warren fumbled twice on back-to-back plays, losing one of them. He hasn’t fallen out of favor, as he is still a big part of the gamepan. However, on Saturday, with so much on the line, the second-year undrafted back out of NC State saw his number called considerably less after the fumbles.
Warren is not a guy who usually fumbles the ball. No question the weather had a lot to do with his mishaps. But, all things being equal, Harris has earned the right to get the majority of the touches moving forward.
After troubling reports came out about Pickett not wanting to be the emergency quarterback last week, he was enlisted as the backup against the Ravens even though he was deemed healthy enough to play.
That’s new for coach Tomlin, who has been a staunch supporter of guys not losing their jobs to injury. Mason Rudolph has played so well in Pickett’s absence, it would have been a coaching disaster to go back to Pickett — especially since the second-year man out of Pitt hasn’t shown anything better than what Rudolph has displayed in the two previous weeks.
Rudolph will be the man heading into the post-season, that much is certain. The pertinent question now is whether or not the Steelers will have a true QB battle headed into the 2024 season.
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