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What Colts HC Shane Steichen Said About Steelers Offense

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Steelers RB Jaylen Warren
Steelers running back Jaylen Warren against the New England Patriots, Dec. 7, 2023 - Ed Thompson / Steelers Now

The Steelers’ rushing attack has become the one redeeming quality of the offense. Jaylen Warren and Najee Harris are the lifeblood of the unit that can sometimes keep the team afloat. And the Colts are taking notice of the run game, especially with a run defense that is one of the NFL’s worst.

Colts head coach Shane Steichen shared his thoughts on the Steelers’ run game and how multiple it has become throughout the year. He praised offensive line coach Pat Meyer for how diverse the rushing attack has evolved throughout the season. By growing throughout the year, the team has found an ability to run against most teams they face.

“I think they do a good job upfront,” Steichen said. “I’ve had some crossover with their offensive line coach. I think he does a heck of a job with those guys. I think they’ve always had a history of running the football really well. The two backs are really good players. They see it, they’ve got good balance, they see the holes, they see the creases and they hit them. They do a good job upfront so we’ve got to be ready to roll.”

The Colts rank 26th in the NFL in run yards per game at 131.5 and allow 137.7 yards per game over their last three games. But with key defensive tackle Grover Stewart back, they could boost that. Stewart had not played since October 15th before returning to the lineup last week, but when he is on the field, the team allows just a little over 40 yards less per game. It’s that significant, and he makes the rushing defense go. That would have them in the Top 10 rushing defenses in the NFL. Indianapolis allowed 111 rushing yards in Stewart’s first game back.

That will be the key matchup to watch, as the film and stats would say the Steelers should be able to find room on the ground against a susceptible Colts rushing defense. In the past, Pittsburgh has been able to shred teams with suspected run defenses, allowing them to beat teams like the Rams, Packers, and Bengals. If they can find some of that success in Indianapolis, they could come home with a win.