While so much of the focus will be on the Cleveland Browns offense and rookie quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson in Sunday’s game, the Browns must find a way to stop an improving Pittsburgh Steelers running game now featuring Jaylen Warren. In their past two games, the Steelers have run the ball for a combined 371 yards at 5.6 yards per carry.
The Steelers have realized what has been obvious to most onlookers. Warren is their best running back. Now featuring him and utilizing Najee Harris as a complimentary hammer, the Steelers have found a productive formula to bolster their mediocre offense.
Even as the Browns’ defense had so much success against the Steelers in their first matchup, Warren was a problem for the Browns. His six carries only yielded 20 yards, but Warren caught four passes that added up to 66 yards.
One of those receptions came on a third down conversion in which Warren managed to fight his way past Browns defenders to extend the drive. If the Browns make the tackle, the Steelers are forced to punt. Instead, Kenny Pickett hit Georgie Pickens on a 71-yard touchdown the very next play, the only offensive touchdown the Steelers would score. The Browns would go on to lose by four.
Now fully leaning into Warren as a primary ball carrier, Warren has 26 carries for 189 yards, an average of 7.2 yards per carry in addition to five catches for 34 yards the past two games.
Warren is a problem the Browns have to solve. Low to the ground at 5’8″ with plenty of heft as well as good speed and quickness, he can be difficult to tackle and someone the defense has to account for whenever he’s on the field. Harris is able to run the ball and catch passes, but he simply hasn’t been as threatening as Warren.
There are some similarities between Warren and Keaton Mitchell, who caused the Browns problems against the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens inexplicably stopped giving Mitchell the ball after four touches and 66 yards against the Browns. That should serve as a warning for how the Browns deal with Warren.
The more effective Warren is, the more dangerous Harris becomes. If Warren is productive, a fresh Harris can pound on and wear out a defense. The two can feed off each other, which allows them to maintain drives and shorten the game, limiting the amount of possessions their opponents get.
As defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz has noted throughout the season, the Browns defense starts with stopping the run. When the Browns have allowed more than 100 yards rushing, opponents have scored 27.6 points per game. 75 yards or less, opponents average 4.5 points generated by their offense per game.
The Browns certainly want to put pressure on Pickett and force him to make a mistake or, as he often does, throw the ball away. However, they would be wise not to do so at the expense of taking away the run. Like against Michell, if Browns defenders fly up the field past the play, Warren has the skill set to punish them with explosive plays.
Even as the Steelers’ running game has improved, Pickett and the passing game have not. In their last two victories, Pickett threw for just 160 yards against the Tennessee Titans and 126 against the Green Bay Packers. Three of his four lowest passing outputs in terms of raw yardage this season have come in the past three games.
A healthy Freuermuth could help, but the Steelers’ passing game continues to be uninspiring. Some of that is a function of shortening the game, but there is noticeable frustration within the team as illustrated by Pickens throwing a world-class hissy fit after the Steelers’ victory over the Titans, posting ‘Free me’ on social media as he removed all of his Steelers posts and pictures.
The Steelers receivers have to be taken seriously, because as they showed in the week two matchup, one mistake and they can break the game open. That being said, if the Browns can consistently put Pickett into obvious passing situations, he’s had a difficult time beating them. Stopping the run is the best way to keep them off schedule and make them more predictable over the course of the game. That then allows Jim Schwartz to utilize creative rush packages to try to catch the protection by surprise and potentially cause a turnover.
If the Browns stop the run and can limit Warren, they can control the game on that side of the ball. Especially with an inexperienced quarterback in DTR going for their offense, they want to be able to provide as many possessions as possible to find a way to win.