Steelers: Three Keys to Winning In Week 11

Establish the Run with James Conner

Last season, Steelers running back James Conner burst onto the scene as one of the NFL’s best stories and most effective running backs. This season, however, things have not gone as planned for the former Pitt star. Though he thoroughly dominated the Miami Dolphins the last time he was one the field, Conner has missed the last two games because of a shoulder injury, derailing all the momentum he finally seemed to gain. On the season, Conner has just 380 rushing yards and has averaged just 3.9 yards per carry. Those numbers aren’t great, but when you consider that 38% of those rushing yards came in a single game against the then-winless Dolphins, it becomes even more obvious how bad this season has been for Conner.

Against the Browns, it’s crucial that the Steelers can get Conner going and establish the run game early and often. With their 27th ranked rushing attack, the Steelers are putting even more pressure on young quarterback Mason Rudolph, giving him a razor-thin margin of error. Because of the rushing struggles, the Steelers offense has been forced to use a conservative gameplan through the air to avoid risks and turnovers. The presence of a competent running game could have a domino effect that allows Pittsburgh to open up the offensive playbook, something we should all want to see.

Luckily for Conner and the Steelers, the Browns rushing defense has not been particularly strong this season, ranking 27th in yards allowed according to NFL.com. With a chance to get his season back on track and open up the whole offense, Conner needs to take advantage of this favorable matchup.