2023-2024 NFL Season Thread • Page 1119

if only they had a Quarterback

/ducks

 

When Pickett outplays tua this year what will your excuse be??

 

All I know about Najee is he hasn’t been an explosive runner through two seasons now

 

two straight years under 4.0 is terribad, I dont care who your OL is

 

Yeah, at least pretend like other RBs have run behind suspect offensive lines and have still racked up big plays

 

Not yet. Gonna wait till closer to the opener

 

I firmly disagree and think Warren would get a lower YPC with the same workload. If it was 3.6 or lower then fair but 3.8/3.9 can certainly be blamed on Matt Canada’s predictable offense behind a poor OL

The change of pace back often gets better YPC because they’re often inserted in situations the defense isn’t expecting a run, whereas they’re loading the box for Najee. Anyone can break off at least some good runs against 4-5 man boxes with a bad line… not true of 7-8 man boxes with a bad line. Kenny Pickett’s gotta prove defenses should fear his throws in order to back them off the running game

 

In some games last year im pretty positive Najee’s average yards before contact was a negative number. You’re not getting 5.0 yards per carry if you get hit behind the line ON AVERAGE.

 

What was his yards before contact in 2021

 

We call this in the biz a “Mondre Special”

 

Also, I don’t think anyone is asking Najee to average 5.0 YPC. That would be ridiculous. We’re just asking him not to average less than 4 because that is bad

 

Here’s some hard numbers I found

 

I just think bad offensive lines often have runningbacks getting 3.7 - 4.2. I use context to determine how much of that is the OL and how much the RB is missing opportunities to be creative.

In the Steelers case, even if you ignore him having the lowest yards before contact among RBs who averaged at least 125 carries per season, watching games shows you the same thing - 2 guys coming at him immediately and him somehow turning that into 3-4 yards on a regular basis.

 

I've never been prouder

 

I'm just excited about the potential. If Matt Canada is just average I think the Steelers can be really fun.

 

They've got my boys Darnell and Broderick so I'm not anti-Steelers

 

But Najee’s lack of explosiveness was a critique dating back to his college days. I just don’t really like backs that don’t offer explosive plays. I think Najee is alright and I don’t think he’s ever going to be more than that. He’s going to get what’s blocked for him and he’s likely not going to get much more, even when he gets past the first level of defenders.

 

I agree. Overall, I think the Steelers could quietly be pretty good this season. Wouldn’t surprise me if they made the playoffs.

I even think Allen Robinson his career as a slot receiver. I low key liked that signing for the Steelers.

 

I think clearing 1000 yards both years despite averaging 1.12 yards before contact sort of PROVES he’s getting more than the yards that are blocked

 

He’s not a big play back but he does get tough yards that are not handed to him constantly

 

I;m sorry I just dont believe that Najee is the only RB ever to have a poor OL and/or poor OC

under 4.0 ypc in TWO straight years is heinous. I don't care what the circumstances are.

 

“Poor offensive line” isn’t one monolithic thing. A bad offensive line can always be a worse offensive line, there’s levels to it. Najee’s offensive line wasn’t just subpar it was atrocious

 

Of all the problems with the Steelers offense, Najee is one of the last people I'd mention

 

Like, this is pretty crazy, let’s not underrate how wild that is. This isn’t just “oh he should just overcome that”. The offensive line and offensive coordinator are FAILING big time if this ever happens in a whole game let alone several games.

 

Is AR good???