The Pittsburgh Steelers have found their groove offensively, seriously. After looking rough in Weeks 1 and 2, this team has gone full throttle, fielding one of the NFL’s best offenses over the last three weeks. They’ve gone from a slow start to an absolute force, and the league better take notice.
Rodgers Is Slinging It, But the Ground Game Is REAL
Since Week 3, the Steelers have ripped off the fourth-highest EPA per play in the league. Think about that: they’re trailing only the Detroit Lions, Atlanta Falcons, and Cincinnati Bengals. That’s some elite company for an offense that started out looking lost! Aaron Rodgers, the old man everyone loves to count out, has stacked solid performances too. He’s ranked a respectable 13th in the league in EPA per play among all quarterbacks with at least 10 snaps over this three-week span. That puts him ahead of big names like Dak Prescott, Josh Allen, and Matthew Stafford. Oh, and his nine touchdown passes? That’s the most in the entire league since Week 3, plus his 827 yards rank him seventh. Not bad for a quarterback we’re constantly told is too old to lead a team to any kind of relevancy.
But here’s the real kicker, the thing that’s made this offense absolutely dangerous: their ground game. It’s been ridiculously dominant. They’re only trailing the Atlanta Falcons in EPA per rush since Week 3, and get this, their insane 5.58 yards per carry actually *leads* the entire NFL! You don’t just stumble into numbers like that.
Jaylen Warren Is the Bell Cow We All Dream Of
Which brings us to the man, the myth, the legend: Jaylen Warren. This dude has almost single-handedly taken a nondescript offense and given it a sense of identity. Over the last three games, Warren has absolutely shown the Steelers and the entire league what he’s capable of when he’s unleashed as the dual-threat, every-down bell cow everyone wanted him to be. In that three-game stretch, Warren is first in total EPA among *all* running backs with at least 10 touches. Read that again: Not Bijan Robinson. Not Jahmyr Gibbs. Not Derrick Henry. Jaylen Warren.
He’s also second in total rush EPA, second in rushing yards, second in impact place, second in yards per carry, and third in missed tackles forced. And just to top it all off, he leads all running backs in receiving yards. His win over the Colts was his magnum opus, a masterpiece where he hit over 100 yards rushing and 50 receiving for the first time. Plus, his 87 receiving yards in that game were a new career high. This guy is doing it all!
The Simple Truth: Feed No. 30, Unleash the Rookie
The Steelers have figured out what works: feed No. 30 in both the run game and the short passing game. His efficiency is what sets up that intermediate passing attack, keeping Rodgers clean and allowing him to operate. Teams can’t just pin their ears back and send five or six rushers when Warren is a legitimate threat to catch a swing pass or beat a blitz out of the backfield for a huge gain. It took a few weeks of getting the math right, but Pittsburgh finally found their winning formula.
And let’s not forget about rookie Germie Bernard. This guy has been leaned on heavily, and he’s totally come through when called upon. In Week 5, Bernard caught six passes for 80 yards, and his 2.42 yards per route run ranked ahead of studs like Ja’Marr Chase, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Malik Nabers, and Justin Jefferson. His role is just going to keep growing, especially with Michael Pittman and Roman Wilson down for multiple weeks.
The Steelers offense is, plain and simple, capital G Good right now. This isn’t just a hot streak, this is a blueprint for success they’ve stumbled upon. Watch out, NFL, because this team is coming for everything.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Behind the Steel Curtain.
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