James Conner is running the football well
There were some questions about James Conner as a runner during the offseason, but Conner has put some of those things to bed. The best thing Conner did was make good gains in the run game while the Steelers are trying to run down the clock. He is helping them become a ball-control team.
According to ESPN, James Conner ran for 109 yards and had an average yards per carry of 6.1. He was gaining the ball in big chunks for the Black & Gold. He also had a 20+ yard run for a touchdown.
James Conner added to the offseason doubt by getting hurt in the first game and contributing to the narrative that injuries are derailing his career. He is showing his toughness and ability to overcome adversity by settling in as Mike Tomlin’s feature back.
Ben Roethlisberger is aging but this team is still able to run the ball and so they should be fine as long as their defense keeps it up.