Steelers report card: Grading each position in win against Eagles
By Tommy Jaggi
Running backs: D
If you look at the team statistics after the game, you could quickly be fooled into thinking Pittsburgh had a solid game on the ground. The Steelers rushed for 136 yards on 32 carries (4.3 yards per carry). However, this number is very deceitful.
Nearly half of their total rushing yards came from wide receiver and return specialist, Ray-Ray McCloud. The shifty receiver took a pair of reverses for 64 yards (58 of which came on one play).
If you subtract what the Steelers receivers did on the ground, James Conner, Benny Snell, and Anthony McFarland combined for just 69 yards on 25 carries (2.7 yards per carry). Against a defense that can sometimes be susceptible to the run, this number was embarrassingly low.
If not for a 25-yard run by Conner, these running backs would have managed just over 1.7 yards per carry. In the passing game, the running backs were virtually non-existent – pitching in for just 19 yards. The gadgetry will only get them so far. They need to find more success on the ground in the future.