Could RB Anthony McFarland give Steelers offense a much-needed spark?
By Tommy Jaggi
Anthony McFarland is back on Pittsburgh’s roster after beginning the season on injured reserve. Does Matt Canada have a plan for the Steelers running back?
One player who really caught my eye at Steelers training camp this year was second-year running back, Anthony McFarland. After being rather unspectacular with just 33 carries as a rookie in 2020, McFarland was having himself a very nice summer before landing on injured reserve.
Fresh off Pittsburgh’s Week 7 bye, McFarland has had ample time to recover and seems poised to step back on the field this Sunday. Recently, Brooke Pryor of ESPN reported that the speedy running back was activated to Pittsburgh’s roster ahead of the game against the Browns.
Though Pittsburgh may try to ease him back into action, there’s no question that McFarland has one thing every other back on the team is lacking: elite speed. While there is so much more that goes into playing the running back position than this, Pittsburgh’s offense has been completely void of big plays, and McFarland could potentially help change that.
How Steelers could use McFarland
Offensive coordinator, Matt Canada, is very familiar with McFarland during their time together at Maryland. Though he was often hampered by nagging injuries during his collegiate career, McFarland was one of the most efficient running backs in the nation — averaging a whopping 6.7 yards per rush attempt.
During training camp this summer, we got a glimpse of how Canada might look to use McFarland. The Steelers practiced some ‘Pony’ sets where two running backs were on the field at the same time — those being Najee Harris and Anthony McFarland.
While Harris is almost always going to be the guy lining up in the backfield, Pittsburgh could use McFarland in a number of different ways. This includes lining up in the slot and being brought in motion for jet sweeps. This is something the Steelers have done with Ray-Ray McCloud and even Chase Claypool.
With another year of experience under his belt, McFarland could have the chance to emerge as the top change-of-pace back behind Harris. While Kalen Ballage and Benny Snell are bigger backs who could carry the load in a pinch, McFarland is much more of the ‘scat’ back type that could make it hard for defenses to adjust to his speed.
Players who are homerun threats like Anthony McFarland just need a little crease to break off huge gains. Let’s hope the young running back offers a much-needed spark for this ailing offense following the bye week.