The Steelers' 31-17 loss to the Seahawks on Sunday afternoon at Acrisure Stadium revealed a lot of things about this football team. It also reinforced a lot of the concerns from the Week 1 win over the Jets.
But on the positive side, there should never be any doubt that Jaylen Warren needs to get as many touches as possible.
Warren finished the game with 14 carries for 48 yards, but also added four catches for 86 yards, both team highs. Warren also produced the longest play of the game for either side, finding open space for a scrambling Aaron Rodgers, then putting on a show for the 66,347 in attendance:
That wasn't the only time Warren wowed everybody. While this gem only gained seven yards, it shows what kind of a playmaker he can be:
"Jaylen's a great player, man. He's a great player," Rodgers said. "That was an awesome catch and run. He brings a lot to the table. Might have to keep giving him more opportunities in the pass game. Every time he touches it, something good happens."
Last week, Kenneth Gainwell played 54% of the offensive snaps while Warren played only 45%. That caused quite a bit of a stir among those on the outside, and the reaction from the fans in attendance seemed to reinforce that. Every time Warren would make a play, then Gainwell would come out to replace him and produce an underwhelming play, there'd be some scattered groans.
Perhaps that was personified most by what followed Warren's 65-yard scamper. Warren stayed on the field for first-and-goal, but gave way to Gainwell on second down. Arthur Smith then called a run up the middle with Gainwell, who was stuffed and subsequently thrown back with authority by Leonard Williams. The Steelers wound up with no points, as Rodgers was intercepted by Derion Kendrick after Calvin Austin III tipped a pass up intended for Pat Freiermuth, gifting Seattle a critical turnover.
But after Mike Tomlin set the precedent in Week 1 that Gainwell can play more snaps than Warren, it's only natural to wonder why. Sunday's performance could not make it more clear that Warren is far and away the most dangerous weapon the Steelers have at running back. And, there's nothing Gainwell does better than Warren. Not only is Warren a better pass catcher, displayed perfectly by the two plays above, but Warren is also a better pass protector.
The biggest concern with Warren over his first three NFL seasons was his durability. While he's only missed three games in his career, he's played several more significantly less than 100%. Perhaps Tomlin is trying to lighten Warren's load to preserve him. But, he also admitted after the game he's capable of taking on a larger share of the touches.
"I'm certain he can," Tomlin said. "I know that he had a good week's work. I know that he felt good going into today and he expressed that and so I see no reason why he can't."
So, if there's no concern over keeping him healthy and he's the best at everything, there's no excuse to be taking too many touches away from Warren, especially if he's this offense's second-best weapon behind DK Metcalf. And one could make a very good argument for that.
Plus, the team just signed Warren to a two-year, $11.9 million extension with $7.5 million guaranteed. No, it's not Saquon Barkley money, but it's still an investment in a No. 1 running back. And while he's proving to be worthy of that contract, it only makes sense to give him as many touches as possible.
THE ASYLUM
The Big Player: The Warren touch
The Steelers' 31-17 loss to the Seahawks on Sunday afternoon at Acrisure Stadium revealed a lot of things about this football team. It also reinforced a lot of the concerns from the Week 1 win over the Jets.
But on the positive side, there should never be any doubt that Jaylen Warren needs to get as many touches as possible.
Warren finished the game with 14 carries for 48 yards, but also added four catches for 86 yards, both team highs. Warren also produced the longest play of the game for either side, finding open space for a scrambling Aaron Rodgers, then putting on a show for the 66,347 in attendance:
That wasn't the only time Warren wowed everybody. While this gem only gained seven yards, it shows what kind of a playmaker he can be:
"Jaylen's a great player, man. He's a great player," Rodgers said. "That was an awesome catch and run. He brings a lot to the table. Might have to keep giving him more opportunities in the pass game. Every time he touches it, something good happens."
Last week, Kenneth Gainwell played 54% of the offensive snaps while Warren played only 45%. That caused quite a bit of a stir among those on the outside, and the reaction from the fans in attendance seemed to reinforce that. Every time Warren would make a play, then Gainwell would come out to replace him and produce an underwhelming play, there'd be some scattered groans.
Perhaps that was personified most by what followed Warren's 65-yard scamper. Warren stayed on the field for first-and-goal, but gave way to Gainwell on second down. Arthur Smith then called a run up the middle with Gainwell, who was stuffed and subsequently thrown back with authority by Leonard Williams. The Steelers wound up with no points, as Rodgers was intercepted by Derion Kendrick after Calvin Austin III tipped a pass up intended for Pat Freiermuth, gifting Seattle a critical turnover.
But after Mike Tomlin set the precedent in Week 1 that Gainwell can play more snaps than Warren, it's only natural to wonder why. Sunday's performance could not make it more clear that Warren is far and away the most dangerous weapon the Steelers have at running back. And, there's nothing Gainwell does better than Warren. Not only is Warren a better pass catcher, displayed perfectly by the two plays above, but Warren is also a better pass protector.
The biggest concern with Warren over his first three NFL seasons was his durability. While he's only missed three games in his career, he's played several more significantly less than 100%. Perhaps Tomlin is trying to lighten Warren's load to preserve him. But, he also admitted after the game he's capable of taking on a larger share of the touches.
"I'm certain he can," Tomlin said. "I know that he had a good week's work. I know that he felt good going into today and he expressed that and so I see no reason why he can't."
So, if there's no concern over keeping him healthy and he's the best at everything, there's no excuse to be taking too many touches away from Warren, especially if he's this offense's second-best weapon behind DK Metcalf. And one could make a very good argument for that.
Plus, the team just signed Warren to a two-year, $11.9 million extension with $7.5 million guaranteed. No, it's not Saquon Barkley money, but it's still an investment in a No. 1 running back. And while he's proving to be worthy of that contract, it only makes sense to give him as many touches as possible.
Want to participate in our comments?
Want an ad-free experience?
Become a member, and enjoy premium benefits!
We’d love to have you!