The Pittsburgh Steelers' only ran 11 plays in the second half of their Week 15 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. The Steelers were already in a hole after another slow start, posting three straight three and outs. After halftime, it seemed the offense finally found their rhythm in their first drive of the second half, especially after gaining over 30 yards on a flea flicker to start the drive. Unfortunately, as they were outside of the red zone, Russell Wilson tossed the ball to Najee Harris, where he muffed the exchange and the Eagles fell on the fumble.
After the game, Harris was quick to explain what happened on the exchange. He was more focused on the hole than securing the ball from Wilson. A costly turnover as the Steelers were looking to tie the game in the third quarter and finally get momentum back on their side.
"I took my eyes off it," Harris explained. "I was looking at the hole instead of securing the football and fumbled it."
The turnover would prove to be even more costly as the Eagles would use six and a half minutes of the clock to score a signature Jalen Hurts tush-push touchdown to give Philadelphia a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter. The Steelers would just have one more possession in the second half which would end with a punt.
This is a game that Harris will want to forget. He had just six carries for only 14 yards on the ground and added a catch for just seven yards. He averaged just 2.3 yards a carry, his worst average since Week 4 against the Indianapolis Colts (1.5 yards per carry). With struggles on the ground, it wasn't shocking that the pass game couldn't get going at all for Pittsburgh where they only had 128 yards through the air.
While Harris' fumble couldn't have come at a more crucial time for the Steelers, it's just his first lost fumble on the season for him. Harris, who is playing for a new contract this season, can't afford to have off nights like he had in Philadelphia. He will likely not take too much time to dwell on his poor performance as the Steelers have a short week and they will need their feature back ready to go in Week 16's matchup against the Baltimore Ravens.
Steelers fans are still waiting for the Harris they saw from Week 6 through Week 8. During that time span, Harris eclipsed the 100-yard rushing mark in all three games for a total of 322 yards and two touchdowns. Since coming back from the bye week, Harris has rushed for a total of 299 yards across six games and three touchdowns.
Harris and the Steelers' offense will have to shake off their poor performance in Philadelphia quickly as their next game could decide the AFC North. They will travel to Baltimore where the Ravens are just one game back in the divisional standings. Even though the Steelers still clinched a playoff spot with loses from the Miami Dolphins and Colts in Week 15, they would love to host a first round playoff game. For them to do that, they need to handle business in Baltimore.
Steelers Need Harris To Get Back Into Form As They Battle For The AFC North
While Harris' fumble hurt the Steelers' hopes of winning in Philadelphia, their attention is now on the Ravens. Harris needs a bounce back game and in his last matchup against Baltimore, he posted 93 total yards as Pittsburgh walked away victorious.
With just three games left in the regular season, each game becomes more important especially when it comes to the Steelers hosting a home playoff game or not. The running game is a key part in their success and that starts with Harris. Head Coach Mike Tomlin needs Harris to show up big in their last three games if they want playoff football back in Pittsburgh.
