For the third consecutive year in a row, Mike Tomlin has managed to net five wins for the Pittsburgh Steelers throughout the first part of the regular season. From D.K. Metcalf to Jaylen Warren, there have been notable improvements in the offense’s production this year. But according to the franchise’s former quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger, the 27-year-old running back is likely capable of helping Pittsburgh even more than Tomlin is currently allowing for.
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Even though Warren is currently averaging 4.19 yards per carry and 86 scrimmage yards per game, he’s been noticeably absent on third downs. Tomlin seems to prefer the services of Kenneth Gainwell in those scenarios, but Roethlisberger has been quick to disagree with that assessment, suggesting that Tomlin’s decisions “seem crazy to me.”
“Right now, he’s your best offensive player. Aaron Rodgers is a Hall of Famer. He’s obviously the glue, but Jaylen Warren is your best player right now. Why is he coming off of the field?,” asked Ben. “Unless he wants to come off, which he doesn’t seem like he wants to, he seems like he’s in great shape. He seems physical, and again, this is nothing against Gainwell, I absolutely think Gainwell should come in, but he should not be playing more offensive snaps than Jaylen Warren,” he added, with a subtle reference to Tomlin’s coaching decisions.
Typically, when a third-down back takes over for his counterpart, he tends to offer more mass and physicality, as blocking is often a key priority in third-down situations. Nevertheless, Warren is just one inch shorter than Gainwell, and he actually weighs 15 pounds heavier.
While Warren is still the de facto runner, Gainwell has begun to outpace him in the passing game ever so slightly, fielding 29 receptions to Warren’s 23. Suffice to say, Roethlisberger is noticing all of this as well, and he can’t help but question the logic behind the way in which Pittsburgh is divvying up the snap count.
“Why can’t Jaylen Warren play third down? If you have Jaylen Warren in the game, he’s proven he can catch the ball. He can run routes, he can block, and he’s physical,” Ben observed. “If you have him in the game, and you’re in 3rd & 5 or less, it also brings an opportunity to run the ball… Again, this is not a knock on Gainwell; we like him, we think he’s a great addition to the team, he should not be playing more snaps than Jaylen Warren,” he concluded.
Anyone with Warren on their fantasy football team would likely tell you something similar, but as we all know, fantasy points and stat sheets don’t keep head coaching jobs. After all, this offense is being led by Arthur Smith, the former head coach of the Atlanta Falcons, who previously handicapped Bijan Robinson’s touches in favor of Tyler Allgeier.
Simply put, the Steelers’ methods may seem a bit unconventional, but they still have a winning record and a shot at finding their first playoff win since January of 2017, and until that changes, it’ll be rather hard to convince them about making changes.
