The Steelers' 27-14 win over the Dolphins at Heinz Field on Monday night was the first time James Conner eclipsed 100 yards rushing since the Steelers beat the Ravens in November of 2018.
Since Conner made his first start in the 2018 season opener against the Browns, the Steelers have never lost when he's gained over 100 rushing yards. So when he did that against the Dolphins, I wanted to take a closer look at the steps the Steelers took to make it happen:
I've maintained this season that Conner is no less the running back he was in 2018 and in some respects may even be better. Despite his disappointing stat line through six games, which was 74 carries for 235 yards, Conner had still been running hard. So his 135 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries were a confirmation he still has the talent to start at running back.
He's always been a running back that thrived behind power running schemes. Such running plays require more pulling guards, tight ends and lead blocking fullbacks to act as the cannon fodder that takes on defenders in gaps and allows Conner to accelerate and become a difficult runner to tackle.
Watch this run behind David DeCastro and Vance McDonald, who both pull to become Conner's lead blockers. Once Nick Vannett and Alejandro Villanueva seal their men to the inside and DeCastro takes care of his man, Conner comfortably cuts back for extra yardage for the first down:
But what gave Conner a huge boost was the return of Roosevelt Nix. He's been the battering ram that not just blocks, but destroys defenders at the point of attack, allowing for Conner to read off his blocks and explode through gaps while still setting up defenders for missed tackles at the second level.
Watch how the Steelers isolate Nix with linebacker Raekwon McMillan for a one-on-one chance. He stops McMillan's momentum entirely and prevents him from protecting any gap. Once Conner sees the block, his instincts kick in and cuts up the middle of the field. He even sets up safety Walt Aikens with a juke for extra yardage and turn a simple iso run into a 25-yard gain:
Once Conner gets running downhill behind his preferred power schemes, the other runs start to come more naturally to him. He's quicker to burst into gaps and accelerate to top speed, leading to more missed tackles.
His most impressive run was his nine-yard touchdown where he read the blitz from McMillan. His blitz opened up the middle of the defense and after DeCastro moved Davon Godchaux out of the way, his only obstacles were safeties. They converge on Conner, but he protects the ball as his momentum carries him over them and into the end zone:
The Steelers still have to prove they can run like this against an opponent that hasn't played as poorly as the 2019 Dolphins. But this was the first time he had Nix for a full game in 2019 and the first time Mason Rudolph and the passing offense showed any continuity with downfield passing.
If the Steelers can get Conner back healthy and see their passing game improve, there's hope the offense can find some semblance of balance in their playoff push.
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