In a promising display of their running game, the Pittsburgh Steelers have achieved three consecutive games with a running back rushing for over 100 yards. While the significance of a single yard may be minimal in the grand scheme of things, it is certainly a moment of frustration for Steelers' RB Najee Harris who fell just short of the century mark in Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Harris, a third-year veteran, came tantalizingly close to recording his first 100-yard rushing game of the season. However, a one-yard loss on his last carry prevented him from reaching the milestone, ending with an impressive 99 rushing yards for the day. Despite narrowly missing the mark, Harris delivered an outstanding performance, averaging 6.6 yards per carry and finding the end zone for a touchdown. He also managed to secure two explosive runs of 20-plus yards, tying for the league lead in this category.

The Steelers' ground game has been a topic of discussion, with questions raised about their consistency in utilizing their running backs effectively. Just two weeks prior, running back Warren rushed for a staggering 129 yards on only nine carries, including a 74-yard touchdown run. However, his workload decreased significantly in subsequent games, and he only managed 49 yards on 13 attempts against the Bengals. To compound matters, Warren also fumbled the football in the red zone, costing the team at least three points. The outcome of the fumble was particularly contentious, as it occurred after officials controversially ruled out a touchdown by wide receiver Diontae Johnson on the previous play.

Nonetheless, Harris' 99 rushing yards against the Bengals mark a season-high for him, surpassing his previous record of 82 yards against the Green Bay Packers. Impressively, Harris has recorded five games of 65-plus rushing yards without ever carrying the ball 20 or more times in a single game. His last 100-yard rushing game dates back to the 2021 season when he ran for a career-high 188 yards against the Cleveland Browns.

This three-game streak of 100-plus yard rushing performances is a significant achievement for the Steelers' running game. It is worth noting that the team has also achieved over 150 rushing yards collectively in four consecutive games, a feat not seen in many years. In fact, the last time the Steelers accomplished this was during Bill Cowher's tenure as head coach. Astonishingly, the team had achieved this feat only once in QB Ben Roethlisberger's entire career, back in his rookie year in 2004.

As the Steelers' offense undergoes changes with a new offensive coordinator and a potential emphasis on the passing game, the ability to establish a formidable ground attack will be crucial. With the recent performances of Harris and the team's running backs, there is hope that the Steelers can maintain this momentum and continue to excel on the ground as the season progresses.