Steelers seek more consistency in running game against Jets

For a team that built a three-game winning streak on an ability to run the ball, the Pittsburgh Steelers got away from that formula in the second half Sunday against the Buffalo Bills.

Even after the Steelers went ahead by three points in the third quarter of a 17-10 loss, running took a backseat to the number of pass attempts by undrafted rookie quarterback Devlin Hodges.

Up to the point the Steelers took a 10-7 lead on the first possession of the third quarter, Hodges had thrown 16 times compared to 10 runs, and five of the seven plays on the 69-yard touchdown drive were passes.

From that juncture, offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner called 26 pass plays (four resulted in sacks) compared to four runs.

During his weekly meeting with reporters Thursday, Fichtner was asked whether he abandoned the run too soon.

“I don’t know about that,” he said. “A little situation in the second half may have dictated a little bit more. At halftime, it was close to 50-50. I don’t know if it’s always about the number. You like to kick yourself sometimes and say maybe we should have run it more here, maybe we should have passed it a little bit more on first down — things like that.

“It goes back to efficiency. We have to be efficient when we do call the run and the pass and expect that we’ll obviously protect the ball as well.”

The Steelers were neither efficient nor protective in the second half. The final six drives were either a three-and-out or ended with Hodges throwing an interception.

Hodges’ first interception of the second half was returned 49 yards to the Steelers’ 18 with 1 minute, 24 seconds left in the third. After the Bills kicked a tying field goal early in the fourth quarter, the Steelers ran just once on their final 21 plays.

Contrary to what the scoreboard indicated, coach Mike Tomlin said the Steelers weren’t in “control” of the game enough to run the ball more frequently.

“When you are not in control of the game and you get somewhat one-dimensional,” Tomlin said, “that is the catalyst for negativity.”

While practicing for Buffalo, the Steelers were unsure about the availability of running backs James Conner (shoulder) and Jaylen Samuels (groin), and they had limited carries during the week. In the game, Conner had eight carries and 12 touches, tops among five running backs who dressed. Samuels had two carries and three touches.

The running backs who took regular reps that week — Benny Snell, Kerrith Whyte and Trey Edmunds — played a combined nine snaps and totaled three touches against the Bills.

“It is important that we give the guys the work during the week that are going to get it in the game,” Tomlin said.

That shouldn’t be an issue Sunday against the New York Jets. Conner and Samuels no longer are on the injury report, and Conner is expected to see his workload increase in his second game back after missing five out of six with a shoulder injury.

“If that’s how the game goes, I’ll be ready for whatever,” Conner said. “I just execute the plays that they call.”

Conner’s return to health could mean an end of the committee approach that worked well during his absence. The Steelers averaged 35 carries and 141 rushing yards in wins against Cincinnati, Cleveland and Arizona. They totaled just 51 yards on 15 attempts against the Bills, who possess one of the NFL’s top defenses.

“You can say it’s a crowded backfield at times once we got James back,” Fichtner said. “It’s not. It’s just trying to get one in the flow.”

Pass protection also was an issue against the Bills. Hodges was sacked four times in the second half.

“We had a little miscommunication that kept causing us problems,” Samuels said. “We got back in the lab and fixed things with protection. We feel more confident about it.”

The problem is the Jets have the NFL’s second-ranked rush defense, which belies their 5-9 record. The Jets have allowed fewer than 89 yards a game and that counts the 218 yards the Baltimore Ravens amassed in Week 15.

“We have to find a way to get on the edges and attack the weak spots,” Samuels said. “When they’re sending pressure on third downs and we know it’s coming, we’ve got to pick it up and execute. That’s the main thing we have to do.”