The Steelers finally unlock their running game with Najee Harris

LAS VEGAS – With his right arm outstretched and the ball in hand, running back Najee Harris channeled Michael Jordan's “Space Jam” dunk as he leapt from the 5-yard line and flew into the end zone as Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Jack Jones tried to force him off the field.

The ball cleared the plane by just a few inches, not only extending the Pittsburgh Steelers' lead in an eventual 32-13 win over the Raiders, but also marking the team's first rushing touchdown all season by anyone was not named Justin Fields.

“I don’t care what people say or what they think is normal,” Harris said of his improbable diving touchdown. “… When I had the opportunity, I just took it. I don't care how far away I was. I know I can do it if I really believe in myself.”

The score, which resulted from a 36-yard bulldoze run through traffic and then tightrope walking down the sideline past the Raiders' secondary, was just part of the Steelers' – and Harris' – best rushing performance of the season.

“It was a collective effort,” coach Mike Tomlin said of their 183 rushing yards. “Not just the bigs, but the perimeter guys and obviously Naj and everyone else, but I just thought when you have a run output like that, it's not an isolated case, it's a collective. That breakout run, I think (Pat Freiermuth) I closed the corner and let him go. When I look at it, I just felt the collective energy and effort that was needed.

Harris put it even more simply after the game: “It was just one of those games where s— started working well.”

Perhaps this performance should have been expected before the game started. During warmups, former NFL running back Marshawn Lynch, a longtime friend and mentor of Harris, walked onto the field at Allegiant Stadium. He wore a pair of yellow and black cleats and joked with the Steelers' quarterbacks during warmups. He even accepted the handoff from his former teammate Russell Wilson.

Lynch seems to be Harris' good luck charm. A year ago, Lynch was there for the Steelers' Week 17 win over the Seattle Seahawks, where Harris rushed for 122 yards in a must-win game. With Lynch's presence, Harris averaged 114 yards per game and 5.5 yards per carry – both higher than his career averages of 63.2 YPG and 3.9 YPC.

“Maybe that’s why he ran a little different,” safety DeShon Elliott said. “(Lynch) was here. He wore this thing today. He definitely started running like beast mode today. I like to see it.”

Harris finished Sunday's win with 106 rushing yards on 14 carries, averaging a career-best 7.6 yards per carry. He also had two catches for 16 yards.

“I told him after the game. I said, this is the Najee Harris I saw at Alabama,” Elliott said. “Carry this (ball) like this. He played well and is physical, so I believe in our running game, we just have to keep going and keep getting better.”

Harris set the tone early, gaining 25 yards and two first downs on the first two plays. The first was a reception over the middle after a short throw from Fields, which he converted into a 12-yard gain. And on the second play, Harris picked up 13 yards running up the gutter.

Due in part to penalties and a poorly timed trick play, the Steelers' running game – and offense as a whole – was largely stagnant for the remainder of the half, save for a 15-yard run by Harris early in the second quarter. This was aided by several offensive linemen blocking and Freiermuth pushing Harris forward to gain at least five additional yards despite a swarm of defenders.

“(It) triggers the offense,” Harris said. “Do you know what i mean? When the attacks aren't going so well, you need a play that gives you the impetus. I always try to be the person who initiates the play. It was kind of like, ‘What can I do for the team?’ “Knowing that we have to keep pushing, and this is a four-quarter battle, and we need plays and some kind of excitement to know that. Okay, Najee did that now.” And then there should be a domino effect. The receivers make plays, Justin makes plays and it's a domino effect.

And that was it. After that play, the Steelers outscored the Raiders 28-6, including two rushing touchdowns from Fields. Harris extended that run with 75 rushing yards in the second half and a score of his own. In addition to the 36-yard touchdown, he also had a 26-yard run from right guard early in the drive, thanks to a big block from tight end Darnell Washington and another from Freiermuth.

It was the kind of consistent performance from the offensive line and skill position players that showed the Steelers they have what it takes to be productive after an inefficient start to the season that saw them lead in rush attempts per game ranked third but 13th in rushing yards per game over five weeks.

“If you want to be efficient at both passing and running, you have to get there and block,” Harris said. “There is a dirty part of everyone’s job. For us it's about protecting the pass, getting a 4-yard run or just doing things like that, and for the receivers it's about getting there and blocking. Sometimes you have to block a D-end and you have to He's not well sized, but just putting something on him creates a bigger play.

“So I think if we make a movie and see that, that will just be something we can build on.”